Level Up Your Career: Strategies to Succeed and Thrive in the Workplace

Instructor(s): Angela D. Perry-Carroll, UNH Director of Member Services

This training is especially designed for staff who are new to the world of work and beginning their careers. Participants will engage with peers in activities, dialogue, and lectures designed to emphasize the power of centering one’s values, developing routines and goals, and having a positive mindset and openness to learning from successes and mistakes as keys to becoming a strong and competent professional. This training is in-person only. Participants must be able to attend the full session. Space is limited to 25 participants.

Dates: Wednesday, October 29th, 9:00am - 2:00pm, Friday, November 7th, 9am - 2pm

APPLICATION REQUIRED: CAPACITY REACHED
Requires Immediate Supervisor’s approval 

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Supervisory Essentials for New Supervisors

Instructor(s): Angela D. Perry-Carroll, UNH Director of Member Services

Supervisory Essentials for New Managers is a virtual training customized for staff who are new managers, including those who have been promoted from within the settlement house. Each settlement house decides who to recommend for participation. The course is for managers with less than two years of experience. Space is limited to 30 participants. UNH plans two separate rounds of Supervisory Essentials for the 2025-2026 academic year. 

Dates:

• MARCH 2026 (Tuesdays from 9:30 - 12:00pm): 3/3, 3/10, 3/17, 3/24, 3/31

APPLICATION REQUIRED: Supervisory Essentials for New Managers - Winter 2026 
Requires Executive Director/CEO approval

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Leadership for the Future of Work

Instructor(s): Dr. Denise Patrick

This six-week course is designed for program directors, department/division directors, and other seasoned managers working in settlement houses with four or more years of managerial experience. Leadership for the Future of Work is a course designed specifically for settlement houses to enhance the leadership skills of experienced supervisors in complex environments.

These sessions will be led by Dr. Denise Patrick, sharing more than 25 years of experience teaching and consulting in Business Management with a focus on leadership development. Diversity of thought, also known as cognitive diversity, will be incorporated into each component of the program. Each session will provide opportunities for managers to consider new ways to deal with changing environments. By the end of the program, participants will have additional knowledge and skills to lead change, effectively communicate with others, and foster an adaptive organizational culture. Space is limited to 25 participants.

Date: Six consecutive Wednesdays in 2026 starting January 14th through February 18th. A mix of virtual and in-person sessions are planned.

APPLICATION REQUIRED: COMPLETE
Requires Executive Director/CEO approval.

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Conversations with Leaders

Conversations with Leaders is a unique opportunity for settlement house staff to learn from and talk with seasoned settlement house executives, managers and UNH Board members representing a variety of disciplines. Staff will be able to connect with their peers for support and networking. Staff who are new to supervision and management or program/division directors with 3 or fewer years’ experience are especially encouraged to attend but any staff with interest is welcome. Sessions will be a mix of virtual and in-person. Space is limited for in-person sessions.

UNH will feature several Conversations between Fall 2025 to Fall 2026. Registration will be required. Sessions are in development. Please refer back to this Guide for updates and to register.

2025

"If I Knew Then What I Know Now" - Lessons in Leadership from Retired/Almost Retired Settlement House Executives

Join Michelle Neugebauer of Cypress Hills LDC and Warren Scharf of Lenox Hill Neighborhood House as they reflect back on decades of experience as settlement house Executive Directors and consider passing the role to their successors. They will address how they came to their roles, grew in their roles, and decided it was time to leave; how they navigated the unexpected and built teams; and advice they have for those who aspire to be executives. 

Date: December 9th, 10am-11am

REGISTRATION REQUIRED: COMPLETE

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2026

Emotional Intelligence - Leading with Heart

Great leaders don't just manage--they connect. Join us for an inspiring conversation with seasoned Executive Directors - David Garza (CEO, Henry Street Settlement) and Harris Oberlander (Retired ED and current consultant, Trinity Alliance of the Capital Region) - on what it truly means to lead with heart. Discover how empathy, self-awareness, and compassion can transform the way we show up for our teams, our communities, and ourselves. All settlement house staff are welcome to this virtual learning opportunity. 

Date: January 22nd, 2026, 11am-12:30pm (virtual)

REGISTRATION REQUIRED: COMPLETE 

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Building and Empowering Teams

Led by Ken Jockers, Executive Director of Hudson Guild and Michael Partis, Executive Director of Red Hook Initiative, this learning discussion focuses on how to build effective teams. The session will explore how teams are built, nurtured, and used. Participants will explore dynamic practices for team building through discussion and will speak to their experiences being part of teams, building teams, and how that experience is unique in a settlement house. Participants will have an opportunity in small teams to discuss and present strategies which they can either implement in team building or apply to enhance a team they are on. 

Date: March 18th, 2026, 3pm-4:30pm

RSVP REQUIRED: Expression of Interest: Building and Empowering Teams

Location: Hudson Guild Fulton Center 119 9th Avenue (between 17th & 18th streets in Manhattan)

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Fundraising: The ABC's for Emerging Leaders

Join Chris Hanway, Executive Director of Jacob A. Riis Neighborhood Settlement, and Bindu Balan, Chief Development and Communications Officer at Grand St. Settlement for a session that will focus on institutional and individual fundraising using examples from their settlement houses and emphasizing best practices.

Date: April 23rd, 2026. 

Express Your Interest: Expression of Interest: Fundraising: Conversations with Leaders: The ABC’s for Emerging Leaders 

Location: TBA

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Networks for this Moment: It’s Not a Nice to Have, It’s Essential

This discussion will explore how networks are no longer optional—they are essential. Melissa Aase, CEO of University Settlement and Maria Lizardo, Executive Director of NMIC, will share experiences about the role of strategic relationships, shared purpose, and aligned action in driving meaningful, systemic change. Through real-world examples, interactive dialogue, and peer learning, attendees will strengthen their understanding of how to build and leverage networks for greater impact—whether to advocate for policy change, mobilize communities, share resources, or co-create solutions to pressing challenges.

Date: May 14th, 2026, 1pm-2:30pm 

Express Your Interest: Expression of Interest: Conversations with Leaders: Networks for this Moment: It’s Not a Nice to Have, It’s Essential

Location: Speyer Hall at University Settlement 184 Eldridge Street, 2nd Floor.

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2025

Crisis Intervention Series: Handling Crisis with Confidence

Instructor(s): Meg Mangum

Come learn about techniques and strategies to support participants and yourself through a crisis. Using a trauma informed approach, and specific tools such as Motivational Interviewing, this training will enable you to gain confidence in a crisis. This workshop is designed for staff supporting participants and we welcome both full-time and part-time settlement house employees. Participants must attend all sessions to receive a completion certificate. Small teams working in the same program are welcome and encouraged. Space is limited to 30 participants.

Dates: (Wednesdays) 1:00pm-2:30pm -October 1st, 8th, 15th and 22nd

REGISTRATION REQUIRED: CAPACITY REACHED

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Climate-Informed De-escalation Training

Instructor(s): Freedgy Thelisma

Learn practical safety and communication tools at UNH’s virtual Climate-Informed De-escalation Training. Our current environment is marked by uncertainty, strain, hardship, and fear, and staff at settlement houses face this every single day in the communities they serve. Attendees will be equipped to recognize, de-escalate, and mitigate risks.

Dates: Monday, December 15th, 11am-12:30pm

REGISTRATION REQUIRED: COMPLETE

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Fordham Seminar: In-Home Field Practice & Safety

Instructor(s): Priscilla Carmona

In-home field practice introduces layered safety demands that unfold across physical, spatial, interpersonal, and temporal domains. This training equips practitioners to recognize these domains in real time and to anticipate how risks intersect and shift across the visit cycle (pre-arrival, entry, engagement, exit). We will examine factors that intensify or mitigate risk. Some of these factors include neighborhood conditions, time of day, co-occurring crises, and role clarity. We will then translate these experiences them into practical checklists, positioning strategies, and de-escalation techniques. The workshop also includes a segment on key historical timeframes that shaped in home services while acknowledging past limits and the need for comprehensive, equity-oriented supports. The workshop also emphasizes team-based care and integrated social work assessment, both are essential for safe, sustainable care in the community.

Dates: Monday, November 17th 12pm-2pm

REGISTRATION REQUIRED: COMPLETE

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2026

Climate-Informed De-escalation Train-the Trainer Workshop(In person only)

Instructor(s): Freedgy Thelisma 

This interactive skills lab reinforces what staff learned during the virtual session in December and ensures they can directly bring techniques back to their individual settlement houses (SHs). The session emphasizes real-world application through practice and reflection. The session will feature

Guidance on how to translate skills into settlement house-specific workflows

Tools to bring back to team meetings, case consultations, and shift briefings

Strategies for building shared language and coordinated responses across staff

DATE: January 16th, 2026 

Express Your Interest: COMPLETE

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Community Safety Matters

• This training is designed to equip participants with the knowledge and skills needed to recognize and mitigate safety risks in community settings. This session focuses on assessing environments, recognizing risk factors, and developing safety routines that prioritize staff and the community members’ well-being.
• REGISTRATION REQUIRED: TBA
  • • Date: Thursday, April 16th, 2pm-4:30pm (Virtual) 

• This session focuses on techniques to manage and reduce agitation, preventing potentially violent situations from escalating. The training covers communication strategies, understanding the triggers of escalation, and practicing de-escalation techniques that go against natural “fight or flight” instincts.
• REGISTRATION REQUIRED: TBD
• Note: Space is limited. Applying does not guarantee a seat. UNH will prioritize 1 staff person for the first 35 settlement houses that apply.
  • Date: TBD
  • In-person at TBD

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Grief/Loss Support

Should a settlement house need support to assist staff impacted by a traumatic event that has affected the organization or the community, UNH is poised to help through in and out of network partnerships that have qualified professionals to facilitate healing circles or can provide resources to assist with mental health and coping strategies. Please contact Angela Perry-Carroll, Director of member services ([email protected]) or Lynn Appelbaum, Deputy Executive Director ([email protected]).

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Active Shooter Awareness Training for Settlement House Staff

Instructor(s): TBA

UNH partners with ALICE to host a virtual Active Shooter Awareness Training. Settlement houses may have as many staff participate as desired, however, registration may be limited or closed upon reaching 200 registrants. 

DATE: TBA

REGISTRATION REQUIRED: TBA

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2025

Advocacy Training

This in-person only session will cover these topics:

• You are part of a movement: settlement house advocacy historically and today

• New York City and State government landscapes, budget process, key players, and how to plug in

• Tools and tactics to fuel your advocacy, including how to testify at hearings

• Relationship building and how to lead successful legislative meetings

• Civic engagement and applications at your settlement house 

This training is appropriate for beginners or for anyone working in advocacy who is looking for a refresher. It will help all participants conduct more effective advocacy with their settlement house staff and communities. This year, we are including more content about how to engage in advocacy efforts at your settlement house. 

Date: September 10th, 9:30-4:00pm

REGISTRATION REQUIRED: COMPLETED

Location: Grand Street Settlement (The Rose Center), 80 Pitt Street, NYC

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Fordham Seminar: Democracy Under Pressure - the Transformation of Policy and Advocacy

Instructor(s): Shirley Gatenio-Gabel

Policy advocacy is transforming in the digital age, shifting from traditional lobbying to a decentralized, data-driven environment. Changes in the policy-making process are making it less transparent and challenging the ability of diverse voices to be heard. This raises questions about the future: will we move toward a more participatory democracy that embraces many perspectives, or toward a system controlled by elite powers and algorithmic influence?

Date: Monday, October 27th 12pm-2pm

REGISTRATION REQUIRED: COMPLETED

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Communicating with Clarity and Confidence: Public Speaking

Instructor(s): Daniel Diaz, Executive Director, East Side House Settlement

This in-person session will focus on best practices and offer tips, tools, and techniques for public speaking. Participants will examine and discuss the critical role of communication both in building a team and also in projecting the mission and message of the organization to an external audience. Additionally, participants will have an opportunity to develop a platform for professional presentations to various audiences and apply learning through discussion and constructive feedback on short presentations. This session is designed for division/department and program directors. 

Space is limited to 20 participants. UNH will select participants in consultation with executive and senior leadership.

Date: November 20th (IN PERSON ONLY) 10am-12:30pm

Location: Sugar Hill Children's Museum for Art & Storytelling, 898 St. Nicholas Avenue, NY, NY 10032

EXPRESS INTEREST HERE (NO SPOTS ARE GUARANTEED JUST BY APPLYING): COMPLETE

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Budgeting Basics: A Workshop for Settlement House Staff

Instructor(s): Josephine Lume, Chief Financial Officer, Henry Street Settlement

In this virtual training, participants will review budgeting and financial management techniques, including operating budgeting, cash flow budgeting, flexible budgeting, and variance analysis. Participants will apply learning during the session by creating and presenting a live budget. 

The training will be particularly helpful to staff who are newly responsible for budgeting or seek to expand their skills in developing and managing budgets. If you’re unsure about who to recommend, please contact Angela Perry-Carroll, Director of Member Services, [email protected]

Date: Tuesday, December 2nd, 9:30am-11:30am

REGISTRATION REQUIRED: COMPLETE

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2026

Case Manager Skills Series

Instructor(s): Meg Mangum

Come refresh and enhance your case management skills from writing effective notes to engaging participants with efficiency and compassion. You will walk away with practical skills that you can apply immediately. This is a three-session virtual series, please plan to attend all three.

Dates: Thursday, March 5th (10:30am-12pm) and Thursday, March 12th (10:30am-12pm), Thursday, March 19th (10:30am-11:30am)

REGISTRATION REQUIRED: Reached Compacity 

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Fordham Seminar: AI and Social Work

Instructor(s):  Dr. Lauri Goldkind

Large Language Models, such as ChatGPT, have captured attention of the social work profession. Over 50 percent of clients are likely using an LLM as a mental health support. What are the implications for social workers and social work practice? In this webinar, social workers are invited to learn about large language models and chatbots in mental health and human services. We will discuss our experiences, concerns, and emerging practice applications.

Date: Tuesday, February 24th 12pm-2pm

REGISTRATION REQUIRED: COMPLETED

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Fordham Seminar: Social Work in Schools

Instructor(s):  Rochelle Leiber-Miller

This workshop will bring participants to a greater understanding of the role of school social workers, the importance of having a school social worker in every school, the many hats that a school social worker wears, and the ongoing and new issues they encounter working with students. Participants will explore educational legislation and policies and gain greater understanding of IEP, PBIS, RTI, IEP, and 504s. Additional topics to be discussed include: interventions with the vulnerable student population, group work and social skills development, and managing interactions with students, administration, teachers, and parents.

Date: Monday, March 30th 12pm - 2pm

REGISTRATION REQUIRED: HERE

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Fordham Seminar: Evidenced-Based Practice

Instructor(s): John Holland

Clients, funding sources, administrators, and practitioners all seek interventions that effectively address critical social and mental health issues. Evidence-based practices and empirically supported treatments consistently yield positive outcomes. The purpose of this presentation is to introduce participants to evidence-based practice in social service settings.

This presentation will cover the evolution of the evidence-based practice paradigm, the hierarchy of research, and core components of empirically supported programs and interventions. These core components include the development of intervention manuals, training staff on the intervention, and strategies to monitor fidelity to the intervention.

Essential adaptations of evidence-based interventions to meet local needs, including considerations for cross-cultural and linguistic adaptations of evidence-based practices, will be explored.

Date: Monday, April 20th 12pm-2pm

REGISTRATION REQUIRED: HERE

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Fordham Seminar: Critical Skills for Effective Community Organizing

Instructor(s): Miguel Medina

This workshop provides agency staff and social workers with essential skills and frameworks for effective community organizing.  Participants will explore foundational organizing principles, learn strategic tools such as community mapping and power analysis, and examine examples of influential organizers who transformed communities around the world.  Through interactive discussion and applied activities, participants will strengthen their capacity to mobilize communities, build collective power and foster sustainable social change.

Date: Monday, May 4th, 2026 12pm-2pm

REGISTRATION REQUIRED: HERE

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Ongoing Opportunities

Sesame 3G Program

This program was created by alumni of the beloved TV show Sesame Street, and is a low-commitment, high-return program that takes place in person once a week at your center. It  creates playful and meaningful relationships that bring together older adults, youth, and preschoolers at your center. UNH is excited to partner with the Sesame 3G program to provide a new opportunity training settlement houses staff to create intergenerational programming at their center.. It engages three generations: seniors, who mentor teenagers as they watch a Sesame Street segment together, teens, who are empowered by their relationships with these seniors watch the same videos with young children, and preschoolers, who engage in conversations with their teen mentors. You can find out more about the program HERE. 

REGISTRATION REQUIRED: Please contact Katie Cardwell ([email protected]) if you are interested in being connected to this program opportunity.