VISTA Sought, YouthBuild Philadelphia Charter School

Posted by on April 15, 2013

AmeriCorps/VISTA Volunteer Coordinator

12-month AmeriCorps/VISTA Volunteer Coordinator (August 5, 2013 to August 1, 2014) at YouthBuild Philadelphia Charter School, an alternative 12th-Grade-only, diploma-granting high school for high-school dropouts ages 18 to 21.

To apply, send letter of interest and resume to Frederick Bader, Human Resources Coordinator, at fbader@youthbuildphilly.org with the words “VISTA Volunteer Coordinator” in the subject line.  No phone calls, please.

YouthBuild Philadelphia Charter School
1231 North Broad Street, 5th floor
Philadelphia, PA 19122
www.youthbuildphilly.org

Background: The YouthBuild Philadelphia Charter School is an education and job-training program for young adults who have dropped out of high school. Students in the program alternate five-week sessions between the classroom site, where they attend academic classes and develop leadership and life skills, and a vocational-training site (building trades, computer technology or nursing) where they develop career-related, real-world work skills. Originally chartered in 1997, the School enrolls approximately 220 students each year.  Regular hours for this position are from 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

Mission
Our mission is to provide out of school youth in Philadelphia with the broadest range of tools supports and opportunities available to become self sufficient, responsible and productive citizens in their community. The emphasis is on transitioning them successfully so that they will succeed in top-quality training schools, colleges, union apprenticeship programs, other careers and the competitive world beyond.

Core Values
* Excellence * Perseverance * Respect *

The Volunteer Coordinator will work to develop and expand a trained volunteer base that works to impact YouthBuild Philadelphia’s mission by (1) working with our students to increase their literacy/numeracy skills through academic tutoring and (2) preparing students for postsecondary placement through SAT tutoring, interview coaching, etc.

The Volunteer Coordinator will: enhance our volunteer recruitment plan and work with our staff to identify both qualified and suitable pools of volunteers, as well as opportunities within the program for volunteers to connect with students and staff; and develop feedback loops to ensure students and volunteers are having quality experiences. For this position, we are seeking a college graduate, with excellent communication skills, the ability to proactively develop positive relationships, and a commitment to community engagement and education.

Term and Qualifications for VISTA Members
Our twelve-month position (August 5, 2013 to August 1, 2014) as a Full-Time AmeriCorps/VISTA Member requires that successful applicants must:
• Be at least 18-years-old upon entering VISTA training. There is no upper age limit
• Be a U.S. citizen or have permanent resident status
• Not listed in the National Sex Offender Registry database as convicted of a sex-related crime
• Be in a position to offer full-time service for one year:  August 5, 2013 to August 1, 2014
• Be able to exhibit previous education, training, military, or work experience, and any other relevant skills or interests necessary to perform a specific VISTA assignment
• Be willing to live among and at the economic level of the low-income people served by the project and have a desire to provide needed community services to an under-served community while receiving the following benefits: a living allowance of $949/month, an education award of $5,350 upon successful completion of term of service, loan forbearance w/ interest accrual payment, child care coverage (if applicable), and health benefits.
Applicants must also understand VISTAs serve on a full-time basis. VISTAs cannot hold part-time jobs, or be the subject of legal proceedings (civil or criminal) that may consume time needed for their assignments.