Category: Past Events

Thursday, December 21, 2023
10AM – 11AM

Join us to celebrate a year of transition and accomplishments! Mass Union has been busy working with our affiliates to build power for all so that we can make the changes we need to public housing. We’ll take a moment to reflect on our successes as well as the work still ahead. Bring your gratitude list and your “public housing holiday wish list” to share. We’ll throw in a little holiday trivia as well. Hope to see you there!

We will send you the Zoom link after you register below. Thank you!

Registration is now closed

This Roundtable is being offered as part of our partnership with the Mel King Institute. Read more here.

When: Wednesday, December 13, 2023, 10am-12pm
Register here: https://bit.ly/RMBT-dec13

This free two-hour virtual training is part of the Mel King Institute’s Public Housing Training Program. It is only open to residents who serve on the Board of their Local Housing Authority. As part of Mass Union’s partnership with MKI, Sarah Byrnes will be the trainer.

The training helps participants handle challenges unique to their particular role as both a resident and a Board Member. Participants learn about the role of the Board Member, take an in-depth look at budgets and capital improvement plans, and receive a free resource binder. They get a chance to network with each other to discuss experiences and share stories in order build confidence to perform their duties and contribute to a thriving Housing Authority.

Quotes from past participants and stakeholders:

• “This Resident Board Member Training was the best I ever took. I have been talking all types of classes for 25 years now. My resource binder is now my Bible for questions and answers.” – Phyllis May, Resident Board Member, Framingham Housing Authority
• “I enjoyed this training immensely. The role-playing activities brought the examples home to us and aided us in understanding Board and resident issues. I would recommend this course to anyone who is a Resident Board Member.” – Susan Stanek, Resident Board Member, Ludlow Housing Authority

Please email or call Emma Caviness if you have any questions, emmac@macdc.org, 617-379-5933.

• For public housing residents
• Choose between the Tuesday Morning or Wednesday Evening series (see below)
• Via Zoom

This five-part training series will help you build confidence and skills to manage a successful Local Tenant Organization (LTO). Starting and sustaining an LTO is a lot of work, but Mass Union, MKI and our network of fellow tenants are here to help! Whether you are a seasoned leader or just getting started, join us to share tips, tricks and encouragement. We’ll talk about:

• Why to form a Local Tenant Organizations – and why not to!
• Leadership do’s and don’ts
• The rights and responsibilities of Local Tenant Organizations
• How to reach and engage other tenants by overcoming fear
• How to build power and voice to win changes at your Local Housing Authority

Please note that you can attend either the morning or evening series. The content will be the same.

Please contact Lisa Copeland to register at lisa@massunion.org.

These training series are being offered as part of our partnership with the Mel King Institute. Read more here.

Friday, September 29, 9:30am – 4:30pm
Lawrence Community Works, 4 Union Street 1st Floor, Lawrence MA
Lunch and refreshments included

This training is being offered by the Mel King Institute and is free for public housing residents! To register, contact Amanda Kahan at amandak@macdc.org.

Teamwork is vital in the contemporary workplace.  Even with the help of modern technology, soft skills of human communication are essential glue that gets the job done – especially when settings are rich with diversity and require high levels of interaction. The “Group Styles” framework provides a simple, powerful lens for reading group dynamics and individual behavior.  Most importantly, it offers practical ways to understand and adapt ones own behavior in order to help groups succeed. In the training, everyone will identify their own dominant Style through a group process.  We will explore ways we have learned these behavioral habits.  Then, building on understanding of everyone’s strengths, we will then all see how we can adapt our behavior in order to improve teamwork overall. Lunch and refreshments included.

Read more about our partnership with the Mel King Institute here.

Thursday, October 19, 10am – 11am
Via Zoom

Many residents want to have a voice in the management of their Housing Authorities. The good news is that they can! The most effective way to have your voice heard is to start a Local Tenant Organization. This may seem overwhelming, but we are here to help! Hundreds of tenants have already done this successfully. Join us to learn the fundamentals about starting a Local Tenant Organization.

This webinar is for residents of public housing only, and is offered through our partnership with the Mel King Institute.

To register, email Lisa@MassUnion.org.

Click here to read all about it!

Wednesday, November 8, 10:00am – 12:00pm
Via Zoom – Link will be sent after you register

This training is being offered by the Mel King Institute and is free for public housing residents! To register, contact Amanda Kahan at amandak@macdc.org.

This workshop geared for community residents focuses on improving conflict skills and how to communicate effectively in difficult situations. You’ll build community by having a shared language with which to deal with conflict challenges. We train by combining presentations with experiential learning – you’ll have fun! We’ve found that those skills related to effective conflict management are best learned by practice.

Read more about our partnership with the Mel King Institute here.

Mass Union is very excited to head down to Quincy on August 17, 2023, for a Local Tenant Organization (LTO) Support Session! All public housing residents are welcome. We will focus on the following:

• Building power through strength in numbers (Spaghetti Power!)
• LTO bylaws
• Prioritizing issues
• Listening skills

Whether you are trying to start an LTO or simply looking to refresh your knowledge, please join us. Here are the details:

LTO Support Session
Thursday, August 17, 10am-3pm
Quincy Housing Authority
80 Clay Street, Quincy, 02170

Breakfast and lunch will be provided – please plan to arrive by 9:30
Stay tuned for information about parking
Cantonese-English Interpretation will be provided

 — Registration is now closed —