Youth Coordinator

In 1996, Advocates for Justice and Education, Inc. (AJE) was created to increase parental participation in their children's education. AJE's mission is to empower families, youth, and the community to be effective advocates to ensure that children and youth - particularly those with disabilities and special health care needs - receive access to appropriate education and health services. AJE has designed all its programs and services to increase parents' knowledge and capacity to advocate for their children and build community power to achieve systems change, eliminate barriers, and dismantle educational and health inequities in DC. We utilize a multi-strategy approach to achieve our mission: Direct Services to address a family's immediate issue; Training to increase parents' knowledge and capacity to self-advocate; and Advocacy, in partnership with families and other stakeholder partners, to bring about systemic changes through policy, legislation, and litigation.

PRINCIPAL RESPONSIBILITIES:

This description incorporates the core responsibilities of the position. It is recognized that other related duties not specifically mentioned might also be performed and that not all responsibilities may be carried out depending on operational needs. Additionally, this position has flexible hours and a non-traditional work schedule (working some evenings and weekends will be necessary).

The incumbent in this position will:

• Design, plan, and execute youth programs focusing on leadership development, health and education advocacy, life skills, and community involvement.
• Tailor programs to the needs of youth with disabilities and special health care needs.
• Provide training and resources that enable young people to transition from pediatric to adult care and to self-advocate for their rights in areas such as education, health care, and social services.
• Organize and facilitate workshops, seminars, and events that address topics such as self-advocacy, leadership, career planning, and health equity.
• Build relationships with community partners and represent AJE in coalitions advancing the interest of youth.
• Conduct outreach to recruit participants, especially targeting underrepresented youth populations.
• Develop marketing strategies, including social media outreach and community engagement, to raise awareness of youth programs and opportunities.
• Track and assess program outcomes through data collection and participant feedback.
• Use data to continuously improve programs and ensure they meet the evolving needs of youth participants.
• Assess the individual needs of families and formulate strategies to meet those needs in a timely and cost-effective manner.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

QUALIFICATIONS:

• A College degree in Social Work, Education, Youth Development, Psychology, or a related field.
• At least 2-3 years of experience working in youth development and family engagement, inclusive of lived experience.
• Experience (trained or lived) in health care & education systems.
• Demonstrated experience facilitating workshops, events, and youth and community outreach activities.
• Ability to effectively interact and communicate with youth and diverse communities.
• Ability to communicate and work effectively within a team and in partnership with other organizations.
• Ability to problem solve.
• Ability to plan and manage multiple tasks and meet deadlines
• Ability to work flexible hours (e.g., attend community meetings, conferences, or events)
• Intermediate knowledge of standard software applications (Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Publisher) and ability to use Internet Browsers (Chrome, Edge, etc.), web-based applications, and data management systems (e.g., Salesforce)
• Intermediate knowledge of programs, email, and blogging platforms (preferred).

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Familiarity with the unique challenges facing the DC youth community

Advocates for Justice and Education is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We strongly encourage women, persons of color, LGBTQ+ individuals, persons with disabilities, and persons from other underrepresented groups to apply.