VP of Employer Engagement Mandy Townsend traveled to Colorado last month as part of the Aspen Institute’s Job Quality Fellow program. One of 17 innovators nationwide, this cohort will convene over the next year to learn from one another, solve common problems, and address the collective challenge of improving the availability of quality jobs nationwide. Organized by the Economic Opportunities Program and formed with generous support from the Ford Foundation and The Prudential Foundation, the Fellowship aims to support and strengthen the work of leaders dedicated to expanding the availability of better quality jobs in our economy.

Over the past two months, many of our senior staff have been presenting at conferences and seminars nationwide, on a variety of workforce development topics, and our groundbreaking Pay for Success project. Look for this feature in next month’s newsletter!

This weekend, HIAS, a national organization that advocates for refugees, is sponsoring a National Refugee Shabbat.This is a moment for congregations, organizations, and individuals around the country to create a Shabbat experience dedicated to refugees. CEO Jerry Rubin will be speaking at Temple Aliyah in Needham on Saturday, and CDO Karin Blum will be at Temple B’nai Brith on Friday evening. To see the full range of speakers, click here.

On December 2, JVS’s Jewish Services Committee is organizing an afternoon Refugee Simulation, hosted by Temple Isaiah in Lexington . This unique opportunity will give people a deeper understanding of the experience, the choices and struggles involved in moving from a refugee camp to into the U.S. immigration system. To register or learn more, click here .

For National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM), we are featuring a staffer from our disabilities department.  Jensy Veras started in August as a Career Coach in the Transitions to Work program. In addition to working with the TTW clients, he works one day a week at McKinley Prep High School. He provides 1:1 job readiness and placement services such as resume writing and interview preparation to students with a disability. This project is funded through the Boston Opportunity Portfolio. Jensy most recently worked as a Skills Specialist at the Northeast Independent Living Program, Inc, and he grew up in Lawrence.