WELCOME TO ECCO
ECCO is a non-profit, interfaith, broad based community organization
on Boston’s North Shore that include churches, synagogues, a
family housing project, school parents’ groups, and labor unions.
ECCO’s mission is to develop leadership to build power and collaboration
among families and communities on the North Shore. We are guided by
a firm belief in the democratic principle that all people are created
equal and have the right to make decisions about important issues affecting
their neighborhoods. Founded in 1981, ECCO has organized around a variety
of issues affecting families on the North Shore, including activities
directed at affordable housing, public safety, quality education, childcare,
workforce development, health care and youth activities.
Recent ECCO Activity, 2006
Hood School, Lynn: Many of the parents are new immigrants.
We formed a coalition of parents and teachers. We secured several needed
improvements to the plant, including fence securing outdoor play areas,
new doors to outside, replacement of numerous ceiling tile, covers
on fluorescent lighting in classrooms and hallway, and extensive repairs
to school’s portable building. We also created pilot after school
program.
Job Training Machinist (E-Team): We continue our most
famed program. This training in the skills of factory machinists for
good paying jobs has had 189 graduates. Success is due in part to working
closely with employers and unions so that students are trained for
available jobs; to date all graduates have received jobs. Recently,
we have had larger classes with a large number of women for the first
time. The annual training course goes from fall to spring, requiring
three nights a week plus Saturdays.
Job Training in Health Care: Our Jobs Team has been
doing extensive preparation for extending the methodology of the E-Team
into the field of the allied health professions. Many job training
programs that help health care workers advance to better paying levels
are not filled because of lack of prerequisite skills including English
writing and conversation and mathematics. We will provide tutors for
incumbent employees to meet these needs in contextually sensitive ways
so that they can pass entrance exams for local college LPN and RN programs.
As members of North Shore Community College’s Breaking Through
Initiative, we are applying to Certified Nursing Assistants (CNA) the
college’s methodology in their successful Child Development Associates
program. The focus includes other allied health pathways, including registered
nurses. We have received college administrative approval for this effort. Low-skill
nonnative workers will have bilingual preparatory workshops, weekly studies groups,
contextualized ESOL and CNA courses, self-paced math instruction and tutoring
modules.
Literacy: We are also members of the Lynn Literacy Task Force.
Our work here is similar to the health care advancement work described above.
The literacy work, such as in the proposed Pathways Education Programs, also
is connected with education and jobs training, concentrating again on health
care, as well as construction trades, food services, and building maintenance.
State Housing Development Resident's Group: Through the Resident’s
Group formed in 2004 the Gloucester Riverdale Park State Housing Development
advocate for themselves with the Housing Authority, still leading to substantial
repairs. An alliance with the Cape Ann Food Pantry has resulted, as well as relationship
with the police and the community center being kept open for after school and
summer youth programs. Residents and ECCO leaders meet monthly with the Housing
Authority; they also have gone to the State House to lobby legislators for money
for capital improvements for State Housing Developments. The Resident's Group
is a member of ECCO.
State funding legislative activity
ECCO is one of six members of the faith based community organizing umbrella Massachusetts
Communities Action Network (MCAN), and we work at the state level with other
groups with similar commitments. Through our legislative oriented actions, the
following funding sources are in the State budget:
The Workforce Competitiveness Training Fund provides $11 million
in job training funds. In addition the same Economic Stimulus Bill provides $3
million forAdult Basic Education (GED and ESOL) and $1.5 for part-time occupationally
related study in state or community colleges.
The Food Stamp Employment Training Program provides job training
and education for food stamp recipients who are caught in the middle because
their income is too high to receive welfare assistance (TANF). (About two-thirds
of food stamp recipients are working poor.)
Community law enforcement and gang violence prevention funds
totaling $11 million has provided teen violence prevention funds for the Lynn
police department.
In addition to funding, our legislative efforts contributed to an increase in
minimum wage from $6.75 to $7.50, effective January 1, 2007.
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