Where Your Life Informs Your Work
Howie the Harp Advocacy Center (HTH) is a peer-run program that provides employment resources to people with psychiatric disabilities.
The Peer Training Program is our flagship program, designed for people with a history of psychiatric disorders seeking employment in human services who wish to use their personal experience to help other peers seeking recovery services within the mental health care system. Our highly regarded, comprehensive program offers students the opportunity to gain the professional, personal and interpersonal skills that support gainful long-term employment as well as personal wellness.
HTH is firmly committed to the well-being and empowerment of our peers. We actively seek students with diverse backgrounds – including people with psychiatric diagnoses who also have histories of incarceration, homelessness and/or substance abuse – as we strive to reflect the needs and experiences of peers who seek various forms of treatment within human services. Our training and supportive services are designed to supplement and complement the invaluable perspective of peer workers' personal experience.
Interested in Applying?
Applications for Spring 2014 (January start date) will be available Monday, July 8, 2013.
Informational Sessions for Spring 2014 begin Friday, July 12, 2013.
(Please note: application/recruitment season for Fall 2013 is now closed. There are no Friday informational sessions in May and June 2013.)
Our Classroom Programs
HTH programs focus on job skills training; life skills development; and workforce preparation. The training curriculum is delivered to 40 students per class, and encompasses over 500 hours of classroom instruction that incorporates instruction, group activities and role-playing, across these core learning areas:
- Peer Wellness and Coaching (including W.R.A.P.)
- Cultural Competence
- Harm Reduction
- Self Determination
- Peer Advocacy and Activism
- Group Facilitation and Leadership Skills
- Writing for Human Services
- Resume Writing and Interview Skills
- Computer Literacy
Students also greatly benefit from the mutual support and camaraderie fostered in the classroom setting. Adult peers of all ages and life experiences learn from each other – affording a rich and rare training experience that nurtures lifelong friendships and a wide network of contacts within Human Services.
Our Impact
- HTH programs are free and open to mental health consumers in New York City
- In 15 years, HTH has helped over 800 graduates gain the skills and knowledge they need to find meaningful employment at over 400 agencies
- HTH currently serves over 250 participants every year
- 80-90% of our graduates go on to jobs in hospitals, clinics, and prisons, as well as agencies outside of human services
- Many of our graduates pursue higher education opportunities
- The Center offers graduates lifetime access to job placement assistance services
