This summer, OHI will be offering 2 mini advocacy training series. Both are virtual, totally free, and are open to all Open Hearts members. Folks are welcome to participate in one or both of these series! See below for descriptions of the two training series.

Advocacy Training 101: Homelessness and Housing Basics

2 evening sessions on Zoom, 2 hours each

Topics covered:

• The evidence for why homelessness is a housing problem

• History of homelessness in NYC

• Different types of shelter and housing

• Who has power over homelessness and housing in NYC?

• How shelters and supportive housing sites get approved and built

This training might be a good fit for you if: You don't know a lot about homelessness, and you want to build that foundational knowledge in order to be a more confident advocate. 

Advocacy Training 201: Advocacy Skills

2 evening sessions on Zoom, 2 hours each

Topics covered:

• Having difficult conversations about homelessness with other housed neighbors

• Speaking up at Community Board meetings

• Lobbying elected officials

This training might be a good fit for you if: You already have some knowledge about homelessness, and you want to learn and practice different tactics to advocate for housing and shelters in your neighborhood and for city- and state-level policies to reduce homelessness.

Fill out the interest form below if you’re interested in participating. This will help us select dates and times for the series, and we’ll be in touch when those are finalized!