We are already planning for Summer 2022! Check back here for updates and applications.

Work Opportunities For Young People to Build Their Skills

The Gateway to Opportunity Program (G2O) connects low-income young people (both in-school and out-of-school) with paid, work-based learning projects during the summer. These projects help youth participants develop the 21st Century Skills required for success in their future careers. The G2O program is a new approach to work-based learning that was developed by the Cutler Institute’s Youth & Community Engagement (YCE) team at the University of Southern Maine in partnership with local stakeholders and based on national best practices for youth employability. As the lead partner in the 2022 G2O initiative, MYAN is actively exploring new partnerships with Maine-based businesses, non-profits, and community organizations to expand this initiative statewide.   

We are recruiting host sites! As a host site, you will support a team of young people for a 6-week collaborative project at your organization, investing in both local and emerging professionals for our incoming workforce. Previous Host Sites include Loon Echo Land Trust, The City of Portland, The City of South Portland, Healthy Acadia, The Opportunity Alliance, Partners for Prevention, Partners for Healthier Communities, and many more! 
 
If you or your organization are interested in becoming involved in this innovative work-based learning program, please sign up here to receive more information or contact Alastair Lawson at alastair.lawson@opportunityalliance.org.  
  

Calling High School-Aged Youth! Are you looking for an awesome PAID 6-week summer job in 2022? Sign up here to get more information on our Gateway to Opportunity 2022!  

Click here to sign up to our G2O Youth email list!  

 Learn more about this innovative program model! 

1) Gateway to Opportunity Toolkit 2021 – Please enjoy an updated version of the G2O toolkit that the team at the Cutler Institute developed and launched in 2019. This version of the toolkit includes feedback from core G2O partners, including the Maine Youth Action Network, as well as over a dozen templates and tools to help you visualize G2O in your community!  

2) G2O: Critical for Maine’s future economy – Nikki Williams and Susy Hawes from the Data Innovation Project authored this article, published by the Maine Policy Review, exploring how programs like G2O are critical for Maines’s economy and future workforce. Thanks for sharing widely!