November 26, 2013

The 2013 Community Leadership Course Wraps Up in Red Hook!

Congratulations to twenty-three participants of our 2013 Community Leadership Course! Participants spent the morning of the tenth and last session in Red Hook visiting four programs positively entrenched in the community: NYCHA’s Urban Farm at the Red Hook West Houses (pictured above), Good Shepherd’s South Brooklyn Community High School, the Red Hook Initiative, and the Red Hook Community Justice Center. The idea behind the trip was to see many of the policy issues introduced throughout the course and the services that are designed to address them in one NYC community specifically.

The farm, launched in June 2013, is the first ever large-scale community farm at a New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) property. Their goals are to further efforts to provide residents with access to fresh produce and education about healthy diets as well as to provide a green jobs training program for NYCHA youth.

South Brooklyn Community High School is a transfer school providing full-day, year-round academic programs for students who have been truant or have dropped out of school. A partnership between the NYC Department of Education and Good Shepherd, this school in Red Hook is Good Shepherd’s first transfer school and is considered a model for the successful program.

The Red Hook Initiative (RHI) offers tutoring, educational advocacy and strengths-based counseling for middle school students; peer counseling, peer health education and college preparation, for high school students and job development services and peer groups for young adults making the transition to live independently. During Hurricane Sandy, RHI proved to be a huge presence in relief efforts including, but not limited to, mobilizing at their offices to set up a warming center, donation drives for food and clothing, a charging area for electronics and an information and volunteer hub for residents.

Last, but not least, the Red Hook Community Justice Center (RHCJC), which launched in June 2000, is the country’s first multi-jurisdictional community court. One Judge handles cases from the neighborhood, stemming from three police precincts. The Justice Center’s goal is to solve neighborhood issues using coordinated efforts and response.

CLC participants capped off their final day with an afternoon discussion focusing on the most effective means of child advocacy. As the Red Hook Initiatives tagline says, “We Are the Change” and we hope that all of our CLC graduates can be the change when it comes to making NYC a better place for children and families. We look forward to working with each and every one of them in the months to come!

Know someone who would be interested in becoming a more informed and empowered advocate for children? Learn more about the Course or download a Fall 2014 application now!

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About CCC, Community Day, Community Leadership Course, Effective Advocacy, Red Hook

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