Promoting Community Joy and Well-Being in East Boston

In this episode, guest Justin Pasquariello shares about why he puts community joy at the center of his work. Justin talks about the importance of social connection as one of the five pillars of joy, and how this framework for promoting joy is woven throughout the work of the East Boston Social Centers. He also shares about how his career, including starting Silver Line Mentoring in 2001, is informed by his personal experiences growing up.

Justin talks about the innovative approaches to service delivery and community building at the 100 year old social service organization. This includes creative ways of measuring and increasing joy among staff and program participants, and engaging the diverse cultural populations in East Boston. Justin also highlights the Every Child Shines community collaboration. He also shares about future plans that include developing a community joy ambassador program and creating design nudges to encourage community connections.