SKILLS AND ACTIVITIES
Skill Development
In general, during the course of the year, the Intern will be actively involved in one of the following nonprofit housing and community development tracks:
Affordable Housing and Real Estate Development
Learn hands-on what it takes to create affordable healthy living communities, and specifically learn the intricacies of developing single-family homes or multifamily housing complexes from concept inception to construction completion for low-income and ethnically diverse communities following a real estate development process.
Multifamily Housing Asset Management
Learn hands-on the operations of affordable rental housing developments owned by nonprofit housing developers and housing authorities. Learn the financial, physical, regulatory, and administrative services needed to support and sustain built multifamily affordable rental communities.
In addition, interns have the opportunity to be exposed to different leadership styles via CEO and Executive Director shadowing experiences; and are able to further develop their leadership skills through the program’s supplemental activities described below.
Activities and Other Opportunities
The Intern’s Program year will include a variety of pre-professional and personal skills development opportunities. Interns also get to know their other peer group members and program alumni through various activities and develop strong long-lasting relationships because of the work and activities that occur over the year.
Some of these opportunities include:
Summer Training Institute
Interns begin the program working at their host agencies and then shortly thereafter attend a three-day training kick-off at UC Davis in July. The rest of the intensive summer training takes place online over a period of one month, 2-hour sessions three times a week. The Institute is an intensive training where professionals from the industry teach various affordable housing and community development topics. The Institute also provides personal development tools, such as communication and negotiation techniques that Interns can use in their professional and personal lives. The Institute activities help Interns to get to know each other on a personal level and forge bonding relationships with one another so that they feel comfortable communicating and confiding via email/social media/phone once they return home to various parts of the West.
CCRH Rural Summit and Statewide Housing Conferences
California Interns can attend and participate in CCRH’s renowned Annual Rural Housing Summit, while Hawaii, Washington state and Oregon Interns can attend their respective statewide Annual Housing Conference. These events usually occur between September-November. Interns will prepare and deliver a brief collective intern presentation at the Rural Housing Summit as part of a plenary.
The Mid-Winter Training/Retreat
In January Interns take two days in a relaxed setting to participate in a skills development/retreat where they reflect on their intern experience and gain additional community development tools.
Enrichment Opportunities
Interns are regularly informed of community development events and news via our Intern email communications initiated by CCRH’s Program Staff, and attend at least one statewide or regional housing conference, depending on where the Intern is placed. Some Host Agencies sponsor their respective Intern to other non-CCRH trainings, such as the NeighborWorks America National Training Institute, National Rural Housing Conference, etc. (depends on Host Agency and CCRH partners).
Final Project
Interns culminate the program with the presentation of a housing development project they have worked on during the year where they have to must convince a mock city council that their development project is feasible and an asset to the community.
Graduation
Successful Intern graduates participate in a special graduation ceremony in April preceding the annual Housing California Conference in Sacramento. The graduation is attended by Intern families, CCRH intern alumni, nonprofit leaders, and practitioners from across each state.
Resources and Employment Opportunities after Graduation
CCRH staff aggressively promotes the employment of graduating interns. Staff actively connects graduating interns with nonprofits who have jobs available via direct dialogues with its nonprofit network. On a longer-term basis, CCRH keeps a database of graduating Interns on file and regularly forwards job announcements and resources to the group. CCRH staff often serves as references for Intern graduates.
