Care Advocacy Specialist - Volunteer to gain skills while helping Immigrants

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Make the Road New York ( www.maketheroadny.org ) is a non-profit organization that builds the power of Latino and working class communities to achieve dignity and justice through organizing, policy innovation, transformative education, and survival services. We have 16,000 members and operate five community centers in Bushwick, Brooklyn; Jackson Heights, Queens; Port Richmond and Midland Beach, Staten Island; and Brentwood, Long Island.

Our Care Specialist will volunteer under the direction of our experienced and caring MRNY Adult Literacy Counselor to help underserved immigrants navigate the complex housing system and connect people to survival services. Our counselor will take the time to train and guide one volunteer per cycle who is committed to our mission and our community. The volunteer will be a part of a network of volunteers committed to social justice.

TASKS:

• Help people fill out the NYCHA housing application online who do not have access to the internet and are computer illiterate.
• Help people who can't read or do not understand certain words used in the application.
• Help people who have filled out forms on their own before but never heard back and thus feel hopeless to ask for help again.
• Data Entry

• We get to explain what the process is after submitting the application.
• We provide numbers to clients on who to contact in case they want to edit the app. We give reassurance that they can come back for additional assistance (ex; read/translate letters).
• We provide them with the tools to access community resources at free or very low costs.
• We encourage them to find their voice and advocate for themselves.

• Flexible hours
• Min of 10hrs per week.
• Days are flexible

• Interview, application materials, and background checks will be required from all volunteers for this opportunity.

• Bilingual (Spanish/English) The volunteers don’t have to be fluent but it some comprehension of the language will aid in communicating with the students.

• Basic computer skills

• Patient and good sense of humor a plus

• Reliable and responsible (volunteers are asked to commit to at least 1 cycle of classes and to follow our attendance policy guidelines

• Interest in the Latino immigrant community

• Willingness to learn and to work in teams and autonomously

• Highly Motivated

• If seeking an internship you must show proof that you would be receiving course credits and educational gain and provide us with the educational goals of the internship. Please note we currently can only accept non-paid interns.