About Sociedad Latina
Since 1968, Sociedad Latina has worked in partnership with Latine youth and families to end destructive cycles of poverty, health disparities, and lack of opportunity in our community. Through our Pathways to Success model, we pioneer new and innovative solutions to the most pressing issues facing Latine youth today, supporting positive youth development from age 11-21, creating a community that supports young people and training all youth to advocate for themselves and their communities. Our comprehensive, intensive array of programming builds skills in the following areas: Education, Workforce Development, Civic Engagement, STEM and Arts & Culture. Sociedad Latina’s youth programming offers young people a safe, nurturing environment that focuses on social-emotional skill development, builds positive relationships with caring adults and promotes a positive cultural identity with the goal of supporting youth to grow into confident, competent, self-sustaining adults who are proud of their culture and language.
Youth Development Specialist – Workforce Development Job Summary
Sociedad Latina is seeking a dynamic Youth Development Specialist who has experience working with middle and high school youth of color in urban settings to coordinate our Workforce Development programming. Our Workforce Development Pathways provides middle and high school youth of all races and different ethnic backgrounds the opportunity to gain work readiness skills, hands on experience in different fields through external opportunities; internships, job shadowing, career panels, college visits and workforce tours. Youth are placed in school-year and summer internships onsite at Sociedad Latina and with employer partners in the healthcare, law/public service, arts, STEM, environmental justice and business/entrepreneurship sectors.
Experience and Qualifications
- Minimum one year experience working with youth in grades 7-12
- Experience working with ethnically, racially, and linguistically-diverse youth of color in an urban setting
- Use the five “C’s” of positive youth development (Competence, Confidence, Connection, Character, and Caring)
- Proven ability to anticipate and identify challenges and develop solutions
- Ability to work independently and as part of a team
- Experience with facilitating lessons plans to groups of youth in middle and/or high school
- Bilingual English/Spanish preferred
Responsibilities
- Coordinate activities and facilitate work readiness trainings for all Sociedad Latina high school youth on a recurring basis that develop career goals, leadership and workforce development skills
- Coordinate activities and facilitate work readiness workshops for middle school youth that incorporates topics such as but not limited to career exploration, and goal setting.
- Maintain participant portfolios documenting academic progress, skills training, career exploration activities, and monthly youth check-ins in collaboration with the College Access and Success Youth Development Specialist
- Build positive relationships with youth and provide regular constructive feedback opportunities for growth
- Facilitate positive communication and build relationships between Sociedad Latina and parents/guardians of program participants including hosting in-person and remote opportunities for involvement
- Support with identifying internship opportunities for high school youth to secure external internship placements and job shadowing opportunities (such as but not limited to employer partners in the healthcare, law/public service, arts, STEM, environmental justice and business/entrepreneurship sectors)
- Work as a liaison to strengthen and maintain relationships and communication between Sociedad Latina and internship partners and Boston Public Schools.
- Able to support and facilitate Sociedad Latina’s ¿Quien Soy Yo? (Who Am I?) culturally-responsive curriculum to youth.
- Support with recruitment of youth for programs, including on-site school recruitment and through community partners
- Maintain positive school and community partnerships, including regular communication and co-hosted activities
- Responsible for data collection, grant reporting, and evaluation, including using organization-wide Apricot 360 Database
- Reports to the College and Career Pathways Manager.
Salary and Benefits:
- Full Time – 40 Hour Position; Monday-Thursday 11-7, Fridays 9-5 (occasional Saturdays for events)
- Starting salary is $40k-$44k; 2+ years experience, starting salary is $44k-$48k; an additional $1,000 will be added to starting salary if candidate has spoken fluency or has both spoken and written fluency in Spanish; an additional $1,000 will be added to starting salary if candidate brings broad exposure to Latine/Afro-Latine culture developed though lived experience and/or work experience; an additional $500 to starting salary if candidate brings relevant but not required bachelor’s or master’s degree.
- $500 sign on bonus provided at 6 months and $500 upon completion of year 1, depending on positive performance review.
- Sociedad Latina offers a competitive benefits package, including one month paid sabbatical after five years, annual anniversary bonus, holiday, vacation, personal, and sick paid time off, health insurance, and an optional retirement and flexible spending plans.
To Apply
Email a cover letter, resume, and two professional references including one from a former supervisor to hiring@sociedadlatina.org
Sociedad Latina is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate based on race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, veteran status, height, weight, or marital status in employment or the provision of services.
Please contact us at hiring@sociedadlatina.org if you would like to request special accommodations during the interview process.