Catholic Charities Teen Center at St. Peters

Nature and Purpose
The Catholic Charities Teen Center at St. Peter’s serves youth ages 12 to 19 from the Bowdoin/Geneva neighborhood of Dorchester. Through the center, we provide teens with work opportunities, access to various support services, and a safe place to recreate. Programs and activities aim to provide the skills necessary for academic success, while also increasing self-esteem and enhancing the perception of teens as a positive force in the community. There are approximately 200 members of the Teen Center, with as many as 80 participating in educational or recreational activities daily. While teens of all ethnicities are encouraged to participate, the program is particularly focused on the area’s Cape Verdean adolescents who have been disproportionately involved in area violence.

As of December 2008, the Teen Center is housed in a newly-renovated, state-of-the-art facility where Dorchester teens can improve their dance skills in the new dance studio; play sports in the new gymnasium; go online in the hi-tech computer lab; and utilize classrooms for tutoring, lifeskills classes, MCAS, SAT, and TOEFL test preparation, and counseling. The Teen Center programs support Catholic Charities’ mission of “building a just and compassionate society rooted in the dignity of all people.”

Tasks 
PULSE students will assist with one or more of the following activities:

• Homework Help/Tutoring: During Homework Help, teens have supervised time for homework, tutoring, and set times in the computer lab. School performance is reviewed and monitored. The role of the tutor is to help each student set an academic goal for the year and to assist the youth in completing and understanding their daily homework.
• Caeer Center: The Career Center is a place that provides resources and support for youth to make the transition after completing high school. The Career Center works closely with the College Prep program. The role of the volunteer is to set up workshops and maintain a database of all resources in regard to jobs, college information, and internship opportunities.
• Recreational Program: The Recreational Program consists of board games, table games, tournaments, card games, arts and craft projects, and many more fun activities. This is a great opportunity for staff and volunteers to mingle and foster relationships with youth. The role of the volunteer is to monitor and supervise activities and to engage with youth during activity time.
•  Sports Program: Each year, the Teen Center attracts over 80 youth from the community to take part in its basketball and soccer leagues. Games are scheduled twice a week from 6 to 9 PM. The basketball league runs in the fall, and the soccer league runs in the spring. Our league places a large emphasis on sportsmanship and fair play. The Sports Program is in need of coaches, assistant coaches, referees, game manages, and clock and score sheet operators.
• English for Speakers of Other Languages (“ESOL”) Classes: The Teen Center offers weeknight ESOL classes for parents of its students. Classes are Monday-Thursday from 6 to 7:30 PM. Volunteers help tutor the adults 1-on-1 and assist the ESOL teacher as needed.

Time Requirement
PULSE students will work 8-10 hours a week, between the hours 2 PM and 7 PM, Monday through Friday.

Supervision
PULSE volunteers will be supervised by the program director and program coordinator, as well as the high school or middle school educational coordinator.

Supervisors 
Paulo De Barros, Program Director

Daniel Tavares, Program Coordinator

Address
278 Bowdoin St
Dorchester, MA 02122
(617) 282-3614

www.ccab.org/services/children_and_youth_support/teen-center/

Council Member

Ben Applegate