Northside Urban Partnership

A cursory glance at the Northside Ministries webpage reveals a number of unique programs striving to meet our neighbors’ basic needs. The services provided are invaluable to the Northside community and run unless a volunteer calls in sick. The Ministries recently celebrated ten years of making a difference in the lives of our neighbors by combining hard work, countless hours contributed by generous volunteers, and prayerful reflection.

 
For example, the Poverello Health Services, open Monday evenings and Wednesday afternoons and evenings, provides free medical care to those without health insurance. Until recently, it was the only provider of its kind offering assistance by medical professionals from all fields and with diverse training. Surgeons, RNs, doctors, social workers, and LPNs – just to name a few – come from all over the city to volunteer their time and expertise at the center. Donated medical supplies allow these professionals to meet the needs of their patients, who are seen on a walk-in basis unless a physical is needed. “We see the very poor – those who often skip important medication so they can pay their utility bills or eat,” observes Sister Rose Marie Pelligra, a nurse practitioner working as a registered nurse at Northside Ministries. Sister lives in a St. Clare Gardens apartment, allowing her to be immersed in the community she works with daily and better understand the challenges of the underserved.
The Ministries also provide a free legal clinic Tuesday afternoons and Thursday evenings, a Peace Camp over President’s Week vacation in February to teach neighborhood youth constructive ways to interact, and an opportunity for neighborhood residents to meet each other over coffee and donuts every Tuesday. Sweet Sensations is a fundraiser that helps support their activities.

Background
The Northside Collaboratory, in partnership with a coalition of local organizations and institutions, will create a social   enterprise-based workforce development program to train Northside residents in fields related to emerging “green”  industries and environmental sustainability.  The aim of the program is to train local residents in relevant vocational skills  that have the potential to offer true career opportunities and a viable living wage.  The program will have a special focus on providing “green pathways out of poverty” by recruiting and training un- and underemployed individuals with traditional barriers to employment (e.g., lack of job skills, lack of education, language/cultural barriers).  Green Train will serve as a transitional job, “learn as you work” program, providing essential personal support and job development services for participants while creating a positive work history.  Using a social enterprise model in green construction, renovation and weatherization, participants will be developing crucial career skills and experience while improving their physical local neighborhood. 
 
The Northside Green Train program will address two critical areas for the city of Syracuse – poverty and sustainable development – by simultaneously training a local workforce while enhancing the urban landscape with environmentally conscious renovation, construction and maintenance.  This program will act as a workforce incubator and job pipeline, preparing workers to enter into a variety of internships, apprenticeships and living wage employment opportunities with our partner institutions and local companies.  This program has garnered support from and established collaborative partnerships with the Metropolitan Development Association, St. Joseph’s Hospital, CNY Works (Department of Labor), BOCES Career Training Center, Syracuse Workforce Development Institute, SUNY-ESF, Syracuse University, Syracuse Center of Excellence and Syracuse Cooperative Federal Credit Union. 

Project Objectives

Create a successful local “green-collar” workforce development program
Build a viable, replicable job training model for urban neighborhoods
Establish a sustainable social enterprise to generate program revenue
Address poverty and unemployment in an underserved low-income urban population
Improve local neighborhood physical infrastructure
Promote environmentally sustainable practices and development
Support local green businesses and industry
Advance Syracuse green economic leadership

 
Program Components 

Recruitment & Outreach

Through internal avenues (existing programs, community meetings) and partnering with other community-based programs (Jobs PLUS, CNY Works, Center for New Americans, Catholic Charities, Refugee Resettlement Agency), labor unions and educational institutions. The Northside Collaboratory will recruit local participants with traditional barriers to employment. 

Assessment

The program will assess participants according to personal history, general abilities, education, work skills and vocational/career aspirations.  A personal job pathway, training and education curriculum and potential career ladder will be created based on this initial assessment.   

Case Management

Participants will have a group supervisor, one-on-one mentoring, individual job coaching and access to a social worker.  The case management will focus on:

managing and addressing issues surrounding barriers to employment
linking individuals to partner organizations, programs, and other social services
defining and monitoring individualized curriculum and support services
developing successful employment habits and personal financial management
connecting with employer liaison for job placements and internship opportunities

Skills Training and Education

Participants enter a comprehensive training and job development program that provides individualized instruction and hard skills vocational training as well as wraparound, auxiliary services (life skills training, supportive services such as child care, health care, legal advising).  The program will involve both hands-on training and classroom training provided by instructors from local education institutions such as SUNY-ESF, BOCES, SU and OCC.  The program will constitute a full-time work schedule for the participants who will receive a subsidized wage.

The areas of instruction will focus on green construction, building analysis, energy auditing, and urban landscaping & maintenance.  The program will include the following key components: 

Adult Education – GED, ESL (English as Second Language), Literacy, basic math
Job Readiness Skills Training – Interview Skills, Resume Writing, Computer Skills
Life Skills – Health Literacy, Financial Literacy & Advising
Vocational Hard Skills Training – Basic Construction & Renovation, Building Analysis, Energy Auditing, Retrofitting & Weatherization
NCCER National Construction Certification
OSHA Safety Training Certification
Potential for NYSERDA Building Analyst Certification
Environmental Sustainability and Justice Education – classroom module on “environmental global awareness” to educate participants in the global climate crisis and see their work as part of a larger effort to save the planet 

Active construction has begun on Prospect Hill Homes as we have received permits from the City of Syracuse.  Along the Catherine Street corridor abatement and demolition work is almost complete on the two rehabilitation sites.  In addition, foundation work has begun on 1 of 3 of the new structures to be built there.  Later during the month survey work will be completed and the foundation work will begin on the other 2 sites with framing for all new buildings to commence as well.

 
On Townsend Street we face many obstacles due to the landscaping issues in regards to the grading.  Our site engineers are currently addressing stormwater concerns with the City’s staff to ensure compliance as well as attractive retaining walls.  Once these issues are sorted out, our schedule calls for foundation work to begin for all 4 sites on the 500 block of Townsend Street with the 3 other new building sites on the 600 block of N. Townsend Street. Similar to Catherine Street, we are near completion on the remediation and demolition work for the other 2 rehab buildings.

The lone structure on Hickory Street faces the same obstacles as Townsend Street in regards to stormwater and retaining walls but obviously on a much smaller scale.  Foundation staking was completed this past week and foundation work should begin very soon. 

With over 20 languages and countries represented at Cathedral Academy at Pompei (CAP), children from six Continents study and learn at this international school, on the corner of Ash and McBride Streets. The school follows the standard New York State required curriculum with the an added Catholic spiritual component integrated into cognitive and affective educational goals. Teachers and administrators have also begun to study culturally responsive teaching strategies in workshops offered by Le Moyne College. As a result, CAP educators learn how to connect home, school, and community for academic achievement and English language learning. While English-speaking students from European American backgrounds gain an understanding and appreciation of other languages and cultures in our world, thus preparing them for the global society.

To enroll your child, this fall, in this rich, unique, educational program, contact Charles LaBarbera, Principal, at 315-422-8548