Semillas del Futuro Youth Instructor

SUMMARY: Norris Square Neighborhood Project (NSNP) is a 51-year-old community organization and cultural hub committed to uniting and inspiring the surrounding community through programs aimed at the cultivation of young leaders, the preservation of Puerto Rican cultural heritage, and the stewardship of community land (our three “pillars”). We have six special gardens that, together, make up the NSNP active green space to amplify our sense of belonging and shared learning experiences. Our mission is to unite and inspire youth and families using the strengths of our community: shared cultural wisdom, creative energies, and environmental spaces and experiences. 

 

POSITION DESCRIPTION: The Semillas del Futuro Instructor is an important member of our team and will play an active role in youth arts education and program development related to our after school and summer programs. The position will work to support and collaborate with the Youth Program Director. Responsibilities include the following:

Program Education, Facilitation and Youth Engagement

• Teach and facilitate arts, culture and entrepreneurship classes to groups of youth ages 14 to 18 years old
• Serve as mentor and role model for participating youth
• Develop lesson plans and implement cycles of project-based learning activities that support youth empowerment, 21st century skills development and social emotional learning through a creative approach integrating culture, arts, entrepreneurship, and gardening with support from the Youth Programs Director 
• Support youth with their school work and in exploring and building their future goals
• Engage youth in creative service learning and civic engagement projects in the community 
• Communicate regularly with Youth and Family Services Manager about youth concerns that may need to be addressed with families
• Contribute thoughts and ideas to the continuous improvement of the Youth Program at NSNP
• Support Programs Team with recruitment of youth in schools, community programs, public events and other agencies, and work on retention strategies with the Youth Program Director
• Chaperone field trips

Administrative/Operations

• Track and submit any receipts of program expenses and income to the Youth Program Director
• Manage daily cleanup of the classroom and common area used by students
• Meet weekly with the Youth Program Director/Program Team to discuss classroom activities, planning, successes and challenges
• Attend weekly NSNP staff meetings
• Participate in professional development/trainings/workshops related to after school & summer programs, trauma informed care, social emotional learning, leadership, organizational skills, etc. for a minimum of 20 hours annually

Other

• Maintain up-to-date FBI, PA Criminal, and PA Child Abuse clearances (or ability to obtain) and health vaccinations
• Be able to prepare meals for groups of 30 youth several times per week
• Represent NSNP at events, workshops, etc.
• Support NSNP community and fundraising efforts as needed
• Be prepared to take on other tasks assigned
• School-year hours are 11am-6pm; summer hours are 8:30am-3:30pm
• Some evening and weekend hours may be required as needed, in addition to 2-3 multi-day (overnight) field trips per year

 

REQUIRED SKILLS & EXPERIENCE 

• Preferably 1-2 years of experience working with youth of color in middle and/or high school
• Strong cultural fluency. Must contribute to a sense of belonging with youth who primarily identify as Puerto Rican, Dominican, and/or Black
• Willingness to implement youth programming in the gardens, including food production and garden maintenance
• Knowledge of and interest in Puerto Rican and Latin American art and culture.
• Ability to work in multiple settings with respect and humility, ie: non-English dominant spaces, LGBTQ spaces, and cultural spaces
• Ability to work in a fast-paced environment
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail with a proven ability to manage multiple tasks and priorities
• Ability to work independently while keeping open communication and providing status reports
• Ability to problem-solve, be flexible, imaginative and innovative
• Fluency in Spanish preferred

 

COMPENSATION AND APPLICATION DETAILS: The pay rate for this full-time, 35 hours/ week position is $19-23/ hour, commensurate with experience. Some evening and weekend hours will be required as needed. Full-time employees receive up to 15 days of paid time off (PTO), earned on an accrual basis; this amount increases to 20 days after 4 years of service and 25 after 8 years. Additionally, the office is closed two weeks per year and there are 13 paid holidays.

Benefits include dental coverage, partial reimbursement of health insurance costs, monthly cell phone stipend of up to $50, monthly health & wellness reimbursement of up to $50, and eligibility for a Simple IRA account with 2% monthly employer contributions.

Qualified applicants should submit a cover letter, references, and a resume to jobs@myneighborhoodproject.org with “[YOUR NAME] - FT Semillas Instructor” in the subject line. Within the cover letter, please respond to the following:

1. Why is NSNP’s mission of interest to you?
2. What is your approach to youth leadership development and arts & culture education?
3. How do your experiences, personal strengths, and leadership abilities prepare you for this position?

 

Norris Square Neighborhood Project (NSNP)  is an equal-opportunity employer. All applicants will be considered for employment without attention to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran, or disability status. NSNP is committed to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion and strongly encourages people of color, women, LGBTQ+, elderly candidates, and candidates with disabilities to apply.

The work of the Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance is made possible through the generous support of committed individuals and institutions.