Connect to Met Council

Nowadays, you can find your best friend’s husband’s brother’s cat on Facebook. Because it reaches so many people, it has proven to be a very useful tool for not-for-profit organizations such as Met Council. Stay connected to Met Council through our Facebook page! You can check out upcoming volunteer opportunities and new blog articles. Add us today.

http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/MetCouncil

Musings on Met Council: An Intern's Perspective

“What about the Metropolitan Council on Jewish Poverty? They need someone to work on their blog.” A few months back, Karen Klein of FEGS posed that question as she saw how much I was struggling to make up my mind over which organization I would be interning with for the New Linkages internship. Maybe it was Met Council’s full name. I mean, something about working to alleviate poverty, and even better, within the Jewish population, really appealed to me. Maybe it was because I love to write. Or, maybe it was because I was so exhausted from trying to choose. Regardless of the reason (or combination of reasons) , I’m glad I chose Met Council.

I came in with absolutely no idea of how to write a blog. Now, a few months later, that is no longer the case.

Over these past few months, I’ve researched ways on how to improve Met Council’s volunteer blog and have written various posts. The blog post I most enjoyed researching for and writing was the Career Interview with Jessica Polsky. I got to meet a wonderful woman who helps countless people that are laden with worry over their unemployment find their way back to the workforce.

In truth, all of the employees here—including my supervisors—seem warm and genuinely happy to be here. They really believe in the organization’s mission. So do I.

If you’re looking to intern or volunteer with a wonderful Jewish not-for-profit, the Metropolitan Council on Jewish Poverty is the perfect choice.

--Lyudmila Alishayeva, Blog Intern

Come Celebrate Volunteer Week!

It’s National Volunteer Week!
Elizabeth Andrew once said “Volunteers do not necessarily have the time; they just have the heart.” This week, we celebrate those that have big hearts.

The theme of this year’s volunteer week is “celebrating people in action.” To all of you that have helped us or other not-for-profit organizations, we thank you. Please continue giving your talents! www.metcouncil.org

A Monument in Memory of MLK

“If I can help somebody as I pass along,
if I can cheer somebody with a word or song,
if I can show somebody he's traveling wrong,
then my living will not be in vain.”

These are the words of Martin Luther King—the hero who dedicated his life to nonviolent social change and in whose honor a memorial will soon stand. The National Memorial will be constructed in Washington D.C and will mark the 42nd anniversary of Martin Luther King’s death.

For more information about this noteworthy cause, please visit www.mlkmemorialnews.org.

Met Council’s volunteers have celebrated MLK in the past and truly support the creation of this monument. Check out the post below!

Spotlight on: Jessica Polsky, Career Counselor at Met Council’s Career Services

When Jessica Polsky was a Nursing student in college in Florida, she had no idea what fate had in store for her—working at a not-for-profit, and healing others in an entirely different way.

Jessica actually started off as an intern at Met Council while pursuing her graduate degree. When she finished the internship three years ago, the director gladly offered her a position as a full-time career counselor and she has been here ever since.

Sitting in her office—full of lively Van Gogh prints—I asked Jessica question after question about her work, all to which she responded warmly and patiently. I could tell that she is great at her job as a Career Counselor at Met Council, helping domestic violence survivors as well as clients who have lost their jobs in these trying times.

Yet, a career in career counseling (J) wasn’t always on the agenda. Jessica was working as an EMT and taking nursing classes when she first started college. After taking some time off, she came back to pursue a degree in Psychology, and at the suggestion of a caring undergraduate professor, decided to pursue a Master’s degree in Mental Health Counseling. Although she is not specifically a mental health counselor, Jessica notes that her mental health degree from NYU helps her a lot.

For Jessica, the best parts of working in career counseling are, “the clients, helping them, seeing their progress and networking.” She mentions this last word with a glimmer in her eye. Jessica really loves networking and sees it as a process of giving back. Jessica mentioned that “83% of job-seekers find a job through networking,” and encouraged me to network as much as possible.

With a staff of 15, Met Council’s Career Services offers clinical, career and personal counseling, educational advising, interview skills preparation, computer skills training, and much more.

In addition to all of this, the busy team is in charge of a variety of exciting programs that are offered to clients at no charge. Among these is the PIN program, which prepares foreign nurses for the RN-NCLEX through more than 160 hours of contextualized ESL education. Another program is JCC Works, which offers job training and placement for Jewish residents who meet household, low-income requirements and reside within the 5 boroughs of NYC. All of these programs are here to serve you and your community.

However, there are distinct challenges to a career search. Jessica mentioned that job-seekers sometimes come into the Career Services Center looking for employment, but give up after a couple of hours. In addition to networking and preparation, persistence and setting goals—in this case, finding a job—is key.

We all know that the job market is more competitive than ever, but you can increase your chances of getting a job by standing out from the large pool of applicants. “There are so many resumes coming in,” Jessica says. “What makes you stand out? If you are going to read a book, what is it that makes you inclined to read it? Be true to yourself and the process, no matter how tedious it is. You only need one job.” Her words ring true.

If you or anyone you know is in need of a job, please don’t hesitate to contact Met Council’s Career Services. Met Council is here to help!

-Written by Blog Intern, Mila