Asian American Civic Association, Inc.
Educate. Empower. Employ.
Programs and results
What we aim to solve
Our programs
What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?
Multi-Service Center
The Multi-Service Center is staffed by trained social workers and employment specialists who speak Cantonese and Mandarin and can offer timely support with personal and family issues. Walk-in clients are welcomed (in FY14 served 2,698). We also provide a Chinese-English translation service.
Workforce Development Center
The Workforce Development Center is recognized as one of Boston's leaders in vocational training for adults. The agency operates two pre-employment job training programs targeted at high demand occupations: Careers in Banking and Finance and Building Energy Efficient Maintenance Skills (BEEMS) as well as the Employment Center, which offers financial literacy, job readiness and job placement services to all low-income residents.
Adult Education Center
The Adult Education Center offers basic to intermediate English for Speaker of Other Languages (ESOL) classes for individuals seeking higher education, jobs or job training and incumbent worker education for the health care industry.
Youth Center
The Youth Center, launched in 2008, offers leadership development through actual job/volunteer opportunities. The center prepares youth from a wide range of economic, social, and ethnic backgrounds for high education and career preparation. Recently, AACA was the recipient of the Boston Opportunity Youth Colloborative funding, which has enabled us to hire a Youth Employment Specialist, who will focus on placing unemployed young adults, including career counseling and job readiness training of young adults.
Where we work
External reviews
Photos
Our results
How does this organization measure their results? It's a hard question but an important one.
Number of clients served
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Economically disadvantaged people, At-risk youth, Immigrants and migrants, Incarcerated people, Victims and oppressed people
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Goals & Strategy
Learn about the organization's key goals, strategies, capabilities, and progress.
Charting impact
Four powerful questions that require reflection about what really matters - results.
What is the organization aiming to accomplish?
AACA's ultimate goal is to assist immigrants, linguistic minorities and economically disadvantaged individuals to achieve economic and social self-sufficiency. Economic and social self-sufficiency is measured by acquisition of career-oriented employment, generation of family sustainable income, and building of assets such as home ownership. AACA's clients often face obstacles that seem insurmountable, from language barriers and lack of transferrable job skills, to unstable and substandard housing, past criminal records, and multi-generational poverty. AACA's tasks are to give them opportunities that will allow them to fully integrate into mainstream - a point at which they have a steady income at a sustaining wage, they are able to take active part in their communities, and they have a secure living situation for themselves and their families. As an organization, AACA envisions itself as a beacon of hope for its clients. In particular, AACA wants to be seen as the one-stop center providing seamless social and educational services for new immigrants arriving in Massachusetts; a key advocacy group in terms of workforce development; and an innovator promoting a path to better futures for all disadvantaged residents of Massachusetts. Over the last thirty years, the immigrant influx has significantly contributed to the labor force growth in Massachusetts. AACA has a vital mission to educate and empower Massachusetts' new workforce. AACA's programs and services are crucial in building and supporting a productive workforce that benefits the local economy, businesses and numerous immigrant and indigent families.
What are the organization's key strategies for making this happen?
AACA takes a holistic approach to clients and their families, providing not only English language education and job training and placement services, but also providing critical case management and social services. AACA is an outcome-driven organization that focuses on services for 'the whole client' - this means that we not only provide our clients with training, but also with the essential wrap-around social services they and their families require, and with job retention services for a minimum of two years after they are placed in a job. Depending on their individual needs, a client will receive help, teaching, and advice from a number of different specialized members of the AACA team throughout their contact with us. This integrated team strategy is focused on achieving benchmarks such as completion of programs, successful college entry, securing housing or retaining a job, while valuing and promoting the individual's ambition to succeed. AACA's job training programs are particularly effective because they embrace economic realities: each program is developed after extensive labor market research. Each job training program has strong relationships with employer partners who are actively involved in all aspects of the program design from setting standards for program admittance, advising on curriculum and providing workshops, to hosting interns, hiring graduates and supporting them so they thrive and advance (we now work with over 90 employer partners). Through AACA's unique formula of holistic client services combined with strong employer relationships, the workforce development programs prepare strong candidates for hire. AACA already has an excellent reputation for immigration and social services as well as workforce development. We have several medium- to long-term strategies that will allow AACA to continue to deliver its programs and to adapt those programs to changes in the economy and in workforce demands. In terms of program development, we plan to increase capacity in our highly successful Building Energy Efficient Maintenance Skills (BEEMS) and Careers in Banking and Finance programs. Other areas that we are looking to develop include an entrepreneurial training program aimed at immigrant women, and our youth employment center.
What are the organization's capabilities for doing this?
An innovator in our community, AACA has taken a leadership role in workforce development, developing high quality training as a means to promising career attainment. All of AACA's workforce development programs combine English language education contextualized to the industry with technical skills, computer literacy, and job readiness training. AACA provides its students with the needed skills for employment, provides career coaching, and works closely to help its graduates find jobs and build assets. AACA's core asset is its ability to adapt to changes in its programming and services based on the ever-changing demographic characteristics of its clients, as well as shifts in local labor market needs. The internal resources that currently play into AACA's work and help strengthen it for the future are: A committed Board of Directors with membership comprising human service, legal, education, and business professions.A dedicated staff that is committed to the cause of the organization.Qualified staff with professional training in the fields of education and human services.One-stop center that provides a wide range of appropriate services and programs to immigrants, linguistic minorities and economic disadvantaged residents.Practical programs: we cater to clients' needs by providing concise vocational training and a high job placement rate (over 80%).Unique features in program designs such as the Individual Service Plan, case management, business English, customer services, contextualized English, and two-year retention service for program graduates.Financially sustainability: AACA is not heavily reliant on public funding. It diversifies its revenue from earned income, government grants, foundations/corporations, and fundraising. In FY 2014, the largest portion of AACA income was earned (30%), with government grants and foundation/corporation support at 23% and 25% respectively. The external strength of AACA includes: AACA has a solid reputation and track record among its clients and funders.Industry partnerships: AACA's relationships with its employer partners are key to its success. It is their involvement that keeps AACA's programs relevant, ensures that students are exposed to real world situations, and given a great start in a growing industry.AACA's willingness and readiness in collaboration and partnership with other education institutes and community-based organizations is vital to its resource development and program success.
What have they accomplished so far and what's next?
AACA has come a long way since its beginnings. Founded in 1967, the Asian American Civic Association has evolved from a Chinese social club to a leading workforce development and college preparation center in Massachusetts for all immigrants and economically disadvantaged individuals. Eight years ago, we concentrated our fundraising efforts on a $2.8 million campaign that allowed us to create a new facility at the Chinatown Community Education Center, 87 Tyler Street, Boston, which incorporated much-needed space for teaching, counseling, meeting and organizing, including a multi-purpose community room, multi-functional conference room, two computer labs, confidential counseling spaces, and multiple classrooms. Since moving into the new premises in 2007, we have significantly expanded vital programs and met many of the strategic goals established by our Board of Directors in 2001: we have added nine major new programs; the City of Boston and the City of Cambridge each awarded AACA the only grants for ""green"" job training; and in 2010, AACA opened the Buds and Blossoms Early Education and Care Center. In 2013, AACA is awarded five years of funding from the George and Alice Rich Charitable Foundation to create a scholarship fund for AACA students. Among the new programs we created after the move were: the Employment Center, the Careers in Banking and Finance program, and Workplace Education at South Cove Community Health Center, Tufts Medical Center and China Pearl Restaurant. We created a new youth initiative focusing on leadership development and civic engagement. In response to client needs, we also expanded our Next Steps Transitional English Program to include a college track for adult immigrants interested in pursuing a college education. This has been very successful, with 40 Next STEP students placed in college in 2014. In November, 2014, finalized purchase of headquarters at the Chinatown Community Education Center. In July, 2014, Engligh for New Bostonians awarded grant to AACA to start New Roots to Employment Project. New Roots is designed to help advanced ESOL students with college degrees tin STEM from their own countires to prepare for careers in their fields in the U.S. In April 2015, the Boston Private Industry Council awarded a three-year subcontract grant through the Social Innovation Fund to provide he much needed employment services to Boston Youth.
Financials
Unlock nonprofit financial insights that will help you make more informed decisions. Try our monthly plan today.
- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights?
Learn more
about GuideStar Pro.
Operations
The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.
Connect with nonprofit leaders
SubscribeBuild relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Try a low commitment monthly plan today.
- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.
Connect with nonprofit leaders
SubscribeBuild relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Try a low commitment monthly plan today.
- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.
Asian American Civic Association, Inc.
Board of directorsas of 01/12/2024
Deeb Salem
Tufts Medical
Philip Chin
WCVB-TV
David Chang
Retired
Helen Choi
Retired
Diana Jeong
Commonwealth of Massachusetts Department of Business and Technology
Stephen Kunian
Community Volunteer
Joseph McGrail
State Street Corporation
Edward Scribner
Seidman & Scribner
Curtis Cutter
Interworld Consultations Inc.
Tony Franzone
DoubleTree Boston Downtown Hotel
Edward Sweeney
Certified Public Accountant
Amy Chen
MassMutual Fiancial Group
Julia Kim
Income Research + Management
Board leadership practices
GuideStar worked with BoardSource, the national leader in nonprofit board leadership and governance, to create this section.
-
Board orientation and education
Does the board conduct a formal orientation for new board members and require all board members to sign a written agreement regarding their roles, responsibilities, and expectations? Yes -
CEO oversight
Has the board conducted a formal, written assessment of the chief executive within the past year ? Yes -
Ethics and transparency
Have the board and senior staff reviewed the conflict-of-interest policy and completed and signed disclosure statements in the past year? Yes -
Board composition
Does the board ensure an inclusive board member recruitment process that results in diversity of thought and leadership? Yes -
Board performance
Has the board conducted a formal, written self-assessment of its performance within the past three years? Yes
Organizational demographics
Who works and leads organizations that serve our diverse communities? Candid partnered with CHANGE Philanthropy on this demographic section.
Leadership
The organization's leader identifies as:
The organization's co-leader identifies as:
Race & ethnicity
Gender identity
Transgender Identity
Sexual orientation
No data
Disability
Equity strategies
Last updated: 01/12/2024GuideStar partnered with Equity in the Center - an organization that works to shift mindsets, practices, and systems to increase racial equity - to create this section. Learn more
- We review compensation data across the organization (and by staff levels) to identify disparities by race.
- We ask team members to identify racial disparities in their programs and / or portfolios.
- We analyze disaggregated data and root causes of race disparities that impact the organization's programs, portfolios, and the populations served.
- We disaggregate data to adjust programming goals to keep pace with changing needs of the communities we support.
- We employ non-traditional ways of gathering feedback on programs and trainings, which may include interviews, roundtables, and external reviews with/by community stakeholders.
- We disaggregate data by demographics, including race, in every policy and program measured.
- We have long-term strategic plans and measurable goals for creating a culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.
- We use a vetting process to identify vendors and partners that share our commitment to race equity.
- We have a promotion process that anticipates and mitigates implicit and explicit biases about people of color serving in leadership positions.
- We seek individuals from various race backgrounds for board and executive director/CEO positions within our organization.
- We have community representation at the board level, either on the board itself or through a community advisory board.
- We help senior leadership understand how to be inclusive leaders with learning approaches that emphasize reflection, iteration, and adaptability.
- We measure and then disaggregate job satisfaction and retention data by race, function, level, and/or team.
- We engage everyone, from the board to staff levels of the organization, in race equity work and ensure that individuals understand their roles in creating culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.