Coalition of NYC Non-Profits Advances Career Readiness

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Coalition of NYC Non-Profits Advances Career Readiness

By Suzanne Tillman

Over the past 12 months, a group of New York City non-profits has been breaking new ground by meeting and working together toward the shared goal of ratcheting up the preparedness of the city's youth for career success. Previously unconnected, these organizations were each actively promoting school-business partnerships throughout the city. Now, having identified common goals, and facilitated by the School to Work Alliance, they are working together to increase and enhance workplace experiences and career exploration for New York City school students.

The Coalition for Career Readiness in New York, as the group is now called, provides a collective well of knowledge and experience in support of career exploration and development for students citywide. The strength of this collaboration is based on each member's expertise and activity in a certain area. Members mainly include independent nonprofit organizations, but also divisions of the New York City Department of Education. The Coalition offers streamlined access to the vast and varied array of career readiness activities that exists in New York City. The recently launched website (www.CCRNY.org) offers a one-stop portal to each organization's website as well as general information about the different kinds of programs and activities that comprise career readiness.

Stemming from an exploratory meeting convened by Ruth Cohen, executive director of PENCIL and Tom Pendleton, executive director of the STW Alliance, the Coalition has grown to 12 members, each committed to the power of collaboration and professional exchange across organizations. The Coalition for Career Readiness now meets monthly and is currently planning collaborative activities for the winter and spring. One main advantage to joining together is the ability to cross-promote each other's activities and find synergies in programs. For example, Junior Achievement of New York, a Coalition member, has offered to expand their annual Groundhog Job Shadow initiative to include students referred by other Coalition members.

Currently, the Coalition for Career Readiness is active in over 500 schools and is supported by 270 businesses citywide. By forming this coalition, member organizations are aiding businesses, schools and parents as they help students prepare for career success.

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Winter 2004 Issue

> Alliance Workshops Offer Wealth of Resources

> Behind the Scenes—Careers in the Moving Image Industry

> Making Scents of Your Future

> Coalition of NYC Non-Profits Advances Career Readiness