Overview

Professional Mentor “Friend”

Program Department

Job Description

Salary: $52,500

NEW YORK, NY

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 the five NYC boroughs and commit to working with those children from kindergarten to graduation (12+ years), no matter what.

OVERVIEW:

A Friend works intensively with eight to ten youth. We are seeking a mentor for our Childhood program (Pre-Kindergarten to 5th Grade) to serve as a positive adult role model to 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 ongoing evaluation processes, including fulfilling other required administrative tasks. 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 and caregiver
  • Spend time with children, one-on-one and within group settings
  • Set annual realistic expectations and roadmap goals based on each child’s strengths, talents, abilities, and needs
  • Provide enrichment resources and activities that include opportunities for cultural awareness
  • Develop positive relationships with caregivers, families, teachers, and others involved in each child’s life
  • Reinforce basic academic skills and refer to tutoring if needed
  • Spend within budgetary guidelines to support outings
  • Complete activity journals, roadmap goals, and expense reports, quarterlies and assessments accurately in a timely manner
  • Attend and actively participate in team meeting and staff functions (In-person or virtually)
  • Maintain First Aid/CPR certification
  • Provide information and support to the development and executive team on related activities
  • Fulfill other responsibilities as requested

Qualifications:

  • Bachelor’s Degree, with two years’ experience working with children a plus
  • Willingness to commit for a minimum of three years in the role
  • 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 communication skills
  • Strong organizational and time management skills
  • A sense of humor is a plus
  • Maintain a 40-hour work schedule that includes afternoons, evenings, and weekends

Desired Skills and Experience

  1. Bilingual (preferably Spanish or French)
  2. Experience working in Education, Social Services, and Foster Care Agencies
  3. Experience working with communities impacted by Substance Abuse, Criminal Justice, Juvenile Retention, Homeless Shelters and Transition Homes, Immigration, and Mental Health.

This is a mobile position, requiring daily travel in and around NY.

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.

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