Academic & Career Services Coordinator - Young Women's Program - Los Angeles

At the Social Justice Learning Institute, we are dedicated to improving the education, health, and well-being of youth of color by empowering them to take hold of their educational future using research as a tool for community and social change. We train students to conduct research on problems in their community using a rigorous yearlong curriculum while providing basic academic support (i.e., tutoring, homework assistance, academic counseling, etc.) and college preparatory education. SJLI’s youth learn what it takes to achieve academically to go to college and become civically engaged, solution-oriented, and critical participants in the democratic experience. SJLI envisions an educational system where youth become engaged citizens who discover their best talents and apply them to help improve the world they live within.

The 2023-24 school year marked the pilot of the Urban Scholars Young Women’s program. This program has been a long-standing goal of SJLI to be able to offer a program that alters the life trajectories for young women as it has done so for the original Urban Scholars program. For the 2024-25 school year, the Young Women’s Program (YWP) will be offered at two schools in the Los Angeles Unified School District.

The Young Women’s Program is a credit-bearing class with 20-25 students, presented over two semesters. The Academic and Career Services Coordinator (ACSC) is responsible for fostering strong relationships with students that enable them to set and make progress on personal and academic goals. A key performance indicator of the Program is working with students to graduate high school and place them onto a college and or career path. It is the ACSC that is primarily responsible for working with students individually on skills-building, assisting with college applications, and referrals for personal and academic support.

The ACSC is an essential part of the program team that implements the Young Women’s Program. The team includes the Program and Curriculum Coach, the school site Teacher-of-Record, the school principal on the school campus, the school counselor; and support from SJLI’s Educational Equity Programs Director, Young Women’s Program Manager, and the National Director of Programs. The Program is also supported by Project Sankofa, who are our program, curriculum and training consultants.

The ideal candidate for this position is someone who has program experience working with young Black women in high school as a teacher, counselor, and or mentor who can establish a strong and trusting rapport with students. A degree in Ethnic and Women’s Studies or

related fields is desirable. A thorough understanding of Black Feminist studies, authors, and educators is critical.

The Social Justice Learning Institute is dedicated to improving the education, health, and well-being of youth of color by empowering them to take hold of their educational future using research as a tool for community and social change. SJLI trains students to conduct research on problems in their community using a rigorous yearlong curriculum while providing basic academic support (i.e., tutoring, homework assistance, academic counseling, etc.) and college preparatory education. SJLI youth learn what it takes to achieve academically in order to go to college and become civically engaged, solution-oriented and critical participants in the democratic experience. SJLI envisions an educational system where youth become engaged citizens who discover their best talents and apply them to help improve the world they live within.

Job Summary

At SJLI, the Academic and Career Services Coordinator provides students with mentorship and guidance in their academic, personal, and professional development.

This includes, but is not limited to, case management, developing individual academic plans, academic intervention counseling, developing partnerships with job/career organizations, and working alongside school administrators, parents and community organizations to achieve these goals. These goals culminate in fully preparing students to be eligible to apply to a 4 year/2 year institution and/or in a pipeline to be gainfully employed after graduation. It is essential to build networks with community organizations to be able to connect students with opportunities that can propel them in their personal pursuits.

Primary Responsibilities:

Teaching & Coaching

• Attend curriculum and program training

• Be able to teach YWP curriculum if needed

• Facilitate lessons on college and career readiness throughout the year

• Develop individual academic plans with students and ensure progress towards goals

• are met.

• Coaches students on financial aid, college process, and college/trade school applications.              Student Support and Relationship Building

• Establish and maintain relationships with students.                                                         Facilitate meetings with students, counselors, teachers and parents

• Support academic intervention work

• In partnership with the Program & Curriculum Coach, establish relationships with on-campus site staff and administrators

• In partnership with the PCC plan college trips, program activities, field trips, retreats and other off-campus program activities.

• Connects students to SAT/ACT prep courses

• Familiar with UC, CSU, HBCU/Private Universities and community college applications

• Creates and facilitates college application workshops

• Assists seniors with college applications

• Establish and maintain relationships with school counselors

• Data Management

• Ability to use SJLI’s online database

• Responsible for collecting and inputting student data from various sources

• Able to collect, track and input data effectively

• Ability to create site data reports

• Create monthly reports

• Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Exceptional interpersonal, written, and oral communication skills

• Experience in working with BIPOC young women from the youth development perspective

• Has a social justice framework and is knowledgeable of the tenets of equity

• Able to demonstrate a commitment to the Social Justice Learning Institute's goals, guidelines and principles

• Able to maintain confidentiality

• Possesses a valid California Driver’s License

• Able to obtain a live scan clearance

• Available to work on weeknights and weekends

• Able to form strong relationships with a wide range of constituents, including, but not limited to parents, students, staff and leadership

• Ability to collaborate in a team environment

• Understanding of developmental theories and frameworks including but not limited to Black Feminist Thought, Intersectionality, and Cultural Community Wealth.

• Teaching and classroom management experience.

• Familiarity with the Los Angeles community.

• Experience working with community organizations in Los Angeles.                                         At SJLI, we believe that how we approach our work is just as important as what we
  achieve. The following core competencies reflect the values, skills, and mindsets that
  are critical for success in the Academic & Career Services Coordinator role and throughout our organization. These competencies guide our hiring decisions, inform our performance
  evaluations, and shape our professional development efforts. We seek candidates who demonstrate strength in these areas and a commitment to continual growth and learning.

• Core Competencies:

• Team Member Competencies:

• Growth Mindset: Demonstrates a willingness to learn, adapt, and improve continuously in response to evolving youth needs and social justice landscapes.

• Mission Driven: Shows a strong commitment to SJLI’s mission and values, integrating them into all aspects of youth programming and advocacy work.

• Communication: Exhibits excellent verbal and written communication skills, adapting style to various audiences including youth, community partners, and stakeholders.

• Ownership: Takes responsibility for youth programs, outcomes, and stakeholder relationships, showing initiative and follow-through.

• Cultural Humility: Demonstrates respect and openness to diverse perspectives and experiences within the youth communities SJLI serves.

• Workload Management: Effectively prioritizes tasks and manages time to meet deadlines and achieve program goals.                                                                                           Leadership Competencies:

• Develops and Motivates Others: Inspires and supports the growth of youth participants, volunteers, and team members in program activities and advocacy efforts.

• Emotional Awareness: Demonstrates empathy and understanding in interactions with youth, team members, and community partners, particularly when addressing sensitive social justice issues.

• External Relationship Builder: Cultivates and maintains strong partnerships with youth-serving organizations, schools, and other key stakeholders to advance SJLI’s youth-focused initiatives.

• Continuous Improvement Minded: Consistently seeks ways to enhance youth programs, engagement strategies, and advocacy efforts for greater impact.

• Strategic Thinking: Aligns youth programs with SJLI’s broader goals and mission, anticipating challenges and opportunities in youth engagement and advocacy.

• Manages with Data: Uses data-driven insights to inform decision-making, evaluate the effectiveness of youth programs, and improve outcomes.

Candidates are encouraged to share how they have demonstrated these competencies in their past experiences and how they would apply them in this role. SJLI is committed to supporting the ongoing development of these competencies through mentorship, training, and professional development opportunities.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree (Masters preferred) in Education, Ethnic or Black Studies, Women’s Studies, Psychology, Social Work, or other related fields.
• 3 – 5 years of high school counseling experience or in an instructional or student services role with high school students.

Keywords

Academic ServicesCareer ServicesCoordinatorYoung WomenProgramAcademic CounselingCollege PreparatoryBlack FeministYouth DevelopmentData ManagementCommunity OrganizationsLos Angeles