What are the responsibilities and job description for the Professional Mentor "Friend" position at Friends of the Children - New York?
Friends of the Children - New York (Friends NY) is looking for a passionate, committed, professional mentor, who we call Friends, to join our family. Friends NY is a chapter of a nationwide organization dedicated to breaking the cycle of generational poverty through salaried, professional mentoring. We select children facing multiple systemic obstacles from Harlem and the South Bronx and commit to working with those children from kindergarten to graduation - 12 years, no matter what.
Basic Function:
A Friend works intensively with eight vulnerable youth. We are currently seeking a mentor for our Childhood program (Kindergarten to 5th Grade) to serve as a positive adult role model to eight elementary children and develop loving, caring, and sustained relationships with each child. For each child, a Friend will set positive expectations; nurture and promote each child’s strength, talents, and abilities; help ensure physical and emotional well-being; teach life and academic skills; provide enrichment activities; and model responsible behavior. A Friend will fully document activities and participate in the ongoing evaluation process. Friends will work primarily one-on-one with their children. A Friend must know, understand, honor, and support the organization’s mission, vision, values, and principles, and be able to clearly articulate the organization’s function.
Essential Responsibilities:
- Develop and sustain a long-term, caring, protective, and loving relationship with each child
- Spend time with children, one-on-one
- Set realistic expectations and goals based on each child’s strengths, talents, abilities, and needs
- Teach life skills and help develop a talent/skill/area of interest with each child
- Provide enrichment resources and activities that include opportunities for cultural awareness
- Develop positive relationships with families, teachers, and others involved in each child’s life
- Reinforce basic academic skills
- Maintain a 40-hour work schedule that includes afternoons, evenings, and weekends (normal working days are Tuesday through Saturday with Sundays and Mondays off)
- Maintain spending within budgetary guidelines
- Complete, distribute, and collect time summaries, activity journals, short-term plans, expense reports, and evaluations materials accurately and in a timely manner
- Attend and actively participate in team meeting and staff functions
- Maintain First Aid/CPR certification
- Provide information and support to the development and executive team on related activities
- Fulfill other responsibilities as requested
Additional Qualifications:
- Two-year experience working with children a plus
- Willingness to commit for a minimum of three years
- Advocate to secure additional resources, opportunities, and services for youth as appropriate
- Assist with systems navigation in NYC schools to secure conditions for optimal academic success
- Strong interpersonal skills
- Demonstrated ability to work with children in varied capacities and settings
- Ability to develop trusting relationships
- Ability to work independently and as a team player
- Ability to manage several concurrent issues and solve problems effectively
- Strong written and verbal communications skills
- Strong organizational and time management skills
- A sense of humor is a plus
Salary
$45,000
BENEFITS
Comprehensive
LEVEL OF LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY
English (Bi-lingual Spanish/English a plus)
MINIMUM EDUCATION REQUIRED:
4-year degree
Friends NY is an Equal Opportunity Employer, committed to addressing discriminatory practices, and to working toward racial equity. The equal employment opportunity policy of Friends NY provides fair and equal opportunities for all employees and job applicants regardless of race, color, religious creed, national origin, ancestry, age, sex, gender, pregnancy, sexual orientation, marital status, familial status, disability, or genetic information, in compliance with applicable federal, state and local law. Friends NY hires and promotes individuals solely on the basis of their qualifications for the job to be filled.
One Friend. One Child. 12 years. No matter what.