Summer Rising came and went, and a new school year looms ahead of us. As we enter the month of September, CASW prepares for a very special season: the beginning of after-school programming and, of course, our anniversary as an organization. Over 50 years ago, we started as a community-based initiative in the Washington Heights neighborhood, when, in response to the 1968 Teachers Strike, parents banded together to teach class in the basement of a local church.
Fast-forward to 2024, and CASW has come a long way; we continue to act as an academic resource for NYC youth, but we also provide a variety of other resources to kids, teens, and adults around NYC. We think that now, more than ever, is an excellent time to reflect on how we’ve grown as a non-profit:
After-School Programs: Enriching Lives Through Learning
CASW is a proud provider of programs like COMPASS, BEACON, SONYC, CORNERSTONE, etc. We run a variety of after-school programs in upper Manhattan and the Bronx and while we certainly provide supplementary care like homework help, part of our mission is to further enrich the lives of our participants. Through project-based learning initiatives in STEM, the arts, and social/emotional education, we’re working to make the next generation of well-rounded individuals. Whether it’s raising butterflies or building a robot, we’ve learned that students learn best when they can experience the world for themselves.
Youth Workforce Development: Empowering the Next Generation
Aside from the classroom, we also take a vested interest in helping to launch our participants into the working world. As a workforce provider, we serve young people ages 14-24 through programs like SYEP, WLG, and LFL. Many of our Workforce participants grew up alongside us, and we’re always looking to help them grow beyond their school career. Whether it’s their first summer job, a prized internship, or connecting them with mentors; we want our participants to extend our hands-on philosophy to wherever their careers take them.
Professional Growth: CASW’s Commitment to Its Staff
Of course, we’re only able to offer the array of services that we do thanks to the work of an amazing team. From administration to staff, the individuals who make up CASW are talented and dedicated to making a difference in the lives of NYC youth. In return, we as an organization believe in helping them grow as professionals – through initiatives like Path to Grow, we’ve tried to teach our team the skills and resources they need to advance toward the next step in their CASW journey. In the case of our organization in particular, we’re especially proud of the fact that much of our leadership began their careers as group leaders and staff.
As an agency, we’ve come a long way from that makeshift classroom in 1968. With the passage of time, we’ve met the needs of a changing city to become a fixture in our local communities. We’re looking forward to what the coming years will bring.
