The Youth Engagement Specialist is responsible for implementing and leading girl-centered, racial equity-focused programming with the primary goal of increasing girls and gender expansive youth’s access to safe, relevant, and culturally responsive spaces. The Youth Engagement Specialist will accomplish this goal through two pathways: continued partnerships with youth serving agencies and school districts; and the implementation of girl-centered, racial equity-focused programming at middle and high schools across the county.
The Youth Engagement Specialist is a brand new position for One Girl Better Systems, and thus will have the flexibility to evolve and grow as the year progresses.
Service Activities
Responsibilities and Related Tasks:
(35%) Community Partnerships
∙ Collaborate with Host Supervisor on Pierce County-wide outreach by building connections and coordinating efforts with schools, youth serving organizations, and community leaders ∙ Initiate and sustain relationships with Pierce County schools (administrators, teachers, counselors, families, etc.), regardless of programming outcome
∙ Connect with girl-serving organizations in Pierce County currently established in Pierce County school districts for potential programming partnerships
∙ Ensure that all families, especially those who are court-impacted, know about OGBS, have access to all programming opportunities, and have consistent opportunities to give feedback ∙ Cultivate relationships with organizations and agencies that can offer wrap-around social services that OGBS cannot offer (i.e. mental health services, housing)
∙ Represent JFG and OGBS in community events and partnership meetings
∙ Develop own story and voice, based on JFG and OGBS values and mission, to use when reaching out to and engaging with partners
(25%) Youth-led advisory committee
∙ Collaborate with Host Supervisor to design a charter and meeting template for an OGBS youth led advisory committee
∙ Utilizing OGBS partnerships, recruit Pierce County girls and gender expansive youth to join youth-led advisory committee, which will directly inform youth programming
∙ Assist youth leaders in finding voice as they work toward advocating for and establishing safe, inclusive, culturally responsive spaces in their chosen locations
∙ Develop committee norms, values, and tenets alongside committee members ∙ Convene and help facilitate regular youth advisory committee meetings (please note that this will most likely be virtual)
∙ Co-plan an OGBS townhall to share work, successes, stories, data and next steps (timeline TBD)
(25%) School-based Youth Programming
∙ Be a strong advocate for girls and gender expansive youth
∙ Utilize current Pierce County data to inform strategic partnerships that meet our program goal of elevating and centering BIPOC girls
∙ Create language and marketing materials regarding school-based youth programming
∙ Partner with school leadership to recruit youth for program membership
∙ Mentor and coach girls and gender expansive youth to cultivate safe, inclusive, culturally responsive spaces within their schools
∙ With the guidance of the youth-led advisory committee, facilitate meeting spaces through a racial equity lens
∙ Maintain regular communication with youth and/or parents/guardians involved ∙ Communicate with schools and/or partnered agencies to coordinate activities as needed
(10%) Professional Development
∙ Participate in professional development, team building, and service activities with the AmeriCorps Team
∙ Seek out opportunities to increase understanding and skills in areas such as racial equity, facilitation, systems thinking, mental health, or any topic relevant to OGBS work
(5%) Administrative
∙ Send monthly reports to Host Supervisor to share stories of success, challenges and ideas ∙ Manage and stay on top of all communications; maintain transparent and open communication with Host Supervisor
∙ Schedule and coordinate partnership meetings and youth programming opportunities, as needed
∙ Help organize annual OGBS townhall event
Community Need Addressed
Young people often come into contact with the criminal justice system as a result of normal adolescent behavior, such as taking risks and pushing boundaries. Due to institutional racism and implicit bias, this happens more often for Black and Brown youth through the over-policing of communities of color, racial profiling, and disproportionate minority sentencing. The isolation and stigma surrounding criminal justice system involvement create additional barriers preventing youth and young adults from achieving their full potential. Protective factors, such as participation in positive youth development programs and connection to caring adults, can create safe and supportive environments for youth that prevent and reduce contact with the criminal justice system.
Position Outcomes
The Imagine Justice Project is a collaborative Pierce County effort to strengthen youth development and advance equitable, community-centered justice systems. One of the primary strategies of the Imagine Justice program is to leverage AmeriCorps volunteers to build the capacity of local organizations to provide culturally responsive, trauma-informed positive youth development programs, and services.
Benefits
Childcare assistance if eligible, Education award upon successful completion of service, Health coverage, Living allowance, Student loan forbearance, Training
- Access to an emergency fund to address financial emergencies that may affect completion of
service term
Education Benefits
Skills and knowledge related to positive youth development
Skills you will gain
Trauma-informed care, adverse childhood experiences, Youth Program Quality (YPQ) methods, implicit bias, systemic racism, social-emotional learning
Competencies You Will Develop
Communication
Demonstrate sensitivity and empathy, Lead group discussion, Listen to and consider others' viewpoints, Maintain open lines of communication with others, Speak clearly, in precise language and in a logical, organized and coherent manner, Turn taking, Write cleary and effectively
Creativity & Problem Solving
Able to identify and define the problem, Capable of generating possible solutions, Communicate the problem to appropriate personnel, Improvise, Provide relevant expertise, Select and implement well-considered solution
Teamwork
Derive consensus, Develop constructive working relationships and maintain them over time, Establish a high degree of trust and credibility with others, Interact professionally and respectfully with supervisors and co-workers, Stay positive and outcome oriented, Use appropriate strategies and solutions for dealing with conflicts and differences to maintain a smooth workflow
Decisions
Accepts responsibility, Anticipate the consequences of decisions, Identify and prioritize the key issues involved to facilitate the decision making process, Involve people appropriately in decisions that may impact them, Quickly respond with a back-up plan if a decision goes amiss
Tools
Carefully consider which tools or technological solutions are appropriate for a given job, Consistently choose the best tool or technological solution for the problem at hand, Operate tools and equipment in accordance with established operating procedures, safety standards, and ethical guidelines, Seek opportunities to improve knowledge of tools and technologies that may assist in streamlining work and improving productivity
Planning
Able to prioritize various competing tasks, Create environment of contribution, Create plan of action, schedule tasks so that work is completed on time, Demonstrate the effective allocation of time and resources efficiently, Drive decision making, Effectively delegate tasks, Facilitate group planning
Service
Be pleasant, courteous, professional and respectful when dealing with internal and external customers or clients, Evaluate customer or client satisfaction, Honor the privilege of being able to work with and for those being served, Provide personalized, prompt, and efficient service to meet the requirements, requests and needs of customers, Recognize the importance of maintaining privacy and confidentiality of those being served, Understand and anticipate the needs of others, Understand the importance of one's role in the functioning of the organization, Understand the significance of maintaining a healthful and safe environment