At Big Brothers Big Sisters of Eastern Massachusetts (BBBSEM) we believe that every child deserves to have a mentor in their corner and to ignite and defend their potential. That's why we are committed to promoting the healthy development of children through the nurturing of continuing, one-to-one friendships with caring responsible adults, supported by trained professional staff. To accomplish this we partner with schools, workplaces, and volunteers all over Eastern Massachusetts to bring our program and services closest to youth who need them.
Role Summary
As a program assistant for our Martha's Vineyard near-peer program you will play a unique role in shaping the growth of our program in Martha's Vineyard as we expand the number of youth we serve. You will be embedded within the local school system and support our Near Peer Program Coordinator in engaging directly with students in the program. During the school year, you will support scheduled outings (one per week) between mentors and mentees and counsel both “Bigs” and “Littles” on making the most of their relationship. Together with the program coordinator you will be the point of contact for youth, mentors, and staff for our program on Martha's Vineyard with the goal of helping youth achieve their potential and expand their academic potential.
This position will work closely with some non-native English speakers within our community and thus language capacity beyond English (especially Spanish) will be preferred.
Pay: $30 p/hour (approx. 5-8 hours p/week)
Key Responsibilities
- Proactively assist mentoring relationships through regular communication, support, and advice; identifying pairs who need additional support and implementing strategies to improve relationships
- Track program participation, assist program coordinator to conduct pre-, mid-, and post-program evaluations
- Responsible for collecting and recording some necessary data to ensure program standards are followed
- Support the yearly recruitment and enrollment of youth and high school aged participants
- Assist with orientations and trainings for mentors and mentees
- Make recommendation to program coordinator and regional director for adjusting the curriculum to ensure programming resonates and responds to the unique needs of Martha's Vineyard
Basic Qualifications
- Bachelors degree with 6+ months of relevant work experience, Associate's degree or two years of higher education experience with 2+ years of relevant work experience, or High School diploma/GED with 4+ years of relevant work experience, preferably in youth development, volunteer or program management, and/or education with high school students
- Ability to work part-time, generally Tuesdays from 3pm-5:30pm.
- Familiarity with Microsoft Office (Excel, PowerPoint, etc.)
- Ability to communicate with professionalism, assertiveness, and empathy to large groups and individuals verbally and in writing
Desired Qualifications
- Bilingual Spanish or Portuguese skills preferred
- Demonstrated comfort and ability to work with and motivate a wide variety of people, including intermediate and high school aged students, with a preference for candidates with experience in racially, ethnically, and socio-economically diverse urban and/or recent immigrant communities
- Ability to successfully work independently and in a team environment.
- Enthusiasm, creativity, a positive sense of humor, and a “can do” attitude.
Skills Required
- Bachelor’s degree with at least 6 months of relevant work experience; or an associate’s degree or two years of higher education with at least 2 years of relevant work experience; or a high school diploma/GED with at least 4 years of relevant work experience.
- Ability to work part-time, generally Tuesdays from 3:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.
- Familiarity with Microsoft Office, including Excel and PowerPoint.
- Ability to communicate professionally, assertively, and empathetically with groups and individuals, verbally and in writing.
- Bilingual Spanish or Portuguese skills.
- Experience working with and motivating intermediate and high school students, preferably in racially, ethnically, and socioeconomically diverse urban or immigrant communities.
- Ability to work independently and in a team environment.
- Enthusiasm, creativity, positive humor, and a can-do attitude.
What We Do
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Eastern Massachusetts is a non-profit organization that partners with under-resourced families to provide children with transformational, one-to-one professionally-supported relationships with caring adult mentors. Their mission is to ensure that children in Eastern Massachusetts can thrive by reaching their full potential through mentorship, contributing to healthier families and stronger communities.
