Youthlink Activity Specialist - Academic (Polo Ground Cornerstone)

About the role

The Police Athletic League (PAL) of New York City is an independent youth development nonprofit organization that has been serving as a bridge between police and communities across all five boroughs of the City since 1914. PAL operates diverse programs for children as young as 2 years old to young adults, including Head Start, after-school programs, summer day camps, and college readiness programs.

We are looking for part-time Academic Activity Specialists who are responsible for providing high-quality academic support and enrichment opportunities that help high school youth strengthen foundational skills, improve academic confidence, and achieve their educational goals.

Responsibilities

• Foster social and emotional competencies and mental and physical well-being in a safe, welcoming, inclusive, and nurturing environment.
• Provide individualized and small-group academic tutoring support in core subject areas, including English Language Arts, mathematics, science, social studies, and other areas based on student needs and program priorities.
• Facilitate college readiness activities, including SAT and ACT preparation, study skills development, test-taking strategies, and academic goal-setting to support students’ post-secondary aspirations.
• Be aware of students with IEPs and medical conditions in your groups and follow support plans to help the student with special needs to thrive.
• Respond appropriately when time-sensitive mental health services are needed, such as suicide prevention, grief, and loss due to death or incarceration of a family member, and provide referrals to appropriate mental health services as needed.
• Work cooperatively with Group Leaders, professional staff, teachers, and other Program and school staff.
• Build positive relationships with youth and caretakers and serve as a role model with respect to demeanor, communication, and behavior.
• Attend meetings with staff, caretakers, volunteers, and community residents as needed, and interact with caretakers to keep open lines of communication.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Education or a related academic field required; New York State teacher certification or eligibility for certification strongly preferred.
• Minimum of two years of classroom teaching or academic tutoring experience with high school-aged youth in a school or educational setting.
• Demonstrated knowledge of New York State Learning Standards and high school curriculum, with the ability to provide instruction in one or more core academic subjects.
• Experience preparing students for standardized assessments, including the SAT and ACT, with the ability to teach test-taking strategies, critical thinking, and study skills.
• Good communication skills and ability to work collaboratively.
• Bi-lingual in Spanish, French, or Chinese preferred.

Commitment

Able to work varying hours by site, attend 15 hours of orientation prior to the beginning of programming, and complete 30 hours of Building Resiliency in Youth training. Able to attend scheduled staff meetings and professional development throughout the year.

Pay and Benefits

The range for this role is $52.00 an hour, commensurate with skills and experience. PAL offers a comprehensive benefits package, including health insurance, flexible spending account options, an employee assistance program, tuition reimbursement, pet insurance, life insurance, retirement savings options, a generous paid time off policy, and training.