Agency Spotlight: ROOTS Teen Center

Posted March 7, 2022

Who Is ROOTS Teen Center?

ROOTS Teen Center is the newest member agency of the Williamstown Community Chest. The center is a safe space for all teenagers, ages 13-19. All programming is free, removing the financial barriers that may prevent youth from participating in activities. ROOTS is funded through grants, donations and fundraising. Programming is scheduled around traditional school schedules, with activities occurring after school, on weekends, and during school breaks.

Where is ROOTS Teen Center located?

ROOTS opened its doors in 2016, then located at 43 Eagle Street in North Adams. Prior to the pandemic, the small space on Eagle Street would see as many as 30 teens in the space at a time. During the pandemic, programming transitioned to outdoor and virtual, before reopening in spring 2021. In fall 2021, the Center moved to a permanent home, a gifted building at 51 Ashland Street in North Adams, the site of the former Nassif’s Pharmacy.

What kind of programs does ROOTS offer?

The Center offers three types of programming to teens. The first is Drop-In which is currently held Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday from 3:00 -6:00 p.m. Drop-In provides a supervised environment for teens to spend time with their friends in a safe after school area. Teens can enjoy meals, snacks, video games, foosball, air hockey, board games, books, computer use, and more.

The second includes events, which are one-time activities or experiences, usually focused on recreation. Examples of events include a Friendsgiving meal the day before Thanksgiving and painting ceiling tiles over February break.

The third type of programming focuses on skills-based workshops. These include activities such as learning to play guitar, CPR certification, and hip-hop dance.

All programming is youth-centered and youth-driven. The Board of Directors and Executive Director meet regularly with the Youth Board, a group of teen volunteers, who take on a leadership role in programming. The Youth Board members develop skills and knowledge about programming through polling their friends and peers for ideas, wants, and needs of teens in the community. The program ideas are then developed in conjunction with the staff of ROOTS. Youth are the focal point of everything the Center does. The goal of ROOTS Teen Center is to be the place where teens in Northern Berkshire are heard, encouraged, and empowered.

Mary Strout