Cambridge Community Engagement Team Celebrates 20th Year

Earlier this year, the Cambridge Community Engagement Teams (CETs) celebrated two decades of service to the Cambridge community. What began as an initiative to support low-income families around early literacy has expanded to two teams based at the City’s Department of Human Services (CET@DHSP) and Community Development Department (CET@CDD).

The CETs include Outreach Workers from Arabic, Amharic, Bangla, Haitian Creole, and Spanish-speaking communities, in addition to Outreach Workers from the American-born Black community and—as of this fall—an Outreach Worker for youth. Outreach Workers engage Cambridge community members who are unheard, underserved, or historically excluded to help them access programs, services, and planning processes.

This pioneering model of inclusive community engagement started with a small team based at the Department of Human Service Programs (DHSP) in 2006. “We knew we needed to develop strong community leaders—people who already understood the nuances, strengths, and challenges within their communities,” explains Michelle Godfrey, Division Director for Community Engagement and Family Support and a member of the sub-committee that created CET.

Read the full story on the City's Digital Publications site.