HOPE UNIVERSITY
Using This Website
Using the menu at the top of the page, please select from the following:
Learning Center: a repository of great training materials to help you be successful at HOPE!
Residents: find access to HOPE tools to connect with other HOPE residents!
Team: all things policy, procedure, benefits, and more!
Board: the Boards one-stop-shop for the tools needed to help move the mission forward!
Vendors: Training and other resources for our HOPE Partners helping us to do the great work we do!
About HOPE U
Welcome to HOPE U, a dynamic commitment to lifelong learning and empowerment. At HOPE, Inc., we envision a world where education transcends traditional boundaries, fostering growth and opportunity for everyone involved in our mission of housing individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. HOPE U serves as a vital platform that brings together our five key stakeholders—the board, team members, vendors, residents, and the larger community—to facilitate inclusive education and meaningful experiences. By providing tailored training, resources, and support, we aspire to cultivate knowledge, and inspire all stakeholders to approach the world with a mission-centric mindset that prioritizes people first. Join us in this transformative journey of learning to create a more equitable and just society for all…
At HOPE, Inc. we not only believe that we have an obligation to be great stewards of the resources to meet our mission of housing people with an intellectual/developmental disability, but we also believe that the way in which we do that is also critical.
It is our goal, therefore, to ensure that the resources of this organization: from our funders, donors, banks, State, Federal and City partners, and residents, are put to use serving the community by providing opportunity and education, and promoting diversity, equity and inclusion, in the fulfillment of our core mission of housing.
Our Five Stakeholders
To achieve our vision HOPE University helps to formalize our intentions by providing education and opportunity to five key stakeholders: our own board, our staff, our vendors and business partners, our residents, and the larger community.
Residents: Our residents are at the heart of what we do at HOPE. And a large part of that is ensuring that the affordable housing that they have is retained for as long as they are able and willing. Therefore, it is vital that our residents have the tools and skills they need to manage their housing situations: for both economics and social-dynamics.
Outcome: HOPE provides support and training by ensuring that we have staff available to support them not only with assistance with the financial compliance to maintain their housing, but also with the skills needed to navigate the dynamics of shared housing and being integrated into the larger community.
The 5 Stakeholders of HOPE University. Please click here to watch a power point about the 5 Stakeholders.
Community: We are all part of community, and it is our shared responsibility to ensure that our communities thrive. Not only does this mean being good neighbors, but to us this also means finding ways that we can lift-up, educate, employ, and provide opportunity to engage with our residents, our mission, and affordable housing.
Outcome: HOPE participates in resource fairs and other outreach efforts to educate our community about affordable housing resources. We also work with local high-schools, community colleges, and regional occupational centers, and we partner to provide internships, job readiness and training, and career opportunities.
Board: The Board is a critical function of any thriving non-profit, and requires nurturing, engagement, and often education about the role of being a fiduciary.
Outcome: HOPE provides training to its Board members through free classes and conferences, relevant articles, committee experience, and peer mentoring.
Team: The non-profit model—of balancing mission and profits—is a delicate balance that requires knowledge of business, social services, politics, funding, grant-writing, and so much more. To be employed in job that is mission-centric, in a world where consumerism and the bottom-line often are put above the needs of people, we believe at HOPE that it is our duty to train willing employees in the operation of a non-profit, in order that they might not only serve this particular mission and community better, but that they may also take these lessons and experience out into the world with other non-profits.
Outcome: HOPE provides training to its staff throughout the year through 1:1 career counseling, peer mentoring, conference attendance, classes and workshops, and a bi-weekly curriculum covering topics including business, 501c3 management, self-help, and diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Vendors: Due to HOPE’s size and scale, many of the services and professionals that we rely on are from small- to mid-sized businesses; we also endeavor to support businesses that are woman or minority owned and operated. At HOPE we believe that our residents, the primary recipients of our mission and services, deserve the very best. That requires that our vendors who serve them are trained 1) not only in their various roles and functions, but also have training in 2) managing a small business effectively and have training in 3) sensitivity, and servicing a special needs population.
Outcome: HOPE provides training to its vendors in business management, and
we provide technology tools and staff support where needed, as wellwe also
provide peer-mentoring and sensitivity training.