The 2015-16 school year marks the second year of a partnership between Playworks Massachusetts and the Massachusetts Service Alliance (MSA). Playworks Massachusetts will recruit 15 AmeriCorps members for the upcoming school year directly serving 14 high-need schools across Massachusetts. These AmeriCorps members will serve the communities of Boston, Lawrence, and Salem—giving all students the opportunity to learn about the power of play at reces and throughout the school day to improve school climate and reduce bullying—ultimately ensuring students feel safe, supported, and engaged in school.
In addition to serving at elementary schools in high-risk neighborhoods, Playworks AmeriCorps members will engage in monthly community service projects to spread the importance of peace and play throughout the community. For the first service project, in honor of Make a Difference Day, Playworks AmeriCorps members will bring together kids and families from across Boston in a day of play and peace building in honor of Playworks Coach Dawnn Jaffier and our commitment to working collaboratively to end senseless violence in our neighborhoods. The Play for Peace event provides opportunities for kids and families from across Massachusetts to come together for a fun, free, and joyful day of play and peace building. Please feel free to join our members at Play for Peace on Saturday, October 24th from 12:00-2:00pm .
Later in the school year, Playworks AmeriCorps members will have the opportunity to develop their own monthly service projects with the help of the AmeriCorps program manager. This will give Playworks AmeriCorps members the opportunity to plan a service project in their community creating a unique lasting impact. We are excited to continue our partnership with Massachusetts Service Alliance and committed to recruiting young professionals dedicated to service and the community.
About the Massachusetts Service Alliance
The Massachusetts Service Alliance (MSA), established in 1991, is a private, nonprofit organization that serves as the state commission on community service. Its mission is to catalyze the innovation and growth of service and volunteerism by creating partnerships that maximize resources, expertise, capacity, and impact.
MSA fulfills its mission by investing public and private funds to cultivate and strengthen a state-wide network of high quality service and volunteer programs, especially those that demonstrate innovative program models or that engage underserved and diverse communities, individuals, and networks; and by building and strengthening strategic partnerships and alliances with private, public, and nonprofit organizations throughout the Commonwealth.
