Volunteer this Fall with Masa's Youth Group Drop-in Fridays - a leadership and personal development

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About Masa:

Masa partners with Mexican and Latino children, youth, and families in the South Bronx to develop strong learners and leaders who fully participate in and contribute to the larger community. We envision a community that is civically engaged, empowered, and educated.

Our Approach

Masa’s community-led, integrated model engages the entire family, grounded in a deep commitment to strengthening literacy, leadership, and power for Mexican, Central American, and Indigenous People. Masa fosters a culturally responsive learning community in which families engage with direct service and advocacy programs to dismantle barriers to success.

About Youth Group:

Masa’s Youth Group is a free, bilingual (Spanish and English) program for Mexican and Latinx youth between 14 and 18 years of age. The program aims to provide a safe and comfortable space for Latinx, immigrant and first generation youth to gather and build a positive and strong sense of self, including learning self-love and coping strategies; developing a critical lens about issues that affect black and brown youth; sharpening leadership skills and engaging in research and recommendations around community issues.

About the Drop-in Sessions Volunteer Role:

The drop-in volunteer will provide one-to-one support to youth in any of the following areas:

• College readiness and exploration support i.e. college application, FAFSA support, personal essay, college search, degrees & majors etc.
• Workforce development support i.e. resume writing, interview prep, internship search and application, career exploration and research, and other professional development opportunities etc.
• Writing academic support i.e. academic report or essay writing

*The drop-in sessions will be pre-booked and by appointment. If there should be no one-on-one support scheduled for a volunteer during a drop-in session date, volunteers are expected to engage, chaperone and support youth during the group Drop-in session.

The ideal Youth Group volunteer is a dynamic, detail-oriented, bilingual (Spanish/English) individual who is interested in supporting youth and has some experience or is eager to learn more about positive youth development, especially with immigrant and first generation Mexican and Latinx youth:

The volunteer’s responsibilities will include:

• Attend a volunteer training and provide regular feedback (pluses/deltas)
• Support youth with one-on-one support around college access/readiness and/or workforce development
• Set up for individual or group meetings, including chair and table arrangement
• Prep refreshments (snacks and beverages), cutlery, plates and napkins
• Greet students upon arrival and directing them to assigned meeting area during sessions
• Promote a healthy environment for students during Drop-in sessions
• Chaperone and actively support youth space
• Review appointment details and perform proper research to be able to support youth with their individual session i.e. research FAFSA application or assignment in advance (approximate 1-2 hrs prep pre-drop-in meeting.

Your time can make an immense difference in students’ lives.

Requirements

• Proficiency in Spanish is required
• Have a passion for working with youth of color and using a strengths-based approach
• Comfortable in a youth group setting and some experience in youth development desired
• Experience and knowledge on college access/readiness or workforce development topics
• Comfortable engaging in discussions around social justice (including immigration and poverty), racial and economic justice, intersectionality and gender equity
• Strong knowledge of and passion about social justice issues preferred
• Honor all Masa policies and procedures, including with respect to client confidentiality and boundaries