Community Engagement Specialist - 2023-24
Community Engagement Specialist
For one year, get paid to build sustainable solutions in a community, gain valuable hands-on experience and prepare for your future. This full-time AmeriCorps service position offers a great opportunity to make an impact in the lives of others while building your own knowledge and skillset.
AmeriCorps National members serve the community in direct service and capacity building activities.
What will you do?
The Community Engagement Specialist plays a critical role in strengthening relationships through planning, coordinating, and implementing projects in partnership with the community. These strategic relationships with residents, local organizations, elected officials and stakeholders help Habitat Charlotte Region identify areas where housing and community development solutions can intersect with identified needs.
- Identify community improvement projects and implement them in partnership with community stakeholders and other Habitat Charlotte Region staff, from planning through completion, including documenting the process and outcomes.
- Engage volunteers from the identified community to support local improvement projects.
- Support marketing of upcoming construction projects to the impacted areas.
- Attend external meetings relevant to the Community Engagement program, as requested. Examples include community beautification, health and social services and residential meetings.
- Help continue to develop and market the Habitat Champions Initiative. The Habitat Champions Initiative (HCI) is a collaboration between Habitat Charlotte Region and our partner families. This initiative includes Homeowners (past and present), Homeowners in Process, Critical Home Repair Families, and Money Matters participants region wide. Because our partners families are embedded in neighborhoods, HCI’s goal is to engage them in order to strengthen the organization’s outreach efforts and effectively promote who we are and what we do.
- Build understanding of and support for community engagement by collaborating with staff from other departments.
- Responsible for Oversight committee participation and preparation for both the North and South meetings as well as combined meetings.
- Assist with community driven information sessions and events.
- Research, develop, update, and maintain Community Neighborhood Books with key data to inform interactions and impact.
- Participate in community tours and canvassasing that involves neighborhood asset mapping as it related to HFHI Quality of Life Framework.
This position will focus on homeowner services and neighborhood revitalization aspects of Habitat affiliate operations.
Where will you serve?
- Organization name: Habitat for Humanity of the Charlotte Region
- Nearest metropolitan area: Charlotte, NC
- Full-time staff: 123
- Expected number of AmeriCorps members: 17
- Number of homes to be built: 50
- Number of homes to be repaired: 170
- Activities and attractions: Our offices and AmeriCorps apartments are less than 15 minutes away from uptown Charlotte, a three-hour drive from the beaches of North and South Carolina, and a two-hour drive from the Blue Ridge Mountains.
- Unique projects: AmeriCorps members serving this term will support our organization before, during, and after Habitat for Humanity International’s Carter Work Project held in October 2023.
Benefits of AmeriCorps service
- Living allowance of $17,600 for approximately 10 ½ months of service.
- Segal Education Award of $6,895, upon successful completion of service.
- Forbearance for most federally-guaranteed student loans.
- Health care benefits and enrollment in Employee Assistance Plan.
- Personal and medical leave — approximately 10 days total.
- Personal and professional development opportunities.
- Child care benefits, if you qualify.
- Worker’s compensation insurance.
Supplemental Benefits
- Free housing
- Whitewater Center annual pass
- $100 ReStore gift card
Minimum Requirements
Applicants must be a U.S. citizen, national or lawful permanent resident at least 18 or older and have a high school diploma or GED.
What are we looking for?
Our ideal candidates:
- Are passionate about serving the community through direct service.
- Demonstrate respect for diversity of opinion, experience, and background.
- Desire to gain hands-on experience in the affordable housing and nonprofit sector.
- Have experience working on a team.
- Possess stellar interpersonal communication skills.
- Are motivated and committed to serve full time and in person.
About Habitat for Humanity
Habitat for Humanity, founded in 1976, is a global, Christian-based nonprofit organization that grew out of an intentionally multi-racial community in rural Georgia. Seeking to put God’s love into action, Habitat brings together people of all faiths and people of no faith to build homes, communities and hope. Working alongside each other, we help families and individuals build and improve places to call home and achieve the strength, stability and self-reliance they need to build better lives for themselves. Habitat seeks individuals who have a willingness to affirm these principles and values.
Habitat for Humanity International is an equal opportunity employer and seeks to employ and assign the best qualified personnel for all our positions in a manner that does not unlawfully discriminate against any person because of race, color, religion, gender, marital status, age, national origin, physical or mental disability, sexual orientation, veteran/reserve national guard status, or any other status or characteristic protected by law.
