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BOSTON - Thursday, July 6, 2023 - Today
Mayor Michelle Wu, the Office of Youth Engagement and Advancement (OYEA),
and Boston Centers for Youth & Families (BCYF) announced TeenVentures
Boston, a free programming series featuring events throughout the summer
season open to teens aged 14-18. The weekend and weekday night events are
being held across the city, both at BCYF centers and at local partner sites
such as YMCA of Greater Boston and the Boys & Girls Club of Boston
(BGCB). Fun, accessible summer programming for youth is part of the City of
Boston’s broader summer safety
strategy. BCYF, YMCA and
BGCB are working in partnership to provide all of Boston's young people
with free access to their programs and spaces throughout the summer season.
Expanding opportunities for Boston’s teens to connect with their
communities is also a top priority of the new Office of Youth Engagement
and Advancement, first created by Mayor Wu earlier this
year. A full list of
TeenVentures events can be found on boston.gov/teenventures.
“TeenVentures builds on our work to make
Boston the best city to raise a family, and to ensure our young people have
a safe, fun summer,” said Mayor Michelle Wu. “TeenVentures and
its online website give teens and their parents a one stop shop to find
free programming readily available in their neighborhood. Together with our
partners at the City and across community organizations we’re making sure
our youth have everything they need to have a fulfilling summer break.”
TeenVentures enables all Boston teens to
gain access to any site operated by the YMCA, the Boys & Girls Club, or
BCYF, opening up programming at no charge. The newly launched TeenVentures
website offers a
user-friendly listing of teen summer events offered by the city and youth
development organizations, to help teens and families easily find engaging,
local activities at times that work for them. Typically, the YMCA and BGCB
have had membership fees and required sign-up for participation. Waiving
these will help lower barriers to teen programming this summer.
“Our goal is to make it easy for teens and
their families to know what’s going on in the city and to be able to find
activities that are safe and fun,” said Chief of Human
Services, José
F. Massó. “Together with our
partners at the Y and Boys & Girls Clubs of Boston, we want to take a
no-wrong-door approach to youth engagement so that there is free access
wherever teens choose to go.”
“The mission of our office is to help the
City’s young people stay connected to the opportunities and resources made
available to them. We hope that TennVentures makes it easier for them to
identify fun and safe spaces throughout the city this summer,” said Pedro
Cruz, Executive Director of the Office of Youth Engagement and Advancement.
TeenVentures includes expanded programming
at BCYF community centers aimed at engaging teens in a wide array of
activities ranging from sports clinics in basketball and volleyball to DIY
crafts and special outings to skate at Chez Vous, ride the rollercoasters
at Six Flags and try for strikes at Boston Bowl. BCYF will also host four
evening Fun Fests that will offer dinner, games, and family-friendly
entertainment. The Fun Fests will be held from 5-7pm on July 20th, July
27th, August 10th and August 17th, at the BCYF Condon, Pino, Hennigan, and
Perkins, respectively.
“We are so fortunate to live in a city that
is rich in opportunities and resources for youth,” said Marta E. Rivera,
Commissioner of Boston Centers for Youth & Families. “TeenVentures
amplifies and facilitates access to these summer opportunities across our
city.”
“Our city's young people are what makes
Boston great. TeenVentures will be a critical resource as they navigate
adventures in the city during the summer, and we're proud to be a part of
the Mayor's initiative to prioritize families,” said Boys &
Girls Clubs of Boston's Nicholas President and CEO Robert Lewis, Jr.
"By combining forces on everything from
free access to outreach to employment to swimming, we can truly meet the
needs of our young people and families," said David Shapiro,
YMCA of Greater Boston CEO. "The Y is proud to be a part of
this ongoing public-private effort this summer and beyond to pool our
resources, opportunities, and partnerships to make this the best city for
young people, one full of connection, belonging, positive pathways, and
continuous opportunity."
A full list of TeenVentures summer
programming and participating sites can be found on the TeenVentures
website. More on the City’s
efforts toward a safe and fun summer, including programming and resources
for all ages, can be found on boston.gov/summer. |
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