Through the academic programs and resources of Trinity College, TCN offers exceptional opportunities for training in community organizing.
The TCN Director's Training Program for Future Directors of Non-Profit Organizations
This program is offered to experienced community organizers interested in developing careers as managers and directors. The instructors for this program are drawn from the administrative staff and faculty of Trinity and provide instruction in fund-raising, budget management, worker supervision, and collaborating with boards of directors.
TCN’s Director’s Training Program
Contact: Alta Lash, Director, TCN
Community Organizing Internship Program
Designed to recruit the next generation of African-American and Latino organizers in the Greater Hartford area, this program offers three-month internships in which interns learn the basics of community organizing at TCN while also working with a community-organizing group. Interns receive a stipend, and TCN assists them in applying for employment as community organizers.
Contact: Jack Mimnaugh, Associate Director of UCAN
Community Service Learning opportunities for students through assigned coursework.
Contact: James Trostle, the faculty coordinator of the Community Learning Initiative, or Elinor Jacobson, Coordinator of Urban Learning
Internship field work for Trinity College students pursuing the Community Development minor and the Studies in Progressive American Social Movements minor.
Contact: Alta Lash, Director, TCN
Volunteer Community Outreach opportunities for students in short or long term volunteer projects through the Office of Community Service and Civic Engagement.
Contact: Joe Barber, Associate Community Service Program Director
Additional Assistance for Community Organizers
TCN also will work with community organization leaders on staff, leadership, and organizational development; provide training for boards of directors of community organizations; and assist governmental entities in working with community residents (for example, community policing).
Contact: Jack Mimnaugh, Associate Director of UCAN
Student Involvement in TCN
TCN presents numerous opportunities for Trinity College students to become involved in meaningful work with the people and neighborhoods of Hartford and beyond. Through internships, research projects, and independent study opportunities, Trinity College students complete their academic work and make a tangible contribution to the community.
Rishi Popat '02 completed a study on the pricing of prescription drugs for people with no insurance or other third-party payment as part of an independent study supervised by Alta Lash. His work was used by a senior advocacy group, United Seniors in Action, to demonstrate that it was impossible for seniors to shop for a low-priced market basket of prescription drugs. Rishi's work assisted the elderly in securing additional funds for the state's pharmaceutical assistance program for the elderly and people with disabilities.
Jannifer Mann '02 and Elena Vasilakis '02 conducted a survey of 145 properties auctioned by the city of Hartford in 2000 and 2001. The purpose of this survey was to examine the current state of these properties to determine if there had been any improvement made in the condition or use of the auctioned properties.
Beth Notar's Economic Anthropology class participated in a survey of food pricing in Hartford. The purpose of this study was to investigate the validity of using national food costs to estimate Hartford expenses for the purpose of self-sufficiency. This publication served as a supplement to the Self-Sufficiency Study and was presented to the Permanent Commission on the Status of Women. The report showed that USDA food costs were 18.79% lower than Hartford's actual food costs, averaged over 70 family types.
Contact: Alta Lash, Director, TCN