Alumni Leadership Program Coordinator

Alumni Leadership Program Coordinator

History

Compass was founded in 2011 as a ministry of Douglas Avenue United Methodist Church to serve homeless children in Springfield Public Schools - District 186. From 2012-2016, Compass was a program of the Family Service Center, and the program expanded its initial model to serve more schools, recruited additional partners, and added the Camp Compass summer learning program and Backpack Feeding Program. In 2016, Compass for Kids became an independent not-for-profit agency whose mission is to provide academic and social-emotional support to empower children and families underserved by our community. Our vision is that all children in our community experience success and reach their full potential.

Background

Currently, Compass for Kids has two main programs - Camp Compass and Club Compass.

1) Club Compass, the school-year program, focuses on social-emotional learning, enrichment, and instilling a sense of belonging through consistent mentoring relationships.

2) Camp Compass, the summer learning program, prevents learning loss and closes the achievement and opportunity gaps between low-income kids and their higher-income peers through academic instruction and enrichment activities. This summer learning program, in partnership with Springfield Public Schools – District 186, has a proven track record of measurably increasing kids’ reading and math skills.

During the 2023-2024 school year, Compass for Kids will launch a new program aimed towards middle and high school alumni of the elementary Club Compass program. This program is called the Youth Leadership Development Program, and the purpose is for middle and high school alumni of Compass to graduate from high school and be prepared to achieve their dreams.

Job Summary

Club Compass is searching for a highly-motivated, organized, and dependable individual to launch a new leadership program for alumni of the Club Compass program. The Coordinator will plan, prepare for, and oversee the activities for the weekly program that include social-emotional learning, life skills/job skills lessons, service learning opportunities, and leadership application at Club Compass with elementary students. The Coordinator is the liaison between the students, parents, volunteers, school staff, and Compass for Kids, and therefore must be excellent at building relationships with all different types of people. The Coordinator will be a skilled professional experienced in working with middle and high school populations, as well as managing volunteers, coordinating, communicating, and juggling multiple priorities at the same time.

Reports to

School Year Program Manager

Responsibilities

Program Development and Coordination

Goal: implement a structured, consistent, high-quality program

• Planning and Preparation (e.g. volunteers, supplies, life skills/job skills/enrichment, social-emotional learning curriculum, family-style dinners, Backpack Feeding Program)
• Operations and logistics (e.g. yearlong calendar of life skills/job skills classes, college visits, and job shadowing experiences; individualized roadmaps; volunteer assignments; coordinating transportation and/or transporting youth home)
• Recruit, orient, train, manage, and support volunteers and programmatic partners
• Recruit and enroll youth participants
• Plan and execute a graduation party at the end of each school year

Relationship-Building, “Customer” Service, Recruitment, and Retention

• Volunteers
• Community Partners
• School Staff (e.g. Teachers, Secretaries, FACE Liaisons, Principals)
• Middle and high school youth - those enrolled in the program, as well as all Compass alumni
• Parents/guardians/families

Recordkeeping/Data tracking

• Youth
  • School: attendance, behavior referrals, assessments
  • Club Compass activities: Attendance and evaluation, social-emotional curriculum pre- and post-surveys, other assessments, etc.
  • Success stories
• Volunteers: contact information, hours

Qualifications

• Knowledge of/experience with youth development programs, specifically tailored to middle school and high school students, required
• Knowledge/experience of needs of underserved students, preferred
• Excellent relationship building skills
• Strong communication skills, both written and verbal, including public speaking
• Strong computer skills and experience with Microsoft Office and internet-based applications (Gmail, Google Docs, Google Sheets, Google Calendar, etc.)
• Conscientious
• Strong organizational skills
• Attention to detail
• Ability to remain calm in stressful situations
• Time management and prioritization - ability to plan ahead and take initiative, and manage multiple deadlines in a fast-paced environment
• Work independently and as part of a team - Ability to thrive in a small team, shared office environment
• Resolve conflict peacefully
• Be flexible and adaptable

Requirements

• Ability to be on feet for long periods of time
• Bachelor’s degree, preferred
• Two years’ experience working with underserved youth ages 13-18, required
• Experience managing volunteers, preferred
• Valid driver’s license, dependable transportation, and car insurance
• Ability to successfully pass a criminal background and motor vehicle record check
• Food Manager’s certification (can be completed once hired)

Compensation: This is a full-time position. The pay is $18.00 - $20.00/hour, depending on education and

experience.

Benefits included.

Weekly hours:

Tuesdays, Wednesdays, & Thursdays - must be available until 7 PM during the school year when Club Compass

operates (hours would likely be 11:00 AM - 7:00 PM on those days) . Occasional nights and weekends may be

required. The remainder of hours are usually during regular business hours (Monday - Friday 8:30 AM - 5:00 PM)

How to apply

Send a cover letter and resume to:

vyvyan@compassforkids.org

or by mail at:

Compass for Kids

501 S 4th Street

Springfield, IL 62701