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Diocesan Service Corps Placement List

The following list of job placements are available for the 2008-2009 service year. A unique advantage of the CCSC involves the ability to develop new placements based on the specific talents, interests, and needs of the volunteers. Accepted applicants are asked to remain somewhat flexible, keeping an open mind and heart to serve where they are most needed. However, the CCSC makes every effort to work with each applicant, taking their wishes into account in order to create a positive work experience.

• Catholic Charities Parish Outreach Program
  General Assistant in the Parish Outreach Program. This position involves being a member of the staff, rendering service in our pantries and outreach centers while learning to utilize services to enhance our clients' lives. Responsibilities: Familiarize oneself with local resources, stock shelves, pack bags, arrange clothing, interview clients for initial intake sessions, interact with clients coming for food and clothing, make follow through home visits when necessary, make occasional home visit/food delivery, pick up donations, make necessary referrals to various agencies/services, assist clients in filling out various forms for other agencies, assist in keeping office areas in order, any record keeping or filing that is necessary to each location. At our Fulton Street site: plan and direct weekly after school activity club for children age 8-12, plan and direct 2 to 3 weeks of summer programs for children age 7-12, assist with monitoring children's Saturday sewing program, help with weekly recycling. Other responsibilities as determined by each of the on-site program supervisors. There will be two positions available for this program. Each position will be split between the four pantries that are operated through the Parish Outreach Program.
  
• Harvest House
  The CCSC Member who serves at Harvest House will have the opportunity to see how a non-profit organization operates from all levels. In existence since 1993, Harvest House first began as a community/spirituality center, hosting more than 150 retreats a year, while also offering a Baby and Children's Ministry. In 2003 the agency expanded when the Harvest House Ministry Center was founded, which works as a one-stop center for people seeking educational and/or medical services. Three Full-time Staff people operate both locations, and wear all hats from President to Gardener to Janitor. As the Assistant to the President, the volunteer will participate in all levels of operation, and must be willing to assume many roles. The volunteer must be independent, confident in leadership positions, and flexible as he/she will work at both locations. Specific responsibilities will include office work, designing brochures and statistical data bases, recruiting and supervising volunteers at the Harvest House Ministry Center, learn operation of Baby and Children's Ministry so as to open and work there on Saturday mornings. With this recent growth at Harvest House, the volunteer will also attend meetings with political officials, educational providers and other leaders of local non-profit organizations.
• Homespace Corporation
  Homespace Corporation has been assisting families, two generations at a time, through a successful transitional housing program. The mission is to provide a safe and nurturing transitional living environment with supportive services for single parent families that prepares them to achieve and maintain their independence. The CCSC Member will work at both sites: Homespace, which serves single youth between the ages of 17 and 21 years of age in a town home setting; and Second Chance Home, which serves youth in a congregate setting between the ages of 14 and 21 years of age. Youth at both sites are in the custody of Erie County Dept of Social Services who are single and with child(ren) of their own. Under the direction of the Case Planner, and the Executive Director, the Case Aide Volunteer is responsible for the supervision of children's play activity while in the activity center, the direct service to the residents of both Second Chance Home and the Homespace SILP, as well as other case specific duties as defined by the Case Planner. The CAV will carry out planned activity as developed by the staff; contribute to social and physical development by providing supervised play activity to children of residents of Homespace while parents participate in scheduled activity. The CAV may also be responsible for providing developmental milestone oversight for the children in the programs as well as assisting parents in increasing their Independent Living skills.
• Horizon Health Services
  Horizon Health Services is a not-for-profit organization that provides an array of comprehensive services to assist individuals with mental health problems and/or addictions to make choices that improve their quality of life and achieve their personal recovery goals. This agency works to empower consumers and support their pursuit of their hopes and dreams through an integrated service delivery system. Consumers are partners in selecting and implementing their care from among high-quality services that are accessible and responsive to their needs and desires.
  
  Two CCSC placements are available within these three options:

  • The first, Counselor Aide, will develop service plans for people dealing with alcohol addictions, including individual and group counseling services, help clients assess needed resources within the community, as well as through advocacy and linkage work.
  • As a Road to Recovery Case Manager, the CCSC volunteer will help to identify and assess client needs and coordinate receipt of services, such as chemical dependency treatment/rehabilitation, housing, vocational rehabilitation, transportation, and communication with the Treatment Court.
  • Vocational Specialist will require the volunteer to develop, coordinate, and present specific work skills training. He/she will also plan and develop ways to teach personal adjustment skills, job readiness and retention skills, and work skills. Lastly, the volunteer will work to link individuals with appropriate training programs and/or job development team.
    
• Neighborhood Legal Services
  Neighborhood Legal Services provides civil legal services for low-income residents of Erie County. NLS believes that access to civil legal services is in no way optional. Services include advice and representation on family problems, housing problems, advocacy regarding public benefit programs and issues facing the disabled. Two CCSC Volunteer options exist:

  • The Legal Assistant and Outreach Worker will have the invaluable experience of working within the Homeless Task Force program, the only organization in Erie County that provides on-site legal accessibility to public benefits for the homeless population. Duties will include assessing legal issues, developing interview skills and resolving legal problems through advocacy and representation. The CCSC member will learn the substantive areas of law that are relevant to the homeless community including family, housing, social security, and public benefits law. They will be responsible for a caseload, conduct intake at various homeless shelters in Buffalo, staff a desk at the Department of Social Services at least one day per week, attend policy meetings, and submit articles related to homelessness to the agency's newsletter.
  • The Legal Assistant for the Public Benefits Unit will become familiar with the laws that govern the Food Stamp and Medicaid Programs, learning how to calculate food stamp budgets and screening persons over the telephone for potential food stamp eligibility. The volunteer will need to develop an expertise about the food stamp and medicaid regulations in order to successfully screen hundreds of clients for eligibility. The volunteer will also be responsible for follow up and advocacy with the Department of Social Services in case of denial. The volunteer will also be expected to analyze the information that he/she obtains regarding what problems callers encounter in getting their applications approved to identify any systemic barriers that are blocking applicants' access to food stamp benefits. The volunteer will also perform client intake at soup kitchens. Finally, he/she may be responsible for writing memorandums and may be asked to present these issues at unit case review meetings.
• Sts. Columba-Brigid Montessori School
  This unique school environment serves pre-school children in the inner city of Buffalo. As a Teacher Assistant, a CCSC Member will be responsible for assisting the classroom teacher in providing and maintaining a safe and nurturing Montessori-based learning environment, assist in preparing for special events, and aide in creating a welcoming community within the impoverished neighborhood. The Montessori Method is a distinctive style of education, one which the volunteer would have an exceptional opportunity to experience through hands-on participation and lesson planning.

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