Work to THRIVE
In 2020, MassHire Metro North launched its Work to THRIVE (WtT) initiative as part of its broader mission to address workforce disparities and support economic mobility across the region. This initiative was designed to reach individuals who are disconnected from the traditional federal and state workforce development systems by leveraging strong community ties and strategic partnerships.
Current and Past Initiatives
State and federal funding often has strict rules that limit who can get help, especially those who need it most. Many people in our region who need job training and education can’t get the support they need.
Work to THRIVE helps to fill these gaps by offering flexible and creative solutions to support communities that are often left behind, where the regular job training programs may not reach. By getting funding from different sources, Work to THRIVE can quickly adjust to the changing needs of local communities, offering help where it is needed most.
Since it started, Work to THRIVE has created many programs to make a difference:
Digital JEDI (Justice, Equity, Diversity, Inclusion) Consortium
Awarded a $4.1 million grant from Massachusetts Broadband Institute (MBI) in October 2023 to reduce the digital inequities in workforce/career development that Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC), immigrant, and low-income communities experience in the Metro North and North Shore regions.
Skill Building – ESOL for Small Business Employees
Awarded a $413,000 one-year grant from the City of Somerville’s ARPA funds in FY24, which allowed MNWB, SCALE, and the Welcome Project to support existing small businesses in Somerville by offering ESOL classes to their employees.
While MNWB will not continue leading ESOL programming, the importance of offering these classes is immense.
Workforce Resiliency Fund
Through a $50,000 donation of unrestricted funds from CVS Health through their social justice and equity initiative, the Metro North Workforce Resiliency Fund was created to support job seekers with “wrap-around services” in the cities of Revere, Chelsea, Everett and Malden.
With help from the Workforce Resiliency Fund, Gabriela (name changed), was able to cover the cost of the books, supplies, and tuition for her citizenship class and ESOL course. Showing great determination, she passed her citizenship exam. The funding covered a portion of her attorney’s fees enabling her to address her immigration status, as well as that of her husband and 11-year-old son. Now, all three family members are legalized, and both adults are working full time, something they had not been able to do with their previous immigration status.