Worcester Community Connections Coalition

The Worcester Community Connections Coalition arose in 1996 out of The Family Preservation Act which awarded funds to the Department of Social Services to help strengthen families. Planning sessions were initially held in various targeted neighborhoods to identify needs and action steps. Parent councils were then formed to represent the priorities of families in each area. WCCC is a parent-driven and provider-friendly coalition, keeping families strong and healthy and offering support to our communities.

We are a parent-driven coalition whose mission is to support Worcester families by:

• Better coordinating resources already in the community
  
• Bringing out the voices of residents
• Ensuring that services meet the needs of the people
  
• Helping parents to become more confident, competent and nurturing
  

Our Coalition is involved in a multitude of family support activities including:

• Linking families to needed services & helping them to advocate for the services they need
  
• The creation of task-forces to address gaps in services and other problems impacting families in the community
• Meetings where parents can offer one-another mutual support
• Parent workshops & educational trips
  
• And More!

We need you!!

Come Bring Your Opinions & Concerns As Parents & Make A Difference! All Worcester Parents, agency providers, civic leaders and concerned residents are welcome!

WCCC works in all Worcester Neighborhoods:

• Beacon - Brightly
  
• Great Brook Valley
  
• Lakeside Housing Development
  
• Lincoln/Belmont
  
• Piedmont / Main South
  
• Union / Vernon Hill

"Program participants are not merely receiving services; they are part of the planning, delivery and evaluation of such services."

"We bring parents and agency providers together as equal Partners"

For More Information Contact

Anne H. Bureau, Program Director
(508) 754-1176 x126

Family Advocates:
Mayra Nieves - (508) 754-1176 x124
Olga Lopez-Hill - (508) 754-1176 x155

Worcester Community Connections Coalition is an initiative of The Commonwealth of Massachusetts Executive Office of Health and Human Services Department of Social Services.

Funding provided by The Department of Social Services.

Worcester Community Action Council serves as the host agency for this program, and the City Manager's Office of Planning and Community Development is the fiscal partner.

Please click here to view the WCCC FAQs.

WCCC Parent Center Project

Through this program, trained parent volunteers offer other Worcester parents the support and knowledge they need to connect with community resources. The Parent Center is run and staffed by parent volunteers who have experience finding and connecting with community resources, both for their family and themselves. This is a pilot project that will be offered from February 20, 2008 – August 20, 2008.

Hours of Operation

Tues.-Wed.-Thurs.
10am - 2pm
484 Main Street, 2nd Floor
Worcester, MA 01608
(508) 754-1176 x131 or x188

Parent Center Services:

Parent Coaching

Parent-to-Parent Coaching / Information and Referral Services – parent-to-parent support in locating and connecting with local resources.

Advocacy

WCCC Parent Center Advocates will accompany Parents to ‘challenging’ social service meetings to provide support and advocacy.

Peer Support Groups

Peer support groups for parents with common interests and needs where they can support one another and work to improve access to services.

Workshops

Workshops for parents on various topics such as Budgeting / Credit Repair / Accessing College in Collaboration with Worcester Public Schools / Making the Most of Your Food Stamps, Etc.

Publication and Distribution of Community Resource Guides

To help families locate and connect to community services

Adhoc Parent Action Committees

Parents and providers working together short term to address gaps in community services and other community issues that negatively impact parents

Monthly parent support / leadership meetings

WCCC’s Family Needs Committee- A parent-driven committee of the coalition where parents meet once a month to learn and work together to improve access to local services, through meet with social service providers and provide one another with mutual support.

Testimonials:

It has been a very positive experience dealing with the WCCC Parent Center.  Their approach to the problems presented to them helped us understand and accept DSS’s temporary separation of our family members.  Anne Bureau and her supportive staff were very caring and understanding and gave us the tools we needed to deal with our problems.  We recommend them highly for parents and grandparents in need of assistance.  J.