Youth Program Assistant

Job Overview/Summary: 

The Youth Program Assistant supports school-aged refugee youth and their families in a successful adjustment and transition to school. They assist with program intakes, service planning and program services for IRC’s after-school programs. 

During the school year, the Youth Program Assistant will work closely with the Youth Partnership and Academy Coordinator to support students’ academic and social emotional progress by assisting with homework, supporting lead teachers with small group instruction and behavior management in classes like theater, STEM, music, art, sports, and other extracurriculars, assisting with the development of parent workshops, and assisting with clerical work as needed in a comprehensive after school program with locations in  Brooklyn. 

Additionally, the Youth Program Assistant will play a key role in communication within the after-school program by interpreting and/or translating for students and staff as needed as communicating with families as needed. 

This position will consist of a total of 20 hours weekly, split between in-person programming and remote administrative/planning work. 

Major Responsibilities:

Assistant Position

• Provide one-on-one and group homework sessions, ensuring students understand the material and can complete assignments on their own.
• Assist and guide students during workshop activities, ensuring they remain engaged and understand the material.
• Support instructors and administrators, offering additional assistance as required.
• Support with setup and cleanup of program materials daily
• Handle clerical tasks such as data entry, filing, scheduling, and other administrative duties as assigned.
• Collaborate with program staff and administrators to assess students’ needs and adjust support strategies accordingly.
• Conduct outreach to eligible communities to recruit students to participate in programming.
• Direct contact with families via phone, texting, and Whatsapp to report on student interactions and to collect administrative documentation.
• Conduct ongoing data collection through surveys to monitor program success.
• Provide interpretation services as needed to address issues involving children’s education.
• Assist program staff in the outreach to parents of youth who are having difficulties in the program.  Work with interpreters when necessary and available.
• Collaborate with other IRC staff to facilitate participation in other IRC programming as needed.
• Maintain comprehensive case notes in accordance with standards set by IRC and funding partners.
• Participate in staff development and monthly team meetings.
• Prepare monthly newsletter for families about program events, securing translation for all represented languages
• Continuously update skills and knowledge in both general educational trends and refugee resettlement practices.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Key Working Relationships: 

Position Reports to:  Youth Partnership and Academy Coordinator
Position directly supervises: N/A

Other Internal and/or external contacts: 

Internal: other Youth Program staff

External:  New York City Department of Education and other partners

Job Requirements: 

Education: 

• High school diploma required
• Working toward a bachelor’s degree in social work, psychology or education preferred

Work Experience:

• Minimum of one year experience with youth required, preferably with English language learners
• Experience working with learners from a variety of cultural and linguistic groups highly desired
• Experience in public education setting highly preferred
• Experience with refugee and/or immigrant populations highly preferred

Demonstrated Skills and Competencies:

• Solid diplomacy, relationship building and networking skills; ability to effectively manage internal and external relationships, including community stakeholders and donors
• Excellent written, verbal and interpersonal communication skills; ability to work successfully in cross-cultural environment, especially with school-aged children and their families
• Highly organized, responsible and flexible; ability to maintain responsibility for multiple tasks in the context of a diverse, fast-paced work environment and maintain composure under pressure
• Must be comfortable interacting with individuals from a variety of cultural backgrounds
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications, including Word, Excel, Outlook; ability to use the internet and other resources for research and problem-solving purposes

Language Skills: 

• Ability to read, write and speak English fluently is required. Fluency in one of the languages of populations served is required (Ukrainian required, Russian highly desired)

Working Environment:  

• This position is largely field based and will be housed in a community gathering space like a theater or library with remote tasks assigned as needed.

Compensation: Posted pay ranges apply to US-based candidates. Ranges are based on various factors including the labor market, job type, internal equity, and budget.  Exact offers are calibrated by work location, individual candidate experience and skills relative to the defined job requirements.

Equal Opportunity Employer: We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at our company. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, sex, gender, gender expression, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status. We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment. Please contact us to request accommodation.

US Benefits: The IRC offers a comprehensive and highly competitive set of benefits. All US employees are eligible for sick time, a 403b retirement savings plans: up to 4.5% immediately vested matching contribution, plus an 3-7% additional IRC contribution, and an Employee Assistance Program which is available to our staff and their families to support in times of crisis and mental health struggles.

In addition, full-time employees are eligible for 10 US paid holidays, 20-25 paid time off days, disability & life insurance, medical, dental, and vision insurance (employee contribution starting at $135, $7, and $5 per month respectively) and FSA for healthcare, childcare, and commuter costs. Part-time employees are eligible for a proportionate amount of paid time off. These additional benefits apply to employees who work at least 6 months within a 12 month time period.