Leadership Council Instructor

After School Matters is a Chicago-based nonprofit organization that annually offers after-school and summer programs to nearly 19,000 Chicago high school teens to explore and develop their talents while gaining critical skills that will set them up for success in college and beyond.
 
Thirty years later, now known as After School Matters, our program has engaged more than 400,000 Chicago teens and is the nation’s largest and most successful provider of after-school and summer programs for high school teens. No other organization offers programs to high school students at the scale and quality that we do.
 
We offer paid apprenticeships led by professionals in the fields of arts, communications and leadership, sports, and STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math).  Our nationally respected youth development model has been replicated in cities across the country and earned us the City Livability Award from the U.S. Conference of Mayors.
 
Programs take place at community locations throughout the city, including three ASM buildings: downtown at Gallery 37 Center for the Arts, the Michael and Karyn Lutz Center in Belmont Cragin, and the Pullman community at Gately Park. 
 
Currently, After School Matters' annual operating budget is approximately $35M and employs approximately 500 staff across the organization.
 
For more information, visit www.afterschoolmatters.org.


Summary of Position:
The purpose of the After School Matters (ASM) Teen Leadership Councils is to integrate and amplify youth voice. Teens apply their skills to developing and executing a project that positively impacts their community and provides recommendations that directly affect teens and their interests.

After School Matters is seeking an instructor to teach its leadership development program (Gately Teen Leadership Council) at the Gately Center, 10201 S. Cottage Grove, for 15 - 18 high school participants between the ages of 16 to 18. The program runs during a spring, summer, and fall session. The typical schedule for the summer session is as follows:

• Summer:  6 weeks, program meets daily Monday through Thursday (based upon the program model), Additional hours are allotted for planning, recruitment, professional development and meetings.

The optimal candidate will have a passion for leadership, civic engagement, and youth development. 


Major Duties and Responsibilities:

• Lead an engaging, hands-on leadership program that utilizes a variety of instructional methodologies
• Provide teen participants with fundamental and technical knowledge in leadership and civic engagement
• Engage and guide teens through leadership methods and their application in real world experiences by intentionally exposing teen participants to the varied leadership professions
• Collaborate with the teens to develop and lead After School Matters teen driven projects for the organization.
• Establish and maintain a rigorous and cooperative learning environment where students flourish taking into account varied learning strategies and best practices that address diverse abilities and backgrounds.
• Guide teens towards a culminating project where they demonstrate their leadership by initiating and executing a community service project with their peers or community at the end of the program. Final projects may also include presentations to program leadership and/or external audiences.
• Take advantage of and prepare teens for high-quality and high-profile field trips and guest visits to enhance instruction and training.
• Attend all planning and program dates, including Instructor orientation, professional development workshops, meetings, and other required sessions.
• Participate in the recruitment, interview, and selection process of participants.
• Maintain a safe, engaging, and positive environment for program participants.
• Provide supervision during program field trips and other youth engagement opportunities.
• Manage and track program activities such as attendance, interview outcomes, enrollment, evaluation surveys, and pertinent student records in an online data tracking system (CitySpan).
• Report all problems or concerns and program updates to After School Matters Program Specialist to maintain consistent lines of communication throughout the program session.

Qualifications:

• Associate or Bachelor’s degree in a related discipline, preferred but not required
• Demonstrated expertise in leadership and civic engagement.
• Strong facilitation and public speaking skills
• Youth development experience preferred.
• Google Suite proficiency preferred
• Demonstrated ability to teach in group settings with a minimum class of 15 students
• CPR Certification from American Red Cross or American Heart Association preferred
• Enthusiastic and passionate about leadership and youth development
• Affable, cooperative, timely communication and interpersonal skills
• Must be responsive to reasonable schedule changes and have the ability to creatively solve problems and take advantage of experiential opportunities

Supervisory Responsibilities:

• 15 to 18 Teen participants

Physical Demands:
The physical demands here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Must be able to lift up to 20 pounds occasionally.

Work Environment:
The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is occasionally exposed to weather conditions.
• The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.
• Required to conduct lessons in an in-person or virtual environment

How to Apply:
Submit a cover letter and resume at https://afterschoolmatters.applytojob.com/apply


EEO:
After School Matters is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, ancestry, national origin, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, protected veteran status, military discharge status, age, marital status, parental status, or source of income.