Kim Maxwell: “I Am NextGen”
NYCHA brings outstanding employees, residents and other stakeholders to the attention of the public through its popular “I Am NextGen” campaign. Please meet Consultant Kim Maxwell, who drives one of NYCHA’s Digital Vans, bringing internet access and technical assistance that connect residents to opportunities.
What kind of equipment is in the mobile Digital Vans?
In addition to wireless broadband, the vans are equipped with laptops and a printer. I help residents use the equipment, depending on their level of expertise. What kinds of residents come for assistance? It depends upon the time of day. From around 10 a.m. until 2 p.m., I see many job seekers. There is no word of mouth anymore when it comes to finding a job; everything is done through the internet. They look for jobs online, complete job applications and email resumes.
Then around 2:30 p.m., the kids come after school. It gets packed in here like a kind of after-school program. I help them format and research papers, and they can use the printers and scanners, things like that. It gets pretty lively.
Once a week I am usually at a senior center from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., where I have a lot of regular customers. I show them things like how to use a smartphone, camera, and send text messages. Also, they like to come to chat.
What do you enjoy about your job?
I love my job. You notice the help that you give. People come back and tell me when they get jobs. It makes all the difference for school kids. They are so much fun and I have a kind of presence in the neighborhood—they all know me. For seniors, you can see them often and build a kind of relationship. The residents are really grateful that we have this kind of service.
