Program Associate (High School Youth Mentor)

Overview

While young people from low-income communities – who are disproportionately young people of color – face systemic inequities in school, in the workforce, and in life, they possess unique strengths, and tremendous potential. When provided with support and resources, these young people fulfill their potential and achieve their goals.  

 

Through a combination of mentoring and transformative experiences, Summer Search supports young people to successfully transition from adolescence into adulthood. Our youth build toolkits for navigating and challenging systemic barriers to higher education and career opportunities, while also experiencing holistic support and unconditional care from our staff, their peers, and our community. 

  

THE OPPORTUNITY 

Summer Search Bay Area is seeking a Program Associate to mentor a caseload of approximately 35-40 high school students, building long-term 1:1 relationships through high school to graduation and on to post-secondary. This position is based out of our Santa Rosa office, and serves students in Sonoma, Marin, and Napa counties.

 

Taking a student-centered and critically informed approach, this person will utilize Summer Search’s unique mentoring methodology, prepare students for two challenging summer experiences, and support post-secondary readiness and matriculation. Through regular 1:1 conversations and facilitated group activities, the Program Associate will partner with students to provide support of the many facets of students’ lives, which includes conversations about school, family, friends, race, class, gender, sexuality, summer programs, and more. 

  

Specifically, the Program Associate will perform these responsibilities:  

  

Student Mentoring and Program Facilitation (70%) 

• Serve as a mentor to a caseload of approximately 35-40 high school students, building long-term relationships and conducting regular mentoring by phone or in-person.  
• Utilize a unique mentoring methodology based upon adolescent social-emotional development, cultural relevance, and critical consciousness. Enable conversations that allow students to reflect upon the impact of identities and social/cultural context on their lives. 
• Support students in year-round program participation, as well as demonstrating a personal commitment to students that result in a high level of engagement throughout their Summer Search experience. 
• Facilitate group sessions with students at events and through our group mentoring model by establishing group agreements, modeling containment, working through conflict, and encouraging participation of all students. 
• Monitor and promote students’ academic and extracurricular participation and performance, as well as post-secondary readiness requirements. 
• Participate in student recruitment, admissions and enrollment, as well as planning and attending key milestone events for students and their families throughout the school year, including travel to schools within the region and some evening and weekend events, especially in the spring. 
• Participate in regular and ongoing trainings to build job-related skills, knowledge, and capacity e.g. student safety, critical mentoring, social responsibility.  
• Enter and track program data accurately weekly in Salesforce database to assess student progress and drive organizational learning, to ensure high levels of program quality and professional development. 

Administration and Project Management (30%) 

• Enter and track program data accurately on a weekly basis in our Salesforce database to assess student progress and drive organizational learning, to ensure high levels of program quality and professional development.  
• Actively participate in and/or coordinate projects that support school and student outreach, summer programs logistics, post-secondary access student support, post-secondary success student support, and/or alumni engagement. 
• Provide supplemental support to team members by covering project and student-facing work as needed and determined in partnership with teammates and managers.  

  

WHO YOU ARE 

Program Associates exemplify curiosity, empathy, teamwork, flexibility, critical consciousness, and a commitment to learning. Specifically, strong candidates will bring:  

• EXPERIENCE At least 2 years of professional experience working with student populations served by Summer Search (e.g. low-income families, students of color, LGBTQIA+, English Language Learners, and diverse religious, cultural and ethnic backgrounds) 
• RELATIONSHIP BUILDING SKILLS: Builds trust, credibility, and rapport with others through conveying empathy and authenticity in relationships. Demonstrates active listening, asking probing questions, reflecting others’ viewpoints, and conveying a respectful tone and manner in all interpersonal interactions. 
• GROUP FACILITATION: Experience in facilitating lessons or workshops with groups of young people. Creates comfortable and accessible learning environment for students from diverse backgrounds. Successfully implements activities that help students meet their outcomes. Supports student expectations around attendance and participation. 
• CRITICAL CONCIOUSNESS: Understanding of systems of oppression, such as: white supremacy, patriarchy, capitalism, and more which target and disproportionately impact communities of color. Historical context of privilege and power in America; combined with ongoing personal work, sensitivity, directness, and humility in engaging youth around these topics.  
• ACCOUNTABILITY: Personal responsibility for work quality and results; excellent organizational skills to juggle multiple projects and at times, unplanned priorities. 
• SELF-AWARENESS AND REFLECTION: The ability to recognize and reflect upon one’s emotions, thoughts, values, experience, identities, and power dynamics, and demonstrate an understanding of how they influence and impact others. 
• TEAMWORK: Flexibility and an eager team player who is excited to collaborate with colleagues and participate in an authentic, feedback-driven office culture. 
• TECHNOLOGY SKILLS: Proficiency in detailed data tracking and management; experience using Salesforce or a similar database is a plus. 

  

OTHER DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS 

• Academic or applied knowledge of adolescent development is a plus.  
• Spanish, Vietnamese, and/or Cantonese language skills are a plus. 

In addition, all Summer Search staff bring a commitment to our mission of unleashing students’ potential through mentoring and transformative experiences, as well as the ability to thrive in an environment that values excellence, gratitude, well-being, diversity, authenticity, and collaboration.   

 

WORK HOURS, SCHEDULE AND OTHER REQUIREMENTS 

Work hours are Mon-Fri 10am-6pm (two – three days) and 11am-7pm (two – three days) with occasional weekend and evening special events.  

 

Summer Search Bay Area currently supports a hybrid workforce. While some remote work is allowed, in-person work at the office and partner schools are also required as part of your job description and responsibilities. This position will work out of Santa Rosa and may serve schools in Napa and Marin counties. Candidates must have access to reliable transportation.

 

Summer Search requires all its staff be vaccinated against COVID-19. Employees who are unable to be vaccinated due to a medical reason or sincerely held religious objection may be able to qualify for an exemption, consistent with state and federal law.