Announcing CUNY Service Corps!

This is a fantastic opportunity for City Tech students. It’s a CUNY program that’s not CUNY-wide–instead, it’s only open to students at seven of the CUNY colleges. Through CUNY Service Corps, students can get paid for interesting service-project internships throughout the city. There will be information sessions about the program, including one today at 1:00pm and another at 5:00pm, both in N119.

You can join the CUNY Service Corps project on the OpenLab to get further updates and ask questions. Here’s how they describe the opportunity:

The CUNY Service Corps will mobilize CUNY students, faculty and staff to work on projects that improve the short and long-term civic, economic and environmental sustainability of New York City and of its residents and communities. The program’s goals are three-fold: for students to make a meaningful difference through service while gaining valuable real-world work experience, earning a wage, and where appropriate, receiving college credit; for faculty members and staff, through their work with students in the program, to have additional opportunities to apply their expertise to addressing many of the city’s key challenges; and for residents, communities, and project sponsors to realize concrete benefits as a result of CUNY Service Corps projects.

The Service Corps is organized around themes that represent both opportunity and need:

A Healthier City: Corps members will address important community and public health issues, such as chronic disease management, childhood obesity, lead poisoning prevention, infant mortality, violence prevention, nutrition, and food security.

A More Resilient and Greener City: Students will support projects related to improving the city’s built and green infrastructure and making it more resistant to storm-related damage.

A Better Educated City: The Corps will offer valuable supports to students of all ages, such as those in early childhood programs (and their families and caretakers), public middle and high school students, fellow CUNY students struggling with academic and personal challenges, and adult students learning English or preparing to take the High School Equivalency examination.

An Economically Stronger City: A range of projects will focus on bolstering the economic viability and success of distressed communities within the city.

By providing on-the-ground support to a wide range of non-profit and civic endeavors, the CUNY Service Corps will both increase the availability of valuable services to New Yorkers and enable CUNY students to become more engaged in their communities throughout the city. Service Corps members will become part of a University cohort of students practicing service that is aligned with their civic and professional goals. Typical assignments will last twenty-four weeks over two semesters. Participants will work an average of 12 hours per week. Corps members will be paid for these hours, and in some instances earn college credit.

Please visit http://www.cuny.edu/servicecorps for more information and to apply online.

Google Summer of Code and Gnome

WordPress, the software behind sites across the internet, including the OpenLab, is sponsoring interns for the Google Summer of Code and Gnome Outreach Program for Women. WordPress announced the following details about these opportunities that students at City Tech might be interested in (courtesy of WordPress.org):

Summer Mentorship Programs: GSoC and Gnome

Posted April 25, 2013 by Jen Mylo. Filed under CommunityDevelopment.

As an open source, free software project, WordPress depends on the contributions of hundreds of people from around the globe — contributions in areas like core code, documentation, answering questions in the support forums, translation, and all the other things it takes to make WordPress the best publishing platform it can be, with the most supportive community. This year, we’re happy to be participating as a mentoring organization with two respected summer internship programs: Google Summer of Code (GSoC) and the Gnome Outreach Program for Women.

Google Summer of Code

GSoC is a summer internship program funded by Google specifically for college/university student developers to work on open source coding projects. We have participated in the Google Summer of Code program in the past, and have enjoyed the opportunity to work with students in this way. Some of our best core developers were GSoC students once upon a time!

Our mentors, almost 30 talented developers with experience developing WordPress, will provide students with guidance and feedback over the course of the summer, culminating in the release of finished projects at the end of the program if all goes well.

Students who successfully complete the program earn $5,000 for their summer efforts. Interested, or know a college student (newly accepted to college counts, too) who should be? All the information you need about our participation in the program, projects, mentors, and the application process is available on the GSoC 2013 page in the Codex.

Gnome Outreach Program for Women

It’s not news that women form a low percentage of contributors in most open source projects, and WordPress is no different. We have great women in the contributor community, including some in fairly visible roles, but we still have a lot of work to do to get a representative gender balance on par with our user base.

The Gnome Outreach Program for Women aims to provide opportunities for women to participate in open source projects, and offers a similar stipend, but there are three key differences between GSoC and Gnome aside from the gender requirement for Gnome.

  1. The Gnome program allows intern projects in many areas of contribution, not just code. In other words, interns can propose projects like documentation, community management, design, translation, or pretty much any area in which we have people contributing (including code).
  2. The Gnome Outreach Program for Women doesn’t require interns to be college students, though students are definitely welcome to participate. This means that women in all stages of life and career can take the opportunity to try working with open source communities for the summer.
  3. We have to help raise the money to pay the interns. Google funds GSoC on its own, and we only have to provide our mentors’ time. Gnome doesn’t have the same funding, so we need to pitch in to raise the money to cover our interns. If your company is interested in helping with this, please check out the program’s sponsorship informationand follow the contact instructions to get involved. You can earmark donations to support WordPress interns, or to support the program in general. (Pick us, pick us! :) )

The summer installment of the Gnome Outreach Program for Women follows the same schedule and general application format as GSoC, though there are more potential projects since it covers more areas of contribution. Women college students interested in doing a coding project are encouraged to apply for both programs to increase the odds of acceptance. All the information you need about our participation in the program, projects, mentors, and the application process is available on the Gnome Outreach Program for Women page in the Codex.

The application period just started, and it lasts another week (May 1 for Gnome, May 3 for GSoC), so if you think you qualify and are interested in getting involved, check out the information pages, get in touch, and apply… Good luck!

Google Summer of Code 2013 Information
Gnome Summer Outreach Program for Women 2013 Information

Three internships with HPD

The NYC Department of Housing Preservation & Development (HPD) is the nation’s largest municipal housing preservation and development agency. Our mission is to promote quality housing and viable neighborhoods for New Yorkers. We are responsible for implementing Mayor Bloomberg’s New Housing Marketplace Plan to build and preserve 165,000 units of affordable housing by 2014. Since the plan’s inception, over 144,700 affordable homes have been created or preserved. HPD also actively promotes the preservation of affordable housing through education, outreach, loan programs and enforcement of housing quality standards. For more information, visit www.nyc.gov/hpd.

HPD Internships

Every summer, HPD invites students from colleges, graduate programs and law schools to spend the summer with us learning about affordable housing and experiencing public service. Interns provide valuable work on key agency initiatives. HPD internships are unpaid. To complement the work experience, HPD interns will be invited to meet with the agency’s Commissioner and to participate in a site visit. In addition, all interns working for the City participate in a special seminar series run by the Department of Citywide Administrative Services (DCAS). These seminars feature top City officials presenting overviews of the mechanics of local government, discussing the work of specific agencies and providing insights into issues that confront the City today. In addition, New York City interns are encouraged to participate in a service project through NYCService.

Attached is a list of the current internship opportunities at HPD. Each write-up includes a description of the work of the division sponsoring the position, as well as expected start-dates. For more information about our divisions, please refer to our website at www.nyc.gov/hpd. You can also learn more about us at www.facebook.com/nychpd and www.twitter.com/nychousing.

 How to Apply

– Internships are administered by individual divisions: there is no centralized internship application processing center. If you are interested in more than one position, you must submit applications for each.

– Each unit requires that the applicant forward a cover letter and resume to the contact person. A writing sample might be required as well, as appropriate.

– Applications are accepted on a rolling basis and positions are filled on a rolling basis.

– The contact person will respond to questions about the position.

Duration of Internships

– Internships are generally available between May and September.

– There are no uniform start or end dates for internship assignments.

– Individual units determine the actual length and start/end dates for their internship assignments.

If you have any additional questions about the HPD Summer Internship Opportunities, please contact Elizabeth Greenstein, Director of External Affairs, at greenste@hpd.nyc.gov.

 

1. Office of the Chief of Staff

HPD is the nation’s largest municipal housing preservation and development agency. Its mission is to promote quality housing and viable neighborhoods for New Yorkers through education, outreach, loan and development programs and enforcement of housing quality standards. It is responsible for implementing Mayor Bloomberg’s New Housing Marketplace Plan (NHMP) to finance the construction or preservation of 165,000 units of affordable housing by 2014. Since the plan’s inception, more than 144,781 affordable homes have been created or preserved.

The Chief of Staff’s Office plays a major role in implementing Mayor Bloomberg’s New Housing Marketplace Plan and furthering HPD’s housing preservation work. The Chief of Staff leads the coordination of our interagency relationships and key activities for the Commissioner. More information on HPD and the agency’s initiatives are available on our website: www.nyc.gov/hpd

Internship Description

The Office of the Chief of Staff is seeking enthusiastic, well-organized candidates with a strong interest in affordable housing, neighborhoods, and urban issues. The intern will support the work of the Chief of Staff’s Office and work on special projects. The intern will work closely with the Office’s Director of Policy and Operations.Tasks and project will include:

– assisting with the key Commissioner activities and agency-wide initiatives

– writing and editing policy briefings for the Comissioner

– assisting with preparation materials for the Commissioner’s meeting

– supporting the New Housing Marketplace Plan (NHMP) legacy project, including analyzing and synthesizing NHMP data, drafting NHMP presentations, interviewing key informants, summarizing meetings, and drafting a summary report on the NHMP’s legacy

–  Other special projects as required.

The ideal candidate should have strong analytical, writing, research, and communications skills. Experience with Word, Excel, and PowerPoint are a must. Experience with Adobe InDesign or web design is a plus.

Graduate student preferred. However, undergraduate candidates with prior internship and relevant experience will be considered.

Dates: Flexible start; 8-12 week commitment

Hours: Flexible within Monday-Friday 9am – 6pm

To apply please send resume and cover letter to Elizabeth Guernsey at guernsee@hpd.nyc.gov with subject line marked “Intern Application.”

 

2. Office of Financial Management and Analysis

Performance Analysis

The Performance Analysis team is rethinking how HPD collects and uses data, with a focus on efficiency and effectiveness measures and utilizing data to inform cross-agency discussions on resource allocation and program design. We are creating process and data bridges between divisions throughout HPD and also looking at technological tools to make data more accessible, and evaluating what we report on a regular basis and to whom, to ensure that the right issues get attention.

Internship Description

The Intern will learn how to transform analysis into policy and procedural recommendations and learn how to develop outcome related performance metrics. In addition to the technical skills, the intern will learn how a large City agency moves from the goal of creating or preserving 165,000 housing units to actually producing and being accountable the units.

The intern will assist Performance Analysis and the Office of Development in implementing a new reporting requirement passed by the City Council focused on HPD’s Housing Development Project (Local Law 44). The intern will also have the opportunity to work directly with HPD Project Managers and housing development partners researching projects and work on an analytics projects associated with the data collected. Intern will also assist in creating a visual performance dashboard distributed agency wide monthly

Qualifications

HPD is seeking an enthusiastic, talented candidate with a strong interest in affordable housing and urban issues. The ideal candidate should have strong analytical, writing, research, and communications skills. The intern will be responsible for providing critical support to staff working in Performance Analysis. Support tasks require

– Junior or Senior enrolled at an accredited undergraduate college or university with an interest in public policy or Public Administration or Urban Planning graduate student.

– Proficient in MS Office, including MS Word, MS Excel, and MS Outlook. Access and GIS skills a plus

– Excellent organizational and problem solving skills with the ability to initiate and apply creative solutions.

–  Strong project management, research, communication, and data analysis skills, as well as an ability to work independently.

–  Detail-oriented, collaborative and dependable.

Time Commitment

–  Start Date: June 1

–  Flexible within Monday-Friday 9am – 5:30pm; minimum of 20 hours per week.

To apply please send resume and cover letter to Meghan Smith at smithmeg@hpd.nyc.gov with subject line marked “Research and Analytics Intern.

 

3. Office of the Chief of Staff, Division of Housing Policy Research and Program Evaluation

HPD has assembled a team of both academic and policy researchers to collaborate on a multi-phase, interdisciplinary study that examines the impact of housing and neighborhoods on health and well-being. The study has the potential to inform decision-making in multiple domains of public policy—including education, public health, and housing—at the local, state and national levels. The research team currently consists of partner teams from Columbia University/Teachers College, the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, the New York Academy of Medicine, and New York University.

Internship Description

The Division of Housing Policy Research and Program Evaluation at the New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) is seeking Interns to help assist in implementing a study examining the effects of affordable housing on those who receive it. Interns will assist in a range of research activities both in the office and out in the field. While prior research experience is not necessary, candidates with such relevant experience will be given preference. Responsibilities will be commensurate with experience; the range of activities may include compiling literature reviews, preparation of study materials, data entry and management, communicating with study partners, data cleaning and analysis, and project management. No specific academic background is required, both undergraduate and graduate students are encouraged to apply, though those pursuing degrees in the social sciences may find the position of greatest value to their professional development.

Successful applicants will demonstrate their ability to work both independently and on a team, think critically, and have a desire to learn about housing policy research. Hours: Flexible; full time (35 hours/ week) or part time (15-20 hours/ week) available.

To apply please send resume and cover letter to Ahuva Jacobowitz at jacobowa@hpd.nyc.gov with subject line marked “Research Intern.”