Community to Community (C2C) is an impact accelerator at Northeastern University designed to deepen the university’s commitment to community engaged research. C2C’s mission is to understand and address social disparities by fostering trusting relationships between academic researchers and community or government partners. Centering the wisdom of community voices, they co-create research evidence that advances equitable practices and policies in Northeastern’s home communities.

The organization’s current funding priority is C2C’s Summer Youth Employment Program, which provides Learn and Earn opportunities to over 100 low-income teens. Participants are either enrolled in Northeastern’s Bridge to Calculus program or employed in a job on campus for 20-25 hours per week for 7 weeks and are paid the minimum wage.

The program also provides weekly workshops on career exploration, college readiness, financial literacy, entrepreneurship, and leadership. Research conducted by C2C shows that summer jobs programs have positive impacts for youth, boosting employment, increasing high school graduation and reducing criminal justice involvement among participants.