Special to the Journal
Revere Works proudly announces the initiation of the Job Search Challenges Focus Group in Revere. Revere Works is a dynamic coalition comprising of City departments, workforce training agencies, and educational providers committed to fostering workforce development citywide.
This collaborative effort aims to address the diverse needs of Revere residents by facilitating an open discussion on job search interests and challenges. By uniting the community’s voices, Revere Works seeks to enhance the effectiveness of job search support programs.
Eighteen community members, of diversified racial and socioeconomic backgrounds, participated and shared their experiences with job searching during the first focus group on February 1st. Representatives from Revere Works, including CONNECT (TND), MACIR, Women Encouraging Empowerment (WEE), and Revere Community School (RCS), were present to provide interpretation services in Spanish and Arabic, to facilitate the discussion.
During the working session, participants shared insights about their past employment experiences, current job situations, and aspirations for their dream jobs. Alexa Shabecoff, Director of CONNECT, noted that “the group had a wide range of skills and credentials but almost all found that their English proficiency was a barrier to good jobs. Some even had a good understanding of English but lacked the confidence to interview in English.”
“We invite all Revere residents to participate in this impactful focus group and share their valuable insights,” said Ms. Shabecoff in her opening remarks, “By joining, you contribute significantly to shaping the direction of local non-profit organizations such as TND, MACIR, WEE, and RCS in tailoring job search assistance for the benefit of Revere residents.”
As a token of appreciation for their involvement, every participant received a $20 Target gift card, and complimentary refreshments were provided during the session. The event ultimately aims to improve workforce development opportunities in Revere by addressing community members’ job search challenges and providing avenues for support and improvement.
The next focus group will be held at Women Encouraging Empowerment (50 Walnut Ave) on Tuesday, April 16th at 6pm. Participants will receive a $20 Target gift card and complimentary refreshments. Individuals interested in participating can register by scanning the QR code, or at bit.ly/RWfocusgroup. For more information about Revere Works, visit the city’s website www.revere.org/revere-works.
