Futures Forge — Local services in Somerville

I came into Futures Forge feeling genuinely nervous. I didn’t know what to expect or if I’d connect with anyone. But by the end, I left with some of the strongest peer connections I’ve ever had. The two weeks flew by, and saying goodbye wasn’t easy. The program becomes your routine. You wake up focused on solving that day’s challenge and go to bed already thinking about how to do better tomorrow. What made it different from school was the way it was structured. There weren’t standard rubrics, just open-ended, real-world problems. We were thrown into things like fixing major infrastructure breakdowns, turning around failing companies, and selling niche products. I failed a lot, but I learned more from those failures than from most A’s I’ve gotten in school. Outside the challenges, I grew in other ways too. Exploring Boston, walking around Harvard and MIT, Fenway, Newbury… it didn’t feel like a class, it felt like living. By the end, I felt sharper, more confident, and more prepared to face things that don’t come with instructions. The team behind the program, MIT and Oxford grads, actually took time to talk with us. Not just about the work, but about life, college, entrepreneurship. They were real with us. My only regret? I wish I found this...

My son discovered the Futures Forge Skill for Success program on his own. I was initially hesitant to send him, as I hadn’t heard of the program before. But after doing some research, I decided to trust his judgment. I’m so glad I did! He had an blast, called it the “best two weeks of his life.”

Through a series of hands-on projects/challenges, he gained insights and developed skills in communication, collaboration, problem-solving, and leadership. Just as important, he gained a deeper understanding of himself by reflecting on failure/success, receiving peer feedback, and getting guidance from personalized coaching. He left the program feeling inspired and empowered.

I was truly blown away by the capstone presentations on the final day. The students spoke with clarity, confidence, vulnerability and authenticity. Their stories of personal growth; the thoughtful feedback from peers, facilitators, Erik, Nat; and the supportive, uplifting energy in the room made my trip so worthwhile.

I highly recommend this program!! Huge thanks to Erik, Nat, my son's facilitator Anna, and the whole Futures Forge team for creating such a...

I entered Futures Forge, the 2025 Skills for Success program, slightly doubtful about whether I would actually take away important advice from just two weeks. So if you are in this same scenario, doubting whether to apply or not, I can assure you that you definitely will, because I took away so much.

From day one all the way to the end, I was challenged in several ways—random groupings, unique challenges outside anything done in the classroom, and constant presentations and feedback. Each challenge of Futures Forge taught me more about myself than anything I have done in school—my strengths, my areas of improvement, and everything in between.

I would like to thank Erik and Nat for leading this program and my facilitator Anna for being such a great coach and helping me learn more about myself.

If you see a future in leadership and making an impact, I would highly recommend Futures Forge. It does live up to its slogan—you will learn more in two weeks of Futures Forge than in two...