Town Of East Hartford Connects" Moves To A New Location Rebrands As "East Hartford Works!"

From: Town Of East Hartford
September 30, 2022

East Hartford, CT— The Town of East Hartford would like to introduce the community to East Hartford Works! – a new, rebranded and improved local initiative that focuses on assisting the community with workforce and economic development. Formerly known as East Hartford CONNects, East Hartford Works! is now housed at the East Hartford Public Library, located at 840 Main Street and welcomes new patrons.

“East Hartford Works! is a tremendous asset for our community and their staff work diligently every day across sectors to strengthen systems that contribute to economic prosperity for all in East Hartford,” said Mayor Mike Walsh. “Having an office space at the Raymond Library will potentially increase their ability to connect with more residents and build stronger relationships with them.”

Under the new brand, East Hartford Works! more broadly reflects the Mayor’s vision to strengthen systems that contribute to economic prosperity for all East Hartford residents. Patrons of the former East Hartford CONNects will automatically become customers of East Hartford Works! Those who were subscribed to the East Hartford CONNects e-blast, will remain on the list to receive new and improved communications from East Hartford Works!

How it started:

East Hartford CONNects was one of 5 Connecticut cities awarded a competitive Working Cities Challenge grant through the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston (FRBB) in 2018. Initially established within Silver Lane School and part of the Board of Education in 2018, it become a place-based economic growth initiative aiming to raise the income and assets of all East Hartford residents.

Mayor Walsh saw the potential to re-envision East Hartford CONNects, which led to its relocation to the East Hartford Public Library earlier this year, becoming a part of the town’s administration and rebranding as East Hartford Works!

“Our commitment is to work with regional stakeholders to invest in long-term strategies that strengthen the systems contributing to economic prosperity for residents in East Hartford,” said Initiative Director Amy Peltier. “Our mission is to provide workforce development opportunities including job training and matching, increase career and work place learning opportunities for students from East Hartford, and to support community engagement through resident leadership and capacity building opportunities.”

Focus of East Hartford Works!

The main focus of East Hartford Works! includes: offering workforce development opportunities informed by in-demand labor needs, including job training and matching; increasing career awareness and internship opportunities for East Hartford students; and supporting community engagement through resident leadership and capacity building opportunities.

These services are made possible thanks successful partnerships with The Town of East Hartford, East Hartford Public Library, Goodwin University, CCAT, Department of Labor, and East Hartford Adult Education. East Hartford Works! offers workforce supports and resources in Spanish and English, including a Career Coach who works individually with residents seeking new opportunities. Specific programming can be found within EHW’s three main areas of work:

Employment- East Hartford Works! maintains a network of partnerships among employers, supportive workforce programs and job seekers to create a career development culture that leads to self-sufficiency and quality jobs. Our primary ongoing service is free career consultation with a Career Coach who helps residents get connected with employment and training and find any supportive services they need to address barriers to employment. Twice annually East Hartford Works! hosts a Professional Skills Academy in partnership with Goodwin University. Adults 18 and over who complete the PSA, participate in a full spectrum of career readiness instruction over 4 weeks and receive 4 continuing education credentials from Goodwin. Our last two PSA’s graduated 17 individuals in May 2021 and another 10 individuals in April 2022. To schedule a Career Consultation or for more information on employment services, please contact Yadira Jeter at 860-290-4345 or email easthartfordworks@easthartfordct.gov.

Engagement- East Hartford Works! Resident Advisory Council (RAC) brings together residents in safe, affirming settings to strengthen community bonds. The RAC, made up of recognized community leaders and residents, meets monthly and offers workshops and trainings that support residents becoming involved in community planning, decision making and leadership opportunities. In July, RAC leadership trained in the Community Conversation model, hosted an in person Community Conversation on mental health with youth at the East Hartford Public Library.  Developing focus for monthly meetings and training opportunities is ongoing and the RAC is always looking to add new residents to our group.  The RAC will be promoting a series of 3 Financial Literacy workshops Tuesdays in October, to be held virtually in partnership with Liberty Bank and the Village Center for Financial Empowerment.  You may register for those workshops here.

Education- East Hartford Works! partners with Ready CT in East Hartford public high schools to create a mutually rewarding school-business partnership where local government, business and organizations provide work-based learning experiences and students gain employment and skills.  Both Ready CT and East Hartford Works! offer Spring Break Career Readiness workshops to students over Spring Break and they served 23 students in April 2022. East Hartford Works! is also the lead organization providing Summer Youth Employment and Learning Opportunities to East Hartford students ages 14-21 for 6 weeks during the summer.  Close to 60 students were enrolled in SYELP internships for the summer of 2022, paired with 15 different work sites. Ready CT offered 49 summer internship slots, in East Hartford, paired with career pathways that are being developed at the high school level, including the First Responder Youth Academy working with East Hartford Police and Fire Departments.
For more information on East Hartford Works services, please contact call at 860-290-4345 at or email easthartfordworks@easthartfordct.gov.

Please visit our rebranded Facebook page East Hartford Works | Facebook and the East Hartford Works! webpage at www.easthartfordct.gov/east-hartford-works.

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