Company Overview:
Improve Your Tomorrow (IYT) was founded in 2013 with the mission to increase the number of young men of color (YMOC) to attend and graduate from colleges and universities. We envision a world where men of color are overrepresented in higher education, underrepresented in the criminal justice system, and leaders in their communities. By embodying our core values of Character, Service, Teamwork, and Liberation we work to combat academic inequities and build a college-to-community pipeline.
Position Overview:
The California Men's Service Challenge (CMSC) College Access Mentor is an AmeriCorps member serving a full-time term within IYT’s College Access program at an assigned high school campus under the CMSC framework. This role expands mentoring frequency, facilitates supplemental workshops, leads Jr. Mentor Fellowship and service-learning activities, supports study hall and events, and documents member-delivered service for students in grades 9th-12th — laying the foundation for long-term persistence throughout high school and beyond.
About AmeriCorps: AmeriCorps is a federal agency that engages individuals in paid community service with nonprofits, schools, and public agencies to meet pressing local needs. In return for their term of service, members receive a living allowance and may earn an education award upon completion.
Key Responsibilities:
Mentorship & Student Development
- Provide supplemental 1:1 mentorship services that increase the frequency and intensity of support for students identified by the Mentor Specialist or Associate Program Director.
- Oversee site support of the Jr. Mentor Fellowship program and monitor participant engagement, service hour completion, and program milestones to support successful fellowship completion.
Programming & Academic Support
- Creates and facilitates supplemental workshops around academic readiness.
- Provided targeted academic support for students during study hall.
Event Support
- Provide support and coordination for family engagement events.
- Participate in quarterly family engagement moments aligned to IYT’s engagement model.
- Provide coordination support for College Tours
- Plan and facilitate community service activities that promote leadership development and provide meaningful service experiences for Jr. Mentor Fellows.
Data & Documentation
- Observe student engagement trends during member-delivered service activities and communicate concerns to the Associate Program Director for follow-up.
- Log 1:1 mentorship sessions in Salesforce.
- Provide follow-up communication and outreach to parents regarding supplemental mentorships sessions and academic progress.
- Capture and submit regular site content — photos, short videos, student stories, and impactful program moments to the Associate Program Director, with all required consent and release documentation on file.
Site Operations & Presence
- Maintains an active and positive service presence on campus.
AmeriCorps Member Development
- Participate in all IYT-required onboarding, training, and professional development sessions, including Brotherhood facilitation, mentorship practice, trauma-informed approaches to youth engagement, and Salesforce data entry.
- Engage in weekly or bi-weekly coaching conversations with the Associate Program Director to reflect on mentorship quality, student engagement trends, and areas for growth.
- Complete all required AmeriCorps service hours, member documentation, and reporting requirements on time and in alignment with CMSC program guidelines.
- Develop core competencies in 1:1 mentorship delivery, open study hall facilitation, family engagement, and college access programming through structured IYT coaching and observation cycles.
- Actively pursue growth within the IYT model with a pathway toward future full-time employment within IYT upon successful completion of the service term.
Schedule:
- Full-time AmeriCorps service term (school year), Monday-Friday, 8:30am-5pm; some weekends, evenings, and organization-wide events will be required.
Location:
- Field-based — This position works out of an assigned local school campus.
Pay Rate:
This is an AmeriCorps stipend position funded through the California Men’s Service Challenge (CMSC).
CMSC AmeriCorps Stipend
Region
Tentative Start/End Date
Annual Stipend
Sacramento, CA
Central Valley, CA
Cohort 1:
August 24th, 2026 to June 11th, 2027
Cohort 2:
November 2nd, 2026 to June 11th, 2027
Cohort 1:
$30,005/ 1700 hour service term (pending)
$21,180/ 1200 hour service term
(Dispersed in bi-weekly installments, before taxes)
Cohort 2:
$15,885 / 900 hour service term
(Dispersed in bi-weekly installments, before taxes)
Education Awards Upon Completion of Service Terms, earn up to:
1,700 hours $7,395.00
1,200 hours $5,176.50
900 hours $3,697.50
Living allowances are estimates (before taxes) and disbursed in bi-weekly installments. Amounts vary by region based on cost of living and funding. Educational awards are taxable and contingent on service hours and service year completed. Regions may, at their discretion, offer 1,700-hour service terms (the maximum) carrying a higher stipend and education award. All amounts are finalized through the individual Member Service Agreement.
Benefits:
AmeriCorps Member Benefits include the following:
- Living allowance (as listed above)
- Segal Education Award upon successful completion of the service term. This Award can be applied towards qualified student loans and college expenses. Contingent on the number of years served.
- Medical benefits (if eligible)
- Student loan deferment (if eligible)
- Professional development & career advising
- Access to IYT Alumni Network
- Wellness and mental health workshops
- Professional development and training through IYT and AmeriCorps
- Guaranteed admissions (for former IYT students)
- Pathway to future full time employment within IYT
Term of Service:
The AmeriCorps Member, College Access Mentor Position at IYT serves youth during the 2026-2027 school year with service terms beginning August 2026.
QualificationsMust Haves:
- Commitment to the mission, vision, and values of IYT.
- Ability to self-motivate to achieve results.
- A multi-tasker with a solid ability to work under pressure.
- Ability to prioritize work, meet deadlines, and produce quality results.
- Excellent communication and management skills that can both inspire and push others to accomplish their goals.
- Ability to operate with an appropriate, responsible level of transparency and vulnerability, engendering confidence and trust.
- Must meet all AmeriCorps eligibility requirements (U.S. citizenship or lawful permanent resident status; background check).
Experience:
Required
- Patience, warmth, and genuine enthusiasm for working with middle or high school-age youth.
Preferred
- Tutoring, mentorship, or youth development experience.
- Bilingual in Spanish
Education
- High school diploma or GED is required
- Enrollment in or completion of a college degree program preferred.
Computer Skills
- G-Suite
- Microsoft Suite
- Zoom
- Salesforce
Skills Required
- Commitment to the mission, vision, and values of IYT
- Ability to self-motivate to achieve results
- Ability to multi-task and work under pressure
- Ability to prioritize work, meet deadlines, and produce quality results
- Excellent communication and management skills
- Operate with appropriate transparency and vulnerability to engender trust
- Must meet AmeriCorps eligibility requirements (U.S. citizenship or lawful permanent resident status; background check)
- Patience, warmth, and enthusiasm for working with middle or high school-age youth
- Tutoring, mentorship, or youth development experience
- Bilingual in Spanish
- High school diploma or GED
- Enrollment in or completion of a college degree program
- Proficiency with G-Suite, Microsoft Suite, Zoom, and Salesforce
What We Do
Improve Your Tomorrow is dedicated to empowering boys and young men of color by eliminating barriers and improving the educational landscape through leadership building, advocacy, and grassroots organizing. Their programming focuses on cultivating essential soft skills, including self-advocacy, emotional intelligence, and effective communication.
