NYS Courts Access to Justice Program:
The
Housing Court's Resolution Assistance Program ("R.A.P.")
R.A.P. trains volunteers to provide in-court assistance to tenants and owners who are parties to nonpayment proceedings and are appearing without an attorney in the
Housing Court, Resolution Part. (Nonpayment proceedings are cases in which an owner/landlord sues a tenant to collect alleged overdue rent).
All volunteers are mandated to participate in one two-hour training provided by The Honorable Fern A. Fisher, Deputy Chief Administrative Judge for New York City Courts and Director of the
New York StateCourts Access to Justice Program, and/or her staff.
At the training students will receive a program manual. Training topics include Housing Court Overview, Basics of Nonpayment Proceedings and Interviewing and Communication Skills. In exchange for this free training, RAP Assistants are required to volunteer a minimum of 20 hours in the Resolution Part and will receive, upon request, a certificate of volunteer service upon completion of the training and volunteer hours.
Volunteers are given flexibility with their schedules and may split
their volunteer time as follows: Monday -Thursday: 9AM-1PM and/or 2:15PM to 4:30PM and Friday: 9AM-1PM.
Participants may choose to volunteer in a specific borough. While the program runs in 4 boroughs including Manhattan and Queens; the Bronx, and
Brooklyn urgently need volunteers. Each volunteer will be assigned to a Resolution Part of the
Housing Court.
TRAINING DATE & TIME:
Friday, March 16, 2012
9:00AM to 9:30AM (Registration)
9:30AM to 11:30AM (Training)
TRAINING LOCATION:
Civil Court of the City of New York
RSVP: This event is open for Members and non-Members, but Members have a priority in registration.
In order to register, volunteers must contact the pro-bono chairperson. Send an E-mail to the Pro-Bono Chairperson at probono@nyc-pa.org with your full name, your membership status, volunteer housing court county preference, and your contact information (address, and cell phone number.) If you have questions you can leave a message at 516-851-4007.
