Urban Strategies, Inc. – NISE – Niche Innovators and Social Enterprise

Niche Innovators and Social Enterprise helps low-income youth living in assisted housing gain paid work experience in the housing industry, all while creating their own housing-related social enterprise to support long-term career stability.

The need for affordable housing is growing and housing authorities and developers receive federal resources to address the need. These resources generate employment and contracting opportunities for low-income residents. Yet, finding competent and reliable contractors is challenging. NISE links federal resources to low-income youth through the provision of paid work experiences, guidance in housing-related social enterprise start up, financial capability and adaptive skills.

There are several factors that make NISE a groundbreaking solution. First, its target population, which are low-income youth living in assisted housing in a particular neighborhood. Second, youth gain work experience in the housing industry earning a living wage while creating their own housing-related social enterprise which provides long-term career stability. Additionally, each youth will receive a comprehensive youth assessment to ensure school success, exposure to careers in the housing industry, training in financial capability, social enterprise creation and start-up capital through USI’s Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI), connection to real-life contracting opportunities, and counseling to address trauma, social and emotional barriers that could impact success. NISE is innovative as it creates a pathway for youth to obtain knowledge, social, and economic capital while promoting youth entrepreneurship.

Website: urbanstrategiesinc.org

NISE Initiative Video: