Park Voyagers Facilitator

About the Department

The Patrick G. and Shirley W. Ryan Learning Center is a platform for culturally responsive experiences that bring young people and the adults around them into dynamic and inspiring encounters with art and creativity. The Ryan Learning Center team:

• Champions the role of art and culture in people's lives
• Promotes access and equitable participation in art and the museum
• Fosters critical and creative thinking

As a result, youth, teens, families, students, and educators from various backgrounds and abilities engage with each other and with works of art from across time, cultures, geographies, and identities, activating the museum as a place for learning, insight, inspiration, and community. These museum experiences enable young people and the adults around them to feel more connected and confident in their capacity to imagine, create, and make sense of art and their world.

Position Summary

The Park Voyagers Facilitator collaborates with the Park Voyagers Educator to deliver the Park Voyagers Program for children and families. Park Voyagers is a free program designed to provide Chicago youth with experiential, educational enrichment in informal settings. The program includes neighborhood-based after-school for children and facilitated museum visits for families. The Facilitator helps to prepare materials, supports the lead educator in implementing the curriculum, and contributes evaluative feedback for program improvement.

Schedule

The Park Voyagers program runs from September 22, 2026 through November 6, 2026. The Facilitator will support 2 program days per week during this period, plus select additional dates before and after the program begins. Generally, work takes place in the afternoon, 2:30-7:30. The dates are as follows: September 2, 3, 18, 23, 24, 30, 31; October 3, 7, 8, 15, 16, 21, 22; November 5, 6, 14.

Responsibilities

• Facilitates activities within the Park Voyagers after school program at Chicago Park district locations
• Supports program orientation and training for Park District staff
• Collaborates with staff on the delivery of family experiences associated with the Park Voyagers program
• Contributes to the organization and maintenance of studio supplies for Park Voyagers and associated programs
• Supports the Learning Partnership and Resources team's partnerships with the Chicago Park District through engagement in established programs
• Contributes documentation and feedback to ensure park partnerships are responsive and aligned with the museum's community relationships and civic initiatives

Qualifications

• High School Diploma or GED required. Bachelor's degree strongly preferred
• Minimum 2 years of experience working with K-12 students in museums or informal education settings
• Knowledge of artmaking techniques and experience in teaching art
• Excellent interpersonal, verbal, and written communication skills, including ability to communicate with audiences of different backgrounds, levels of knowledge, and types of ability
• Strong communication skills; ability to adjust communication styles to accommodate audiences of diverse backgrounds and abilities
• Strong organization, time management, and problem-solving skills; ability to respond to shifting priorities and support multiple aspects of operational sustainability
• Proficiency in MSOffice, Google suite, using database systems, familiarity with group reservation systems and managing data across multiple platforms
• Energy and enthusiasm for the mission of the museum and demonstrated commitment to advancing the goal of making the museum a more inclusive and pluralistic place
• Willingness to work a variable schedule
• Access to reliable transportation, as the program takes place in different communities all over the city of Chicago
• Spanish-language fluency is an asset in this position

Physical Requirements

• Prolonged periods of active movement and interaction with people; must be able to actively move 75% of the time
• Ability to drive or use public transportation to travel to locations across the city
• Physical ability to lift, carry or push 30lbs at a time with or without assistance