Nickel City Housing Co-op - Education Coordinator

Co-op / Organization: 
Nickel City Housing Co-op
Location: 
Buffalo, NY
Type of Organization: 
Educational; Housing
Brief Description of Organization: 
Nickel City Housing Cooperative (http://www.nickelcitycoop.org) was founded in 2001 with the mission of fixing up vacant properties in Buffalo to provide affordable and cooperative housing. We are all members of North American Students of Cooperation (NASCO) and our homes are leased to us by NASCO Properties, making us unique here in Buffalo because we have the support and assistance from a national network of housing co-ops.
 
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Buffalo First (http://www.buffalofirst.org) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation founded in 2006 as a coalition of local businesses committed to educating the public about the importance of a strong local economy. Today, Buffalo First exists to manage, support, and connect programs that fulfill our vision of a just and sustainable local economy.
 
For nearly ten years, Buffalo First’s most visible program, “Think Local First,” has taught consumers, businesses, and policymakers that upwards of 4 times more capital recirculates in the local economy when we buy from locally owned and independently operated companies rather than chains, creating jobs, strengthening communities, and fostering a self-determined and democratic local economy.
 
Buffalo First’s vision for a just and sustainable local economy goes beyond the concept of “buy local” to also champion entrepreneurial activity that is in harmony with the natural environment, and entrepreneurial activity that creates positive social impact for the people in our communities. Thus, we envision a “local, green, and fair” economy for Western New York, and the concept of a “triple bottom line” for business: people, planet, and profit.
Website: 
http://nickelcitycoop.org/ ; http://www.buffalofirst.org/
Number of Members: 
25
Number of Staff: 
9
Dress Code: 
Business Casual
Internship Position Title: 
Education Coordinator
Internship Position Duties: 
Nickel City Housing Cooperative (NCHC) and Buffalo First (BF), located in (you guessed it!) Buffalo, New York, are pleased to announce a joint internship position for the summer of 2016. Duties at NCHC and BF are varied but connected by the theme of "education."
 
NCHC is able to provide the applicant bed and board for the duration of the internship at NCHC's Ol'Wondermoth house, in exchange for 15-20 hours of work per week on NCHC education programming. Buffalo First is able to provide the applicant with $11/hour for 15-20 hours of work per week on BF education programming. Hence, only half of the internship will be compensated with pay.
 
Duties at Nickel City Housing Cooperative (15-20 hours/week):
  • Develop, in tandem with members of NCHC, a series of member education workshops and community education workshops around subjects including cooperative principles, the cooperative movement, effective communication, creating anti-oppression/anti-racist spaces, and dismantling rape culture
  • Research best practices and content for these workshops
  • Assist NCHC members in hosting 2-3 of these workshops during the summer
  • Produce training materials and curriculua for the workshop series, so the workshops and the skills developed can continue to be implemented at monthly vibes meetings after the summer
  • Work with the NCHC Policy Committee to share these training materials and curricula on the NCHC Wiki
Duties for Buffalo First (15-20 hours/week):
  • Coordinate and perform outreach to locally owned and independent retailers and restaurants in Buffalo to collect data for a published study that will highlight the local economic impact of consumer and business purchasing from locally owned businesses versus national chains (http://www.civiceconomics.com/indie-impact.html)
  • Gather educational materials on local economies, community-oriented development, alternative financing, cooperatives, and the solidarity economy for inclusion in a publicly available publication
  • Assist BF staff and board members in exploring public education strategies for an effort to ensure a positive outcome for locally owned businesses that may be displaced by an impending real estate development project (these public education strategies may include a public event to discuss options such as Community Benefits Agreements, Community Land Trusts, cooperative ownership models, and local-first preferences in zoning codes)
  • Assist BF staff and board members in other BF initiatives as needed, including Green Drinks community mixer nights for sustainable businesses, and City of Light 2.0 municipal broadband advocacy efforts
Position Training: 
The Coordinator will be introduced to NCHC's policies and past education initiatives, and will meet with current and past NCHC education/vibes coordinators. We will also guide the Coordinator through accessing available resources from NASCO and other cooperative education partners. The Coordinator will also be introduced to Buffalo First's resources on local-first initiatives and the solidarity economy, and to community partners, other local cooperatives, and important community institutions.
Skills Development & Learning: 
The Coordinator is encouraged to come with a basic understanding of member education and public education tactics, but they will leave with a strong understanding of how these elements work in practice. After developing the NCHC workshop curriculum, the Coordinator will have a packet of training materials which can highlight their pedagogic process. Through their work with Buffalo First, the Coordinator will develop strong canvassing skills and a depth of knowledge in both New Economy/solidarity economy principles, and nonprofit education program development.
Other details of working conditions: 
NCHC will provide bed and board, though the bed is in a non-public common space. We are open to making this space more private.
Compensation ($): 
$11/hr for the 15-20 hours/week performed for Buffalo First
Is Room Included?: 
Yes
Working Hours: 
9am - 5pm
Total Hours of Work Per Week: 
30-40