Americorps VISTA - Youth Service Coordinator

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Located in the heart of downtown St Paul, the mission of Minnesota Children's Museum is sparking children’s learning through play. Since we opened in 1981, community participation through volunteerism and access to all of Minnesota’s families regardless of income has been deeply imbedded in the organization. The Museum is dedicated to providing children with a fun, hands-on and stimulating environment to explore and discover. In June 2017, we will open a newly expanded and renovated museum featuring 10 new galleries.

Play Team, our teen volunteer corps, engages 180 youth in 9,000 hours of service each year, providing playful STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics) and early childhood experiences to our visitors. The VISTA member will build organizational capacity to engage more St Paul youth in Play Team, meeting the needs of the bigger, better, and bolder museum. Through their service, Play Team members gain valuable 21st Century skills that ensure success in higher education and the workforce.

Major Job Accountabilities

This will be the second year of a three-year-long project. The Youth Service Coordinator will develop program evaluation plans and focus on creating staff development and volunteer leadership roles to support Play Team. Other duties will be assigned to build the Museum’s sustainable capacity for engaging low-income St Paul youth in Play Team. This is an estimate of the Youth Service Coordinator’s duties:

• Create evaluation tools to measure participant, staff, and community partner satisfaction with Play Team experience. Design and complete annual program survey and report to share relevant data with program stakeholders.

• Develop internship and volunteer leadership roles to support Play Team volunteers’ success and skill development in their new roles. Develop and execute youth development training for staff members working closely with Play Team volunteers.

• Support the execution of school year and summer sessions of Play Team. Train 200 youth volunteers in 21st century skills needed to be successful volunteers, students, and members of the workforce.

• Other duties as assigned.

Qualifications:

• Strong interpersonal skills including oral and written communication.
• Experience working collaboratively with teens and adults
• Ability to work independently and take initiative.
• Time management skills and ability to follow through and complete projects.
• Volunteer management or volunteer experience.
• Program evaluation skills including data collection and analysis.
• Background or interest in STEAM topics (science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics)
• Formal education or training in youth development, education, or non-profit work with a willingness to learn on the job.
• Skilled at working with diverse populations.

The VISTA will commit to a full year of service approximately July 29, 2017, through July 28, 2018, serving 40 hours per week. The VISTA is allowed to have additional part-time employment outside of their service or attend school part-time, with prior approval from Minnesota Children's Museum.

For AmeriCorps VISTA eligibility requirements, visit http://www.nationalservice.gov/programs/americorps

Benefits

In exchange for one year of full-time volunteer service, AmeriCorps VISTA members receive the following service benefits:

• Living Allowance: $11,796 for 12 months of service (paid bi-weekly)
• Education Award ($5,815) or end-of-service stipend ($1,500), upon successful completion of service
• Health benefits
• Federal student loan forbearance and interest accrual payment
• 10 day of personal leave, 10 days of sick leave and site-observed Federal holidays
• Extensive professional development opportunities (group and individual)
• Relocation (up to $1,000) and Settling-in Allowance ($550) if moving more than 50 miles to serve, where eligible
• Up to $400 per month, per child, in child care reimbursement, if eligible

Minnesota Children’s Museum specific benefits:

• Complimentary parking or metro transit passes.
• $300 food stipend in the form of grocery gift cards.
• Free Museum passes and memberships based on hours served.
• Mileage re-imbursement for assignment related travel.
• Job specific and general training opportunities through MCM and the VISTA cohort.
• A welcoming and inclusive staff and office culture.

To apply, visit https://my.americorps.gov/mp/listing/viewListing.do?id=66078&fromSearch=true

Final Deadline to Apply: May 26.

Contact: Kate Errickson, Volunteer Services Manager, at 651-225-6087 and kerrickson@mcm.org.