West End House partners with University, leading to Honan Fellowships

By Joshua Poupore

Harvard News Office

This is one in a series of Gazette articles highlighting some of the many initiatives and charities that Harvard affiliates can support through this month’s Community Gifts Through Harvard campaign. The Community Gifts campaign allows you to donate to a charity of your choice through cash, a check, or a payroll deduction. For more information or to pledge online, visit http://www.community.harvard.edu/communitygifts.

In 2002 the West End House, a boys and girls club in the Allston neighborhood of Boston, lost one of its biggest supporters and best known alumni, Brian J. Honan, a lifelong Allston resident and Boston city councilor.

In the years after Honan’s death, his friends and supporters at the West End House sought a fitting way to honor his memory.

“It had to be something that involved kids and civic engagement because his legacy was of giving back to the community,” said Andrea Howard, executive director of the West End House. “And a statue or plaque wouldn’t do.”

That sentiment laid the foundation for a partnership with another old friend, Harvard University, which would eventually lead to the Honan Fellowships. These fellowships allow about 10 high school sophomores and juniors to participate in the yearlong civic engagement program.

High school students apply for these fellowships and are chosen from a group of about 40 applicants for this competitive program.

As a partner in developing the Honan Fellowships, Harvard provided a variety of services.

A group of students from the Kennedy School of Government and the Harvard Business School (HBS) researched similar programs in other parts of the country to help develop a set of recommendations that guided the West End House Board in initiating the program. HBS and the Office of Government, Community and Public Affairs also provided funding to support the new fellowships.

“Harvard is one of the rare partners who not only provide financial assistance, but also are a true partner; they offer technical assistance, volunteers, and other forms of ongoing support,” said Howard.

Now in its fourth year, the Honan Fellowships have served more than 30 students and have seen great success.

“Kids who started with us at the beginning of the program don’t understand how government works, and by the end are engaged citizens working to improve their communities,” said Howard.

“We have long supported the great work done by the West End House,” said Kevin McCluskey, senior director of community relations. “The Honan Fellowships present another opportunity for us to strengthen our partnership with the community by supporting these talented young leaders.”

Each year the West End House Honan Fellowships support about 10 young people who participate in the three-part program. The first part is an in-class “how government works” segment. The second part involves field trips to meet with public officials, who, in the past, have included the governor and state representatives. And the final, and perhaps most important, part of the program is a paid internship during the summer in a community agency or government office.

“Most of the kids we serve can’t afford to take a summer off,” said Howard. The paid aspect of the internship provides real-world experience while ensuring that the students earn money as they learn.

Each year, in Allston and beyond, the West End House serves 1,200 young people, ranging in age from 7 to 18.