What began in 1968 as a grassroots summer program for teens has grown into a cornerstone of opportunity in Cambridge. Just A Start’s early mission—to support young people and strengthen the community—has evolved to meet the city’s changing needs. Over the decades, the organization expanded into affordable housing, financial empowerment services, and workforce development, serving both youth and adults. 

Today, Just A Start, one of our 124 New Way Forward partners, is not only a key affordable housing developer in Cambridge but also a leader in career training. Programs like YouthBuild and Adult Career Training in IT and biotechnology help participants build in-demand skills—and brighter futures. YouthBuild offers tracks in construction, retail entrepreneurship, and solar panel installation, combining hands-on training with academic support for high school equivalency.  

“Just A Start was founded as a youth program and that commitment is still in our DNA. Throughout the years, we have continuously supported young people who’ve faced real barriers as they build the skills, confidence, and networks to succeed. With strong employer partnerships and a deep belief in their potential, we’re helping them move into apprenticeships, full-time work, and a future they can see clearly. Every graduate is proof of what’s possible when community and opportunity come together,” said Nate Bae Kupel, Managing Director of Youth Programs. 

Backed by the slogan building homes, careers, and futures, Just A Start is more than a service provider—it’s a community builder. That work is now anchored at the new Economic Mobility Hub at Rindge Commons—a six-story, 70,000-square-foot space that brings together 24 affordable apartments, a pre-kindergarten, commercial space, and Just A Start’s headquarters under one roof. 

The Hub allows the organization to expand its reach, doubling the capacity of its Adult Career Training Program and launching a new YouthBuild Solar Pilot in a dedicated woodshop. Altogether, the facility will serve more than 3,000 people annually from Cambridge and the MetroNorth area—opening even more doors to opportunity. 

But behind every program stat is a personal journey. For Syon and Javari, two participants of Just A Start’s YouthBuild program, the traditional education system had failed them. The future once felt uncertain—full of barriers and missed opportunities. Through this program, they found a pathway not just to education and employment, but to confidence, independence, and community.  

At just 20 years old, Syon speaks with the clarity and insight of someone who has navigated systems that weren’t built to support her. 

“I was having trouble in regular school—not with the work, but the system,” she explained. “When you’re in a school with more people, it’s kind of hard to get individualized help. The staff didn’t take the time to understand. When you have stuff going on outside of school, they don’t ask questions—they just mark you absent.” 

After struggling in that environment, Syon left school. She found Just A Start’s YouthBuild program and joined for the first time but stepped away before finishing. “I had other things going on, and I just wasn’t in the right headspace to succeed at the time,” she admitted. 

When she came back to Just A Start last May, she was ready. At first, she enrolled in retail—but this time, she chose the construction track—not something she originally imagined herself doing. “At first, I was just curious. But once I started getting positive feedback, I thought, maybe this is something I could really do. Even just to pay bills—it felt empowering,” said Syon.   

She began building furniture, including a desk with drawers she proudly takes ownership of. Today, she’s completed all her high school equivalency tests and is on track to graduate the program this August. Syon is looking ahead to college. Her dream? To become a pediatric psychiatrist.  “My grandfather, he's a psychiatrist. So it's just been something I've been drawn to. I want to be the person I didn’t have. Someone who listens. Someone who sees the whole person,” said Syon, “I always want to make something of myself, I wasn't going to let the school system stop me from actually building a career and Just A Start gave me that chance.”  

After graduating high school, Javari, now 22, didn’t have a clear direction for his future. “I had a job, but it wasn’t paying much. College wasn’t an option—we just didn’t have the money.” 

Like Syon, Javari is part of a generation whose high school years were defined by isolation. The pandemic stole crucial years of connection and growth. 
“I didn’t experience high school,” he said. “I was home from sophomore year to senior year. You miss a lot during that time. That’s when you grow, when you socialize—and we didn’t get that. And my school, they stopped caring after COVID.” 

It was his mom who told him about Just A Start. “She helped me sign up. And from there, it just went uphill.” 

Javari found a passion for construction—drawn to the hands-on work, real-world skills, and the structure it brought to his life. “I like using my hands. It kept me out of the house, off the streets. And I was getting paid to learn,” he said. 

Through YouthBuild, Javari worked on community-centered projects, including a public fridge shed in Somerville and another on River Street. “That River Street shed taught us everything—framing, structure, tools. It was real construction experience.” 

He especially appreciated learning to use the full range of tools: “All the different types of saws and getting better with my tape measure—which is like the bread and butter of construction. That was the most important part. Especially if you want to get into the union—you’ve got to learn that.” 

Now on track to join the carpentry union, Javari has a clear sense of where he’s going. He’s even starting to think about one day running his own construction company. 

Just A Start offers more than job training or HiSET support—it provides a comprehensive, wraparound experience that builds life skills, financial literacy, teamwork, and accountability. Participants learn how to build a shed—and how to build a budget. They leave with credentials—and confidence.  

In 2024, Just A Start supported 84 young people as they reclaimed their education, gained job skills, and stepped into leadership roles. Through academic and career training paired with holistic support, youth didn’t just make progress—they thrived. An impressive 74% earned industry-recognized credentials, including HBI PACT, OSHA, and RIF certifications. 

That same year, Just A Start’s YouthBuild program was one of just three programs nationwide selected to pilot the Photovoltaic Installation Training Program, opening new pathways into the green economy. Nine graduates earned key certifications in solar installation. Through partnerships with employers like UNIRAC, Solar Landscape, Sunrun, the Solar Energy Industries Association, and Freedom Forever, participants received hands-on training and were connected with job opportunities in the clean energy sector. 

“This program changed my life. It helped me grow,” said Javari. “I used to be a typical teen—staying home, doing nothing. Now, I show up, I get the work done, and I got my own place.” 

“It’s literally in the name—Just A Start,” added Syon. “It gives you options. A fresh chance. All the things high school didn’t give us.” For Syon, learning punctuality and self-discipline was just as valuable as mastering power tools. “Just showing up every day—that was a big step for me. Even when I didn’t want to. Now I know I can push myself.” 

Syon and Javari credit the staff and instructors for creating a space where young people are seen, supported, and encouraged to grow. “The teachers here actually care,” said Javari. “If you just listen and let them help you, you’ll get through it.” 

Through their determination—and with the support of Just A Start—Syon and Javari are rewriting what their futures can look like. Their stories are a reminder that when young people are given the tools and trust to build their own path, there’s no limit to where they can go. 

“Just A Start gave us the tools,” said Syon. “Now it’s up to us to build the rest.” 

For anyone worried that non-traditional pathways aren’t “good enough,” Syon is clear: 
“Don’t be scared just because this isn’t a traditional diploma. That doesn’t matter. What matters is doing something for yourself—and this place helps you do that.” 

She encourages others to take the leap: 
“Don’t wait. Don’t quit. Just come and do it. It’s one summer you take off—this is the one thing you need to open up your options, career-wise.” 

“And you’re getting paid to learn,” Javari added. “It’s worth it. You get job skills, your diploma, and a future.”