Capitani takes lead as TECH Launch program mentor at Boundless Connections
Boundless Connections Technology Center in Olean has promoted Steve Capitani to TECH Launch program mentor.
As program mentor, Capitani, of Olean, organizes daily meetings and weekly tech trainings, and helps participants focus on defining their goals, and with self-directed tasks in that pursuit.
TECH Launch, a collaboration between Boundless Connections and Strength Solutions, is a certificate program geared toward helping people find focus and develop skills for employment, higher education or entrepreneurship.
A past TECH Launch member and recently the Olean technology center’s front desk coordinator, Capitani stepped into the program mentor role January 4, 2021.
“It’s evident that was a good move,” Mike Marvin, Strength Solutions executive director and former lead program mentor, said. “He pays attention to where people are at and helps them reflect and move forward.”
“I’ve always wanted to help people,” Capitani said. “The whole purpose of my job here is to help people. When you create an environment where people can drop any sense of pretense and live fully as they are knowing that they’re worthy as they are, it gives them a chance to accept themselves realizing where they are and where they can go.
“It’s easy to lose sight of the idea that you’re capable of something great, and you can grow into that greatness, and that growth never stops,” he said.
“Steve is an incredibly intuitive and adept person,” Christina Lopez, Boundless Connections CEO, said. “I’m proud to have him on our team as we expand and our programs grow, and there’s no one I would trust more to take care of our Olean TECH Launch members.”
Capitani, 27, holds an associate’s degree in social sciences from Jamestown Community College. He is a certified facilitator in The Virtues Project™, an internationally recognized program focused on recognizing and using character strengths.
TECH Launch is for people ages 17 and over to certify they have basic technology skills including but not limited to the effective use of Microsoft Office programs, email communications, internet searches and online calendars.
Other skills developed include timeliness, goal setting and tracking and self-assessment.
“We see life-altering changes in our participants,” Marvin said. “Steve is a great example of that. As he went through the program, his confidence in his abilities grew and it became clear as we expanded with a site in Rochester, he was perfect for the role of the lead mentor in Olean.”
TECH Launch members set their own three-month goals and meet one-on-one with a mentor weekly to assess their progress. Participants meet 9 a.m. to noon every Monday through Friday, excluding holidays.
They also receive leadership development training through an introduction to The Virtues Project™.
The initiative is funded in part by a grant from the New York State Developmental Disabilities Planning Council. Participants with developmental disabilities pay no out of pocket expenses to attend the program. Other scholarships are available through Strength Solutions.
For more information and to join, visit boundlessconnections.com/tech-launch, email ryan@boundlessconnections.com or call (716) 379-3347. The program includes membership to the Boundless Connections Technology Center at 160 North Union Street, Olean.
The Boundless Connections Technology Centers make state of the art digital technology accessible for everyone. The tech centers provide a focal point for young and old with various skill sets and interests to collaborate and utilize the power of cutting-edge technology. The programs and events are designed to develop a technology pipeline and create a pathway for people to engage and solve local challenges with technology. These programs and events are tailored to various interest groups or demographics.
As a nonprofit, Strength Solutions brings together the resources to purchase state-of-the-art equipment, award program scholarships and renovate and expand the technology center.
Along with scholarships and funding resources, Strength Solutions provides strength-based solutions training, including acknowledging strengths and working on growth, setting clear boundaries, using restorative justice for conflict resolution and healthy relationships, and developing coaching skills to help others focus on strengths.