Emily Whidden

Human

Services

Spring 2017

ROSIE’S PLACE

Rosie's Place was founded in 1974 as the first women’s shelter in the United States. Their mission is to provide a safe and nurturing environment that helps poor and homeless women maintain their dignity, seek opportunity and find security in their lives.

Today, Rosie’s Place not only provides meals and shelter but also creates answers for 12,000 women a year through wide-ranging support, housing and education services.

POSITION: Activities Coordinator

Monday-Friday, 9am-5pm

Paid through stipend

ROSIE’S PLACE CO -OP POSITION

Improve my direct service skills

Expand environments and populations I’ve worked with

Make meaningful and personal connections with

guests, hear their stories

Gain a more comprehensive understanding of resources

available to poor and homeless women in Boston and

beyond

Be aware of the services offered and volunteer

opportunities available at Rosie's

Become familiar with some common barriers and

needs that poor and homeless women face in Boston

MY HOPES

Direct Service

Friendly Visiting

Food Pantry & Dining Room

Front Desk

Rosie’s IDs

Art Tabling

Computer Class & iPad Lab

Administrative Projects

Planned and coordinated activities

Created and updated resource guides

Coordinated food delivery

Conducted surveys

Updated guest info on database

MY TIME AT ROSIE’S

Worked or helped out in many departments

Front Office

Women’s Education Center

Food Program

Art Program

Public Policy

Development

Volunteer Services

Completed wide range of tasks for many teams

Harder to feel as integrated into one team, but

nice to have knowledge about variety of things

MY TIME AT ROSIE’S

The Friendly Visitor program connects volunteers

with poor and isolated women at home or in long -

term care facilities

Friendships form, providing both individuals with

comfort and enjoyment

Works to combat loneliness, allowing connections to

be made and experiences to be shared

3 times a week

Individual vs group

Varied environments

FRIENDLY VISITING

Gifts from guests

Guests asking for favors

Wanting to do more

Learned as I went

Created boundaries

Stayed consistent

Referred to Rosie’s rules

DILEMMAS

SOLUTIONS

No desk jobs!

Love direct service

Like variety not only day to day, but within

each day as well

Good at switching tasks, being flexible

Learned how to work within various

departments with different supervisors

Interested in many aspects of human services

Like a mix of direction and independence

WHAT I LEARNED ABOUT MYSELF

More aware of the lived experiences and daily

struggles of poor and homeless women

Saw first-hand the effect that policy has on direct

service

Everyone has a story

Taking time to reach out, have a conversation

Energized me to keep fighting

even harder against injustice

Will stay involved with Rosie’s

HOW IT AFFECTED ME

Rosie’s Public Policy department hosts a staff Lobby

Day each year; Women’s Education Center at Rosie’s

hosts Immigrant Lobby Day

Learned about MA’s 2 year bill cycle; supported various

bills like Repeal the Family Cap and Close the Snap

Gap/Common Application legislation

Attended Immigrant Lobby Day at the State House

Lobbied with guests in support of the MA Safe Communities

Act to protect immigrant rights

Wrote letters, met with Senators and

Representatives, attended rally

PUBLIC POLICY AT ROSIE’S

Rosie’s Place takes no government funding

Still, policy has a huge impact on the work at Rosie’s Food access

Housing/rent costs

Public benefits

Transportation

Healthcare

Employment & wages

Immigration

Domestic violence & sexual assault

Emergency services

Changes in policy affect guests’ everyday lives

POLICY’S IMPACT

Direct service

Have a better sense of what I do and don’t like

Learned about what types of positions are available

Interested in outreach, home visits

Relief staff at Rosie’s, volunteering

MY FUTURE PLANS