Julio Joyner gained customer service and people skills in an office setting, thanks to
a temporary internship at UMass Memorial Medical Center arranged through the Worcester Youth Center. Today he works in the science technology field selling clinical research data to hospitals.

“The major impact the Youth Center had on my life was
understanding the workforce and how things work,” he said.

Stay focused on your dreams. Not all things are what they may appear to be.

Julio joined the Youth Center in 2001, when he was 15 years old. His brother came home with an application for the former UCAPT (Urban Community Action Planning for Teens) program at the Youth Center. The program gave youth the opportunity to talk about the changes they wanted to see in the community. UCAPT, for example, targeted liquor stores selling to underage youths.

For the next 15 years, Julio remained involved with the Youth Center as a member, peer leader and youth leader.

He interned in several departments at UMass, including the cancer center and radiology. Being around physicians and seeing how things work at such a young age was an invaluable experience, he said.

Drawing on his experiences with the Youth Center, Julio is planning a nonprofit to help young boys who may not have a father figure as a role model.

He offers this advice to youths at the Center today: “Stay focused on your dreams. Not all things are what they may appear to be. So be patient, because things will fall into place.”