City of Somerville Awards $100,000 Grant to Teen Empowerment and The Dojo @ Somernova for Teen Time Program

The funds will expand free year-round opportunities for Somerville youth.

SOMERVILLE, Mass., August 12—Teen Time @ The Dojo, a partnership between The Center for Teen Empowerment and The Dojo @ Somernova, a free youth-driven community space on Somernova's innovation campus, have been awarded a $100,000 grant from the City of Somerville's Department of Health and Human Services.

The grant will allow The Dojo to serve more Somerville teens by offering consistent, weekly, year-round programming, mentorship and leadership opportunities, and a dependable after-school gathering place where young people can drop in and spend time with friends in a safe and welcoming environment.

No two days at Teen Time will look alike. Teens will have opportunities to participate in visual, literary, and performing arts projects; STEAM, robotics and climate-tech education; civic engagement; leadership development; workforce-readiness workshops; financial literacy and life-skills development; as well as a host of fun activities from bingo and trivia to DJing and summertime water wars. 

Teen Time advances the City of Somerville's commitment to expanding accessible, high-quality out-of-school opportunities. Books of Hope will join Teen Empowerment and The Dojo @ Somernova in delivering programming that reflects the strengths of each organization such as open mic nights and more.

"Having attended countless great events at the DoJo, I'm excited to see this expansion of programming and looking forward to see where it goes. This will deliver exactly the kind of creative gathering space that our youth have been calling for more of -- and that the City is seeking to grow," said Mayor Jake Wilson. "From flexing their creative minds, to building skills, or just having a welcoming place to hang out, play games, and make friends, our teens will now have more opportunities to connect and learn in their free time. I want to thank our outstanding local youth providers Teen Empowerment and the DoJo for working together to deliver that."

While Somernova is known for bringing together groundbreaking climate and technology companies, the campus has long invested in creating spaces that serve the broader Somerville community. The Dojo reflects that commitment by ensuring young people have access to the culture of creativity, innovation, and opportunity that defines the campus.

"The Dojo was created to be a place where every young person feels like they belong," said Kristin Phelan, Vice President of Real Estate Development & External Affairs for Rafi, owner and operator of Somernova. "This investment in Teen Time reflects what Somernova believes: innovation begins by investing in people. We're committed to creating opportunities for young people to discover new interests, build confidence, and see themselves as the next generation of innovators, entrepreneurs, artists, and leaders. We're grateful to the City of Somerville for making that vision possible."

"The Center for Teen Empowerment has spent more than two decades working alongside Somerville's young people to help them develop their voices, leadership skills, and confidence," said Abrigal Forrester, CEO, Center for Teen Empowerment. "Teen Time @ The Dojo creates another powerful opportunity for youth to get the support they need to thrive. We're excited to partner with Somernova to make this vision a reality."

For Somerville teens,Teen Time provides something that's been hard to find: free, consistent programming designed specifically for older teens

Bazel Towne, a Teen Empowerment Youth Organizer said: “Teen spaces like the Dojo are what drive young people like me to find themselves. Social connections form identity and belonging, which are two of the most important aspects of youth. The community that Teen Empowerment Youth Organizers are building at the Dojo will be youth-led, impactful, and most of all fun!” 

DJ Freeman, a recent Somerville High School graduate now attending Salem State University, added: “I’ve been in Somerville for 10+ years, and I've never seen a program for older teens like Teen Time. They have the best gaming, snacks and always have something going on every week without signing up for anything.”

Teen Time @ The Dojo will be open to all Somerville youth ages 14-19, with intentional outreach to immigrant youth, youth experiencing housing insecurity, and others facing barriers to enrichment opportunities. 

For more information about The Dojo and Teen Time programming, visit TheDojo.

About The Dojo at Somernova

The Dojo at Somernova is a place and platform where community, culture and industry intersect. A youth-driven multi-generational community space pilot connecting people of all ages and backgrounds through immersive learning, cultural experiences and fun. The Dojo, located on Somernova’s innovation campus,  is an evolving prototype for partners and non-profits to collaborate and test programs that will determine how to best design and scale a model for the permanent youth driven community center planned as part of Somernova’s campus expansion. The Dojo welcomed more than 14,000 people from the community last year at more more than 100 events & programs. The space includes an outdoor parkour course, youth art gallery, gaming consoles, creative studios, gardens, bike repair resources, and flexible indoor and outdoor gathering spaces. (Instagram)

About Somernova

Somernova is a 7.4-acre campus and mission-driven community for climate and energy innovation and culture in Somerville, MA. Built for founders scaling transformative companies, Somernova is where breakthrough technologies collide with a thriving creative ecosystem to solve the world's toughest challenges. The campus powers a high-growth community anchored by Greentown Labs (North America's largest climate-tech incubator), Form Energy, Sublime Systems, Commonwealth Fusion Systems, Aeronaut Brewing Co., Boston Bouldering Project, and The Dojo. With expansion plans for more than 1.5 million square feet of cutting-edge R&D space alongside arts venues, independent retail, housing, and new parks, Somernova cultivates a vibrant ecosystem where innovation, arts, technology, and community thrive together. Rafi Properties is the owner and operator of Somernova. (LinkedIn, Instagram)

About the Center for Teen Empowerment

Founded in 1992, the Center for Teen Empowerment engages young leaders to address social issues through youth development, leadership, employment, and community organizing. Since 2004, Teen Empowerment has partnered with the City of Somerville to employ youth leaders and elevate youth voices in civic life. (Website)