Youth Program Coordinator

HANA Center (HANA) is a Chicago-area non-profit organization working to meet the critical needs of Korean, Asian American, and multiethnic immigrant communities and build power toward systemic change. HANA has offices in Chicago and Prospect Heights, Illinois. HANA’s Youth Empowerment Programs provide a safe and empowering space for multiethnic high school and college-aged youth from predominantly low-income Chicago and suburban immigrant communities to grow together as critically engaged leaders taking collective action toward social change. Programs include Arts for Justice, Youth Healing Chi, Empowerment Economics, and Suburban Youth Council (SYC).

About the role

As a member of the Youth Empowerment + Organizing team, the Youth Program Coordinator works with high school and college-aged youth from predominantly low-income immigrant communities of color to create safe and brave spaces for interpersonal growth, community education, and collective action. The Youth Program Coordinator develops engagement plans and curriculum for HANA’s city-based youth-related activities through projects such as participatory budgeting and community survey, as well as enrichment programs such as after school homework and college application help, gender justice, arts & culture, economic empowerment, and organizing projects. Additionally, the Youth Program Coordinator engages youth in HANA’s membership activities and campaigns and supports HANA’s youth program in the northwest suburbs.

Responsibilities

• Develop and maintain trusting relationships with individual youth and youth as a group to nurture a sense of belonging, self-expression, critical thinking, and other ways to build an empowered and active youth community
• Develop youth leadership through community education on topics including support needs at schools, climate justice, racial justice, gender justice, immigrant rights, and other issues that affect immigrant communities and communities of color
• Facilitate youth to gain concrete leadership skills through training and practice in areas such as meeting facilitation, research, public speaking, art-making, storytelling, civic participation, and community organizing & advocacy
• Support youth in planning, implementing, and assessing youth-led projects including civic engagement and organizing campaigns
• Conduct regular evaluation (verbal and/or written) to garner feedback from youth to gauge the effectiveness of projects and make necessary changes toward greater impact
• Build and maintain a strong base of youth by working closely with youth leaders to outreach and recruit new high school and college-aged youth
• Build and maintain positive working relationships with targeted high school and college administrators and faculty for on-going outreach and collaboration
• Build and maintain relationships with other community-based organizations and facilitate HANA youth participation and leadership in collaborative projects
• Maintain youth intake, assessment, and individual development plan documents
• Assist with grant writing and reporting
• Assist with HANA’s organization-wide annual events including fundraising, immigrant storytelling, and advocacy trips
• Fulfill other organizational duties as needed

Qualifications

• Commitment to immigrant rights and racial, gender, and economic justice, and familiarity with issues impacting Asian American, immigrants and communities of color
• A belief in communities’ ability to support each other, organize, and achieve desired goals together
• Demonstrated ability to mentor, motivate, and inspire youth to grow as leaders and organizers
• Previous involvement in youth, community, and/or organizing work highly desirable
• Excellent interpersonal skills and history of working with people from diverse backgrounds
• Excellent written and oral communication skills
• Demonstrated ability to manage and prioritize deadlines in a dynamic and changing environment, both as an individual and as a member of a team
• Highly motivated with the ability to take initiative, think creatively, and problem solve with a commitment to continued learning
• Bilingual Spanish and/or Korean is an asset
• A valid driver’s license, car, and car insurance strongly preferred
• Ability to work during times when youth are available in evenings and weekends required

Reports to: Executive Director

Pay

This is a full-time position with a salary range of $45,000-$50,000.

Benefits

• Paid leave
• Paid sick leave
• Health insurance
• Dental insurance
• Vision insurance
• Short-term disability
• Long-term disability
• Life insurance
• 401K