Volunteer Policy Analyst

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Position: Volunteer Policy Analyst, Mentor A Promise
Location: New York, NY (hybrid/remote)
Time Commitment: 5-10 hours per week
Duration: 6 months (with option to renew)

About Mentor A Promise

Mentor A Promise partners with students facing housing instability to provide mentorship, academic support, and social-emotional learning. We cultivate resilience, build community, and advocate for policy solutions that dismantle barriers to opportunity.

Role Overview

We’re looking for a committed Volunteer Policy Analyst to join our Policy Team. In this role, you’ll help translate students’ and mentors’ lived experiences into rigorous research, craft policy recommendations, and support our advocacy efforts-gaining hands-on experience in nonprofit policy work while driving real impact.

Key Responsibilities

• Research & Monitoring

  • Conduct desktop research and literature reviews on education, housing, and social-service policy issues affecting youth in shelter.

  • Track relevant municipal, state, and federal legislative developments.

• Drafting & Analysis

  • Assist in writing policy briefs, fact sheets, and white papers informed by data and stakeholder interviews.

  • Analyze quantitative data (e.g., census, program outcomes) and summarize findings.

• Stakeholder Engagement

  • Help coordinate focus groups or one-on-one interviews with students, families, and mentors to gather policy insights.

  • Summarize qualitative feedback for inclusion in advocacy materials.

• Collaboration & Support

  • Partner with Communications to create clear, compelling advocacy collateral (fact sheets, social-media copy, op-eds).

  • Provide research support for grant proposals and progress reports.

Qualifications

• Passion for equity-driven policy and centering voices with lived experience.

• Strong research and writing skills; coursework or experience in Public Policy, Political Science, Sociology, or related field.

• Comfort with basic data analysis (Excel or Google Sheets).

• Excellent attention to detail and ability to synthesize complex information into concise formats.

• Reliable, proactive, and able to commit 5-10 hours per week for at least six months.

What You’ll Gain

• Hands-on experience in nonprofit policy research and advocacy.

• Mentorship from seasoned policy professionals.

• Networking opportunities with partner organizations and coalitions.

• A letter of recommendation or verification of volunteer service hours upon successful completion.

How to Apply
Please email your résumé and a 1-page writing sample (brief policy memo or research summary) to beranobel@mentorapromise.org with the subject line "Volunteer Policy Analyst - [Your Name]". Applications reviewed on a rolling basis-early submissions encouraged!