New York YMCA Vocational Service Center records

Collection

Identifier: Y.GNY.33

Staff Only

SCOPE AND CONTENTS OF THE COLLECTION

The records of the Vocational Service Center of the New York YMCA includes materials relative to the history of the Vocational Services Center (VSC), publications and newsletters, reports on topics ranging from homosexuality to the employment of displaced persons, materials related to the funding and day-to-day operations of the VSC, testing results, correspondence with individual members of the Board of Managers, materials related to Antioch College co-op program students who interned at the VSC, and statistical reports about the recipients of the vocational counseling services provided by the Center. Major correspondents include Paul H. Sharar, Lawrence Broderick and Lemuel G. Tucker.

(Information taken from The YMCA at 150: A History of the YMCA of Greater New York, 1852-2002by Pamela Bayless, and from the Vocational Service Center records)

Dates

Creation: 1938-1980
Creation: Majority of material found within ( 1955-1970)

Creator

YMCA of Greater New York. Vocational Service Center. (Organization)

Language of Materials

English

Use of Materials:

This collection is protected by the Copyright Law of the United States (Title 17, U.S. Code). It is the user's responsibility to verify copyright, ownership, and to obtain all the necessary permissions prior to the reproduction, publication, or other use of any portion of these materials.

HISTORY OF VOCATIONAL SERVICE CENTER

The Vocational Service Center, or VSC, represented a continuation of the work of the Bowery Branch of the YMCA of the City of New York. Established in 1944, in part to address the needs of veterans returning home from WWII, the VSC emphasized educational counseling and vocational guidance as well as actual job placement. In 1946, the VSC moved uptown from its Bowery location to Park Avenue near Grand Central Station. It incorporated and centralized the job counseling services that were taking place in other branches besides the Bowery -- West Side, McBurney, Harlem and Sloane House branches all offered vocational and job placement services. Unlike other branches, the VSC focused exclusively on vocational, educational, and personal counseling and placement. Again, unlike other branches, the VSC had no income-producing activities such as fitness center memberships, dormitory rooms and cafeterias. The programs required significant fund-raising to stay afloat and the VSC received contributions from other branches.

The VSC developed numerous cooperative programs with other agencies, such as the Veterans Administration, churches, hospitals and businesses for whom the VSC performed testing and other employment services. In the 1950s, the branch developed outreach programs for war refugees and displaced persons. It continued the Bowery Branch's practice of offering credit aid to those who could not pay. The staff collectively spoke more than 10 languages, making a visit to the VSC an important stop for new immigrants.

The name of the VSC changed to Counseling and Testing Service in 1967. It continued operations until 1985.

Extent

13.1 Cubic Feet (27 boxes)

Additional Description

Abstract

Contains collected minutes, reports, correspondence, program information, statistics and fundraising campaign materials from the Vocational Service Center operated by the YMCA.