Program Assistant/Community Health Navigator - Eastern Coachella Valley

Youth Leadership Institute•Coachella, CA

About The Position

Youth Leadership Institute (yli) builds communities where young people and their adult allies come together to create positive community change that promotes social justice and racial equity. For over 20 years the Youth Leadership Institute has sparked the leadership of young people to solve pressing social issues and serve our communities. yli’s community-based programs are located in San Francisco, Marin, San Mateo, Merced and the Central Valley, Long Beach, and the Eastern Coachella Valley. In addition to serving 7 California counties, yli provides customized trainings, consulting, evaluation, and technical assistance services nationally. yli is committed to engaging and developing young people of color, low-income youth, and other non-traditional youth as researchers, advocates, and agents of social change. With support from yli staff and through authentic partnerships with other key adult allies, young people build the skills necessary to research the issues that most affect them and their communities, develop campaigns to advocate for change, and partner with local stakeholders to implement these changes in their respective communities. PRIMARY FUNCTION The Program Assistant / Community Health Navigator works in partnership with the Program Coordinator to support youth (ages 14-25) to organize, empower, and mobilize youth and their communities to win real improvements for Riverside County young people. The Program Assistant / Community Health Navigator will complete extensive training, recruit youth participants, host community engagement activities and contribute to the development and dissemination of mental health resources and content This role will involve substantial outreach, relationship-building, and collaboration with local mental health providers. The Program Assistant / Community Health Navigator is responsible for supporting all of the logistics and functional tasks necessary for meeting the goals and objectives of the assigned campaigns, and for ensuring that the young people are experiencing high quality and culturally relevant leadership opportunities. The Program Assistant / Community Health Navigator will work to support the ECV CARES, K-12 Advocacy, youth participatory action research (YPAR) initiatives and supporting community education/awareness outreach efforts. The Program Assistant / Community Health Navigator will work to support overall Riverside County campaigns, initiatives and staff, prepare appropriate materials, collaborate with community partners, and develop and lead training for youth leaders and other campaign partners.

Requirements

Experience in youth development
Commitment to social justice, public health, and community organizing as strategies to affect change
Experience facilitating youth-driven campaigns or projects
Experience with social media and media relations
Willingness work with youth and adults from communities of color and low-income communities
Strong written and verbal communications skills
Excellent follow-through skills; detail-oriented, organized, professional
Able to work some evenings and weekends
Able to work in a fast-paced, multifaceted environment
Computer literate in Mac Platform; proficient in Microsoft Word, Excel and Google Applications
Capacity to be self-motivated
Commitment to YLI’s values of community, inclusion, innovation, and social justice
Bilingual/Bicultural a plus
Access to a personal vehicle and clean driving record is required

Nice To Haves

Experience with supervision and/or mentorship of youth
Experience training and providing technical assistance to youth and adult leaders
Knowledge of Riverside County neighborhoods and communities very helpful
Familiarity with social media as a tool for organizing and advocacy

Responsibilities

Support in conducting outreach to recruit and attract dynamic and diverse team of youth leaders and adult leaders
With support from Program Manager and Programmatic Staff, produce appealing and relevant materials, and outreach materials
Attend program meetings as needed and set up a network
Support in promoting and conducting community engagement activities
Utilize positive youth development and youth-adult partnership principles to guide the work
Represent YLI to networks and community in professional way
Develop relationships with local leaders, youth, and decision makers
With support from Program Coordinator, co-facilitate developmentally appropriate and engaging workshops and training sessions that build leadership and organizing skills, deepen issue and community knowledge, and strengthen connections among members, as well as strengthen mental health awareness, advocacy, and leadership development.
Support youth leaders to develop and implement youth-led campaigns that offer multiple youth leadership development opportunities
Support logistics: Plan and arrange meetings and events, including preparing sites, agendas, and materials
Conduct follow-up activities after meetings and events including: preparation and distribution of minutes and other records, carrying out tasks assigned at the meeting
Support in the maintenance of resource databases to enhance community-wide information accessibility.
Employ social media tools as a method to organize youth base
Develop the capacity of youth and adults to facilitate youth-led community level data gathering and analysis in support of campaign actions
Support in the creation and execution of promotional strategies for mental health awareness initiatives and other key campaigns
Support coordination of key campaign events, like rallies, assemblies, press conferences or legislative hearings as needed
Attend City Council and County Board of Supervisor meetings as needed during campaigns.
Keep accurate, current records of participant demographics
Maintain event summary and monthly records of activities
Stay informed about local issues, trends, and opportunities in the field
Scan local and state list serves and websites
Bring issues and opportunities to the attention of supervisors and share knowledge and resources with staff