Hagar's House Volunteer Staff(Work-Housing Exchange)

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This is a volunteer position in a fun, dynamic and busy home for women and children.

The position starts December 2020. Duration may be discussed, but a minimum nine month commitment is required.

The position is unpaid. First Grace United Methodist Church provides housing to Volunteer Staff who work 18-20 hours per week at Hagar’s House. Housing is in an intentional community inside of First Grace UMC, walking distance from Hagar's House. If you choose to have housing at First Grace UMC, you will have your own bedroom in the intentional community. Kitchen, living area and bathrooms are shared.

All are welcome to apply. However, people of color, people who are transgender, women, people who are bilingual in Spanish/English, people from New Orleans and the deep South, and people with experience with intentional community are especially encouraged to apply.

• Being on shift at Hagar's House for two shifts per week. Shift hours are Saturday 7 am - 3 pm and Sunday 7 am - 3 pm. In your application please confirm that these hours work for you.
• Attending a staff meeting each Monday, 9 am-11 am
• Occasionally swapping with other Hagar’s House volunteer staff for shift coverage during illness and time off
• Assisting with other house events and programs occasionally

Generally, in a normal week, you would have no or few Hagar's House responsibilities outside of the above. Most volunteers find that they are able to pursue a part-time job and other interests.

If you choose to take advantage of the free housing for volunteers in the First Grace intentional community, the intentional community will share their separate commitments and living agreements with you. For example, there will be one community meal and one community meeting each week. You would share household responsibilities with intentional community roommates. Residents of the intentional community are also asked to get to know the wider First Grace community. Sorry, no pets.

STAFF RESPONSIBILITIES:

The most important role of all Hagar's House Advocates is to provide a clean, safe home for residents that embodies a welcoming and peaceful spirit. This is done by working shifts where you help make Hagar's House a cleaner, safer, more beautiful space for women and children in New Orleans.

Duties while on shift:

• Being present! This includes your physical presence at Hagar's House for the duration of your shift, as well as being mentally and compassionately present with residents, coworkers and other members of the Hagar's House community
• Ensuring the daily upkeep of the house, including cleaning, physical maintenance, improvements and helping to make sure Hagar's House feels like a home
• Assisting Hagar’s House residents with resource assistance, coordination, and referrals
• Assisting parents with childcare
• Assisting residents with resume writing and job searches
• Providing transportation to appointments in our house car
• Acting as mediator for conflict
• Welcoming and coordinating short-term volunteers
• Coordinating holistic health and social justice programs
• Helping organize and implement creative fundraisers
• Answering phone calls
• Facilitating at least one in-house Program: i.e. weekly house meetings, knitting, sewing, kids group, music circle, crocheting, art, photography, gardening, nutritional consulting, poetry, movement/dance, conversations on race, conversations on gender, cooking, bike maintenance, reading group, etc.

HOURS:

• Two week training period consisting of up to 40 hours a week
• After training, working 18 - 20 hours per week in exchange for housing.
• Saturday 7 am - 3 pm, Sunday 7 am - 3 pm
• Occasionally coming in early or staying late in emergency situations, or to accommodate a resident's work schedule
• Weekly Monday staff meetings, 9 am - 11 am.
• Some special events, fundraisers and staff training that will fall on various days of the week throughout the year
• Occasional staff gathering

REQUIREMENTS:

• 18-yrs old or older
• Enjoys working with children
• Enjoys cleaning, organizing and home improvement projects
• Commitment for the entire time frame (9 + months)
• Displays maturity, ability to creatively solve problems, responsibility, trustworthiness, strong sense and understanding of social justice & advocacy, power & privilege, gender, systemic sexism, racism, classism, and a familiarity with New Orleans.

BENEFITS:

• Shared housing in an Intentional Community inside a church building, walking distance from Hagar's House (must be open and faithful to additional community expectations, responsibilities, and chores.)
• Directly across the street from a streetcar stop
• Access to phone, internet, computer, fax & copier for Hagar's House purposes
• Living in a fun and convenient Mid-City Location - very close to City Park, the French Quarter, Bayou St. John, and restaurants, grocery stores, farmers markets, banks, home depot, drug stores, & a post office
• Being a part of the vibrant community at First Grace UMC-- a community committed to challenging injustice and to celebrating diversity and our life together in New Orleans.
• Getting to know, support and learn from the amazing Hagar's House residents.

HOW TO APPLY:

Please read carefully and follow the instructions below. Applications without a resume, cover letter and references will receive no reply. Please send an email to hagarshouse (at) gmail (dot) com with:

• Subject: "Volunteer Staff Member 2020-2021"
• Your resume
• A cover letter containing the following:
• A paragraph on why you are interested in Hagar's House and this position, and
• A note stating if you are able to commit from December 2020 - December 2021 and that the Saturday 7 am - 3 pm and Sunday 7 am - 3 pm shifts work for you, and
• A note stating the exact start and end dates you prefer.
• Three references. Include each reference's name & contact info, your relationship, and the amount of time they have known you. One can be a personal or academic reference but the other two should be supervisors from previous work or significant volunteer experience.