Woo-Labs is a network of community organizations reshaping education to focus on children. Together with partners like youth organizations, universities, cultural institutions, and WPS, we collaborate to enhance student success and overcome learning barriers through various student-led projects.
With WEC's backing, partner sites get added support from Hanover Fellows, comprising undergraduates, graduates, and recent grads from Worcester, Massachusetts. The Woo-Labs Hanover fellows are passionate about youth development, and eager to foster genuine learning experiences for young people under the guidance of the seasoned out-of-school programming professionals at each site.
At the Main IDEA project site this year, students are collaborating with the Claremont Academy Community Service Club to design and make murals/billboards to help promote community service projects. Some of these projects include the Thanksgiving Food Drive, Winter Holiday Gift Drive, and a Community ALS Walk taking place in Spring 2024.
“My favorite part has been seeing how creative and passionate the students are with creating the murals. I love watching how the students make it their own and feel proud of the final product,” said Isa, the Hanover Fellow supporting student projects at Main IDEA.
Isa is a Hanover Fellow at the Main IDEA project site.
Empowering Fellows with Professional Development Training
Fellows undergo foundational training in youth work essentials that is followed by an immersive project-based learning curriculum provided by Worcester Polytechnic Institute. Further enriching their skills, they engage in a specialized module by the Worcester College Corps focused on community engagement. Continuous support is then woven into the fellowship experience through regular check-ins with WEC. Fellows also engage in on-going collaborative problem-solving sessions with their peers to foster a space for shared insights and progress updates at their respective project sites.
“The WEC training has prepared me for my role by equipping me with the tools to carry out project-based learning with Main IDEA. The training helped me understand the importance of student driven learning and how having students involved at every step of the process can increase their excitement,” said Isa.
Fellowship Opportunity at Guild of St. Agnes
WEC is currently seeking a Hanover Fellow for the Guild of St. Agnes project site.
The Woo-Labs Hanover fellowship seeks undergraduate and graduate students and recent graduates in Worcester, Massachusetts to apply. This position is ideal for those passionate about positive youth development and eager to expand their ability to facilitate meaningful, authentic learning experiences for young people under the mentorship of experienced out-of-school time programming professionals.
Fellows will serve up to 180 hours over the course of the school year. The majority of hours are spent working directly at the partner site with whom Fellows match to execute these strategies, with a focus on building capacity for project-based learning opportunities and measurement.
