September 26, 2024

Cooler temps and back-to-school routines give us the opportunity to look back on a summer well spent at Mercy Home. During the break, our young people kept learning and kept their eyes on future careers through programs organized by our Education and Career Resources (ECR) department.

Thanks to our friends in the business and labor communities, for example, our young people had opportunities to visit leading companies and organizations like Chase Bank, Google, the Chicago White Sox, Bulley & Andrews Construction, Robert Half, Optivar/Chicago Board of Exchange, Chicago City Hall, Faegre Drinker, White & Case Law, CICSO, UL Solutions, the International Brotherhood of Electrical Works, and the National Electrical Contractor Association.

These experiences were especially eye-opening for youth who have never held a job or were unaware of the different career fields available to them. When our young people went on job site visits, they were inspired to hear from professionals who came from neighborhoods like their own and had similar life experiences. The experience of meeting successful professionals from similar backgrounds also challenged our young people to aim high.

“The kids saw successful African American, Latino, and Asian [professionals] that are doing great things for [their] company,” ECR Coordinator Gabe Avalos said. “Having those connections are very critical for our youth and their growth while they’re at mercy, “Avalos said.

Youth also attended networking luncheons at the Home and at Bulley & Andrews Construction Firm. At these events, our young people were able to practice their elevator pitches and make connections with board members and business professionals.

The ECR team modeled professionalism and taught young people invaluable job and networking skills and helped them make business cards to use in connecting with professionals.

“It was good for [the donors] to come to the Home [for networking luncheons], connect with the kids and serve as an example that hard work does really pay off,” Avalos said.

After the youth returned from the site visits and networking luncheons, they would debrief with the ECR team on what interested them, what went well, and what areas they needed to improve.

“All of these trips show the youth that these paths are real paths,” said Director of Post Secondary Options, Career Resources and Scholarships Marlin Exton.

This summer some of our young people at our girls home focused on how to conduct a job search and applied for opportunities throughout the community. Others attended various educational and career programs to expose them to fields such as health, engineering, science, and more.

The youth who focused on gaining employment made a list of jobs that interested them, ranging from businesses, restaurants, and grocery stores. And our program staff encouraged them to network with these businesses in person, with the goal of applying for a job and landing an interview.

Our young women participated in two summer career programs at Chicago State University (CSU). One was the Health Professions Explorers Camp where they were exposed to health careers. They went on interactive field trips to hospitals and pharmacy labs, did group projects and activities, sat in on informational interviews by health professionals, toured the university, and attended on-campus classes.

“The youth felt a sense of fulfillment in exploring the [different health] fields as a possible career option,” Director of Education and Career Resources Brittany Terrell said.

In the other program, our young women had the chance to work on projects in engineering, nursing, mathematics, English, and social studies, and went on field trips led by CSU administrators.

Two of our youth had the opportunity to participate in the Future Engineers Camp. The program introduced them to engineering and taught math and science skills that they would need to pursue a degree in engineering.

“[Our] youth who participated in this program felt challenged and a great sense of responsibility for following up with their assignments and projects,” Terrell said. “The program was competitive, and they were able to meet with future scientists all over the city of Chicago.”

But as important as it is to look toward future careers, it was also important that our kids kept active and learning throughout the summer, which helped prepare them to start the new school year off strong. During the summer months, they participated in activities that promoted physical fitness, such as kickboxing, gymnastics, majorettes, and more. Additionally, youth learned about cultural awareness with a hair empowerment program, and designed engaging programs to help cultivate self-esteem, leadership, and entrepreneurial skills.

Overall, our young people spent their summers acquiring critical knowledge and skills that they can use to succeed in the future. They learned first-hand about business operations, requirements to work in any given field, how to dress and act professionally, and many more important professional and personal lessons.

These experiences are only possible because of our friends who donate time and resources to help young people build the confidence and skills they need to achieve their goals.