Parks & Recreation Community Engagement Ambassador

City of Seattle, WA•Seattle, WA

72d•$33 - $44

About The Position

Seattle Parks and Recreation (SPR) is a national leader and innovator in the services and programs we provide to our residents who enjoy our public spaces such as parks, community centers, specialty gardens and swimming pools. Our mission is to equip employees and the public for well-being as we support healthy people, a thriving environment and vibrant community. We provide safe and accessible spaces for residents and visitors to work, recreate, rejuvenate and enhance quality of life and wellness for children, teenagers, adults and seniors. Delivering excellent customer service to all is a core value. Seattle Parks and Recreation commits to advancing equity and social justice in our department and in every neighborhood by growing a dynamic and diverse workforce, developing strong investments, growth opportunities and beneficial partner strategies as we acknowledge and pledge to close disparities created by historical practices which often hindered workforce development, environmental justice, access to quality open spaces, programs and facilities. #OneSeattle The Recreation Division eliminates barriers through responsive, exceptional recreation services. We operate over 50 recreation facilities: community centers, teen centers, pools, school-based learning centers, environmental learning centers, and boating and sailing centers, and provide opportunities for people to play, learn, and lead healthy, active lives. Our programs and events include fitness and athletics, licensed childcare and preschool, swimming and boating, youth development and job preparation, academic enrichment, and more -- including programs designed for older adults and people with disabilities, as well as grant and partnership programs designed and implemented with immigrant and refugee communities. With nearly 300 regular employees and a budget of nearly $40 million annually, Recreation is a major operation with a significant impact on the communities we serve. The Community Engagement Ambassadors will perform outreach and engage underrepresented residents of the City of Seattle utilizing cultural and linguistic modalities to ensure access of City programs and resources through the lens of The Seattle Race and Social Justice Initiative (RSJI). Build awareness among hard-to-reach audiences about opportunities, services, and City resources. Increase and strengthen community participation in City of Seattle services and assist community in planning and implementing programs, special events, and activities in their respective communities. We are looking to hire 3 temporary non-benefitted Park and Recreation Community Engagement Ambassadors (Recreation Leaders). Goals: To change the underlying system that creates race-based disparities in our community and to achieve racial equity by promoting City activities, events, and programs to all City residents. To engage community participation in projects to underserved populations including People of Color, Immigrant and Refugee, Persons with Disabilities, and LGBTQIA+ communities. To provide support for individuals who may need help navigating City and processes. To reduce barriers to access of City programs and services. The work requires knowledge of diverse community nuances specific to various neighborhoods to communicate and engage diverse groups in current program offerings, and the development of new programs. Work will be performed in field situations; this may include translations of documents and interpreting at workshops and/or presentations for community members' consumption.

Requirements

Requires one year experience in a community-based recreation program and an associate degree in Recreation, Therapeutic Recreation, or related field (or a combination of education and/or training and/or experience which provides an equivalent background required to perform the work of the class).

Nice To Haves

Experience in community engagement and outreach, program planning and reporting.
Possess strong interpersonal and communication skills with a variety of audiences in multiple settings.
Bilingual or multilingual (high need languages: Amharic, French, Hindi, Japanese, Korean, Oromo, Somali, Tagalog, Tigrinya, Ukrainian, and Vietnamese).
Experience working in team-based environments.
Demonstrated personal commitment to undoing racism and building cross-cultural community.
Working collaboratively with staff, community-based organizations, and elected officials.
Working in fast-paced work environments.
Developing and leading events and workshops for adults and youth.
Being organized, proactive, working independently and being a self-starter.
Applying equity lens to direct service programs.

Responsibilities

Works with culturally specific communities which include immigrants and first-generation refugee populations and solicits information on recreation needs/desires. Prepares recommendations for new program development or program revisions to meet community needs
Prepare culturally relevant and linguistic promotional materials of SPR and Activation and Mobile Recreation activations, programs, and resources through a variety of forums including social media outlets
Program Support/Assistance to Coordinator
Maintain records and documentation of intermittent CEA Staff hours, attendance, activations etc.
Maintain CEA Event Calendar
Assist with Monthly Meeting Coordination
Primary Correspondence with CEAs
Plans and conducts special events in collaboration with underserved communities. CEA Special Event Planning Support
Secures and maintains all materials and equipment for assigned programs
Solicits volunteer participation in supervising recreational activities and special events
Set-up and breakdown for events, tabling, and resource information dissemination
Support coordinator on creating proposals
Work collaboratively and strategically with the community, community leaders and influencers to develop activation efforts that are effective in creating welcoming, safe, and successful public programming
Liaisons for focus groups, community meetings, and workshops
Respond to comments, questions, and/or complaints from participants and the public
Provide information to the public concerning program practices, policies, and procedures
Develops partnerships and serves as cultural and linguistic ambassadors for Parks & Recreation with community groups and/or agencies
Assist with CEA Training Support
Provide support for individuals who may need help navigating City and program processes
Program outreach, promotion and disseminate culturally relevant and linguistic promotional materials of SPR and Activation and Mobile Recreation activations, programs, and resources through a variety of forums including social media outlets
Maintaining social media platforms for programs
Attend monthly community meetings
Assist program coordinator with creating engagement and marketing strategy for culturally and linguistically specific communities
Provide regular reports on participation and activities offered at sites
Administer surveys to program participants
Attend scheduled trainings and meetings
Maintains such records as attendance, program activities, volunteer participation and special events activities
Assist in preparation of weekly reports of all outreach activities
Maintain and Organize Electronic Data (Photos, Videos, Community Feedback, etc. collected by CEAs)