Parsons The New School PT Youth Advocate

Site: http://www.newschool.edu/parsons/

Youth Advocate

Parsons Scholars Pre-College Program

Parsons The New School for Design

Applicants should email a resume and a letter of interest to Nadia Williams, Director, Parsons Scholars Program, ParsonsScholars@newschool.edu, with the subject title "Youth Advocate".

Parsons The New School for Design seeks a part-time Youth Advocate for the Parsons Scholars Program (PSP). The PSP is an intensive, three-year art and design college access program for motivated New York City public high school students. This needs-based scholarship program prepares youth to enter and succeed in competitive visual art and design college programs. The Youth Advocate facilitates the Scholars' immersion into the college environment of pre-college coursework at Parsons and is committed to their development as artists, designers and college students. The Parsons Scholars Program occurs on Saturdays and partial summers, and the Youth Advocates are responsible for creating the programming which occurs before and after the Scholars' Parsons studio classes. Utilizing the resources of New York City, The New School and Parsons are at the core of advancing the education and opportunities available to the pre-college Scholars.
The Youth Advocate is responsible for:

• Event and workshop planning and implementation with a focus on art & design careers and enrichment and the college admissions process, as aligned with the program's semester goals; propose new programming that meets the progressive needs of the Scholars

• Acting as a Mentor to Scholars in a group setting; instill college readiness habits

• Collaborating and coordinating with program staff and other part-time Youth Advocates

• Ongoing reporting on the activities as related to program objectives

• Participating in ongoing training for culturally responsive pedagogy and ongoing program needs

• Utilizing Google Drive and social media tools for documentation and communication\

Required qualifications for the Youth Advocate position include:

• Bachelors degree

• Teaching or related experience working with underserved youth at the secondary or college level

• Commitment to and personal experience in the visual arts or design

• Understanding design and the visual arts as a feasible college option for the Scholars

• Ability to expose youth to opportunities related to visual art & design (ie scheduling visits to museums & professional design studios, artist talks, creative workshops, etc)

• Dedication to youth development and progress

• Commitment to social justice and to addressing issues that underserved communities face

• Strong organizational skills and effective oral and written communication skills

• Willingness to participate in a highly collaborative team and flexibility to learn from each other

The Youth Advocate is part-time position. Advocates will work approximately 6 - 10 hours per week, 12 weeks per academic semester, with the option of working up to 4 partial weeks during the summer. Applicants must be available to work a flexible schedule on Saturdays and to participate in two program meetings per month. Preference will be given to candidates who can commit to seeing a cohort through graduation over a 2 ½-year period. The hourly rate will be approximately $22/hour.