PPI Community Initiatives

Civic Education

The Public Policy Institute sponsors programs to promote civic understanding and engagement in partnership with community organizations:

• VOICE (Voter Outreach Initiative for Civic Engagement) workshops promote access to local agencies and resources.
• Civic Survival Skills for English Language Learners provides basic civic training.
• Leadership Workshops provide training for prospective candidates for office and non-profit boards, as well as experience in civic projects.
• Advocacy opportunities include annual student visits to the Massachusetts Statehouse Day and meetings with local legislators.
• Financial Literacy Programs foster economic understanding and success.

College Access and School Dropout Rates

Partnering with Lynn public schools, the PPI provides resources to open doors to real college access and opportunities:

• College Rocks allows MS students to experience life on a college campus.
• College for Every Student is a collaborative effort to expose students to higher education.

Youth Violence and Gang Prevention

The PPI has helped sponsor citywide initiatives to reduce youth violence through its Violence Prevention Task Force:

• Project YES is an after-school program developed for at-risk middle school youth, with both parenting workshops and mentoring components for college and high school students.
• An NSCC Youth Worker certificate program has been developed to provide college-level training.

Hunger and Homelessness

The Public Policy Institute has sponsored several forums focusing on poverty issues, as well as promoting a regional food drive to assist food pantries on the North Shore.

• Faces of Poverty and Hunger Hurts engaged the public on policy issues.
• PPI Fellows conducted a research project on local hunger concerns in Lynn.

ESOL Instruction/Access

The PPI supports a Faculty Fellow to assist community-based organizations in our service area with English language instruction to sponsor:

• A gap analysis of curriculum and instruction conducted to strengthen retention and transition to college.
• Professional development opportunities and training for CBO instructors