AHRC NYC’s Partnership for Inclusive Internships Provides Opportunities to ‘Give Back’
Hansel Caraballo, 29, remembers when his grandmother would receive food stamps. “My mom would have me go out and buy food with them,” he says.
Today, thanks to AHRC New York’s City’s Partnership for Inclusive Internships (PII) program, Hansel is working full-time as an eligibility specialist II for the program, now known as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).
‘I Saw How That Helped My Family’
Pride resonates as Hansel describes his job. “Now that I’m the one interviewing (people seeking the benefits), I’ve come full circle,” Hansel says. “I saw how that helped my family. Being able to help others is very fulfilling.”
SNAP provides food assistance for nearly 1.8 million low-income New Yorkers including families, people who are aging and/or have disabilities. The program helps families and individuals purchase nutritious foods.
PII is a public-private partnership to foster diversity and inclusive hiring within New York City government. The Taft Foundation provided initial funding for the program from 2019-2022. It currently receives support from a New York Community Trust grant. The program has successfully created inclusive, paid internships for people with disabilities, providing them with work experience to prepare them for employment. Interns through the PII program must have an open case with the New York State Office of Adult Career and Continuing Education Service – Vocational Rehabilitation (ACCES-VR) or the New York State Commission for the Blind.
People with all types of disabilities are eligible for the PII program. PII works with other disability-specific organizations across the city to recruit interns.
Promoting Culture of Inclusion
“This program is not so much about disability as it is about opportunity,” says Jennifer Shaoul, Executive Director of Disability Affairs, New York City Department of Social Services. “It’s an opportunity for people who aren’t always considered for government jobs to get their foot in the door, get work experience, and make an impression. It’s an opportunity for managers to get needed support and tend to projects that often are sidelined by other priorities. And it’s an opportunity for our agency and other city agencies to open our doors to a historically underutilized workforce while changing attitudes and promoting a culture of diversity, and more importantly, a culture of inclusion.”
The PII program’s success captured the attention of New York State officials. In her 2023 State of the State report, Gov. Kathy Hochul New York’s commitment to expanding the PII program to state government agencies. AHRC NYC’s PII program is working with Kim Hill, Chief Disability Officer, to expand the program to Albany, says Hannah Millson, Coordinator of AHRC NYC’s PII program. “With the proper infrastructure, it’s very easy for cities interested in replicating.”
“The public sector is one of the largest employers in New York City. If we want our city workforce to reflect the population of New York, it is important that we develop opportunities for people with disabilities,” Hannah says. “We been successful in placing interns in entry roles to kickstart their careers in city government.”
The New York City Mayor’s Office for People with Disabilities’ NYC: ATWORK program referred Hansel to the PII program in 2021, and provided ongoing support, including tailoring his resume for his current role.
Hansel is among the 124 interns who have benefitted from the PII program. About 1/3 of the interns are currently employed in New York City government agencies or other jobs, while some opted to further their education or return to a vocational program.
The pandemic forced PII internships to go remote, which posed challenges for some. But an immediate benefit was interns learned more computer and communication skills, Hannah says. “We do a lot of coaching of social skills and executive function with the interns,” she added. “When you work remotely it’s harder to communicate with the boss, manage your time and prioritize your work. This added structure to the program.”
With a part-time internship with the Dept. of Social Services’ Emergency Management Team, which started in the summer of 2022, Hansel realized how much he enjoyed working in city government. He was responsible for inventory in the homeless shelters, helping with events, assisting with day-to-day activities. Toward the end of his internship, he was ensuring that the shelters met FDA requirements as the city prepared for the influx of migrants.
‘Part of Something Bigger’
“I loved the internship and the feeling of helping others,” Hansel says. “You knew you were part of something bigger than yourself.”
Hansel began his current position last December. “He has amazing energy,” says Jennifer Karson, PII Coordinator. “He’s always happy and willing to help with a smile on his face.”
Hansel envisions taking his career in government even further.
“My dream is to be policy advisor for the Dept. of Education,” he says, adding he has dyslexia and an auditory processing disorder. “Throughout my school career, I saw things that hindered my performance. I want to make sure that no other kids go through the hardships I went through. The way to do that is to implement programs and policies to help those students.” He plans to pursue a master’s in education and policy.