Visual Arts Facilitator

EL PUENTE DE WILLIAMSBURG INC•New York, NY

5d•$35 - $35•Onsite

About The Position

As a staff member of El Puente, the Visual Arts Facilitator is expected to uphold and work within the mission, philosophy, and principles of the organization. Arts Facilitators also work as Cultural Organizers, base building with our youth members and their families using the arts as a means to educate, inform, inspire, and move them to action. All Arts Facilitators at El Puente act as members of the El Puente Arts and Cultural Organizing Collective (EPACOC). In the EPACOC, all members collectively design and implement large scale, cross El Puente site events, programs and projects that align with El Puente initiatives as a part of a year long calendar of Art-ivation supporting young people to explore the integration between art and social justice (including, but not limited to: full scale multidisciplinary arts productions/shows, outdoor/indoor community activations and immersive experiences, Arts for education toolkits in response to issues in community, art building for community actions and campaigns). They must become fully knowledgeable of the purpose, structure, and process of El Puente Membership in Arts, Education, and Community Involvement. They must also work in tandem with other staff members to ensure the integrity of the Membership Process, the achievement of organizational membership goals, and to realize expected contractual outcomes. We seek Arts Facilitators who are looking to grow with a community and are invested in intergenerational collaboration processes that develop Artistic projects centered on Social Justice and Individual/Community Healing. WHO WE ARE: Founded in 1982, El Puente is a youth-centered organization that uses the arts and education to advance social and environmental justice. Our mission is to inspire and nurture leadership for peace and justice, working as a human rights institution in NYC and Puerto Rico with national and international impact. El Puente creates community-led self-determination movements as a high-impact youth and community development organization through a holistic leadership and membership program model. El Puente integrates its activities and community campaigns within its six Youth Leadership Centers and its nationally recognized public high school, the El Puente Academy for Peace and Justice. Organizing in North Brooklyn, Puerto Rico, and beyond, El Puente remains at the forefront of community & youth development, and as such, initiates /impacts social policy locally and nationally. As a staff member of El Puente, the Civic Engagement Coordinator is expected to uphold and work within the mission, philosophy, and principles of the organization. The El Puente Leadership Centers are after-school youth & community development programs that focus on arts for social change, academic enrichment, and holistic leadership development for youth ages 6-21. It is part of a community organization that also conducts advocacy, organizing, and health & wellness activities for the community. This program focuses on the integration of human rights consciousness and artistic development that allows its members to experience their creative potential while learning about social responsibility. The El Puente Leadership Centers are not drop-in centers; they are membership programs that seek to as spoken in our mission, “Nurture Leaders for Peace and Justice.” El Puente's membership Model requires youth to commit to active participation within a structure designed to meet their varied developmental needs. Membership is the foundation of its mentoring & youth development programs, a process rooted in the organization's mission to nurture and inspire leadership for peace & justice. The Arts are central to membership at El Puente and is how we offer our young people the opportunity to gain knowledge and be moved to act in response to injustices in their communities. Read more about El Puente Arts here: https://www.elpuente.org/el-puente-arts

Requirements

Experience working with youth in the Arts with different learning needs and abilities, and supporting them to develop interest and skill.
Drive to improve the minds and lives of kids/young people with continuity in and out of the center
Mastery of and enthusiasm for Art with integration of Social Justice
Willingness and experience working on a team with multiple Arts forms and sitting at a collaborative table with other creatives to develop Arts for Social Justice projects.
Minimum of two years of relevant experience
Capacity to engage and supervise group work with young people and families.

Nice To Haves

Bachelor’s degree preferred, but not required
Bilingual proficiency in Spanish and English is preferred.

Responsibilities

Organize, lead, and promote interest in the Visual Arts and facilitate a fun, interactive, and caring environment where creativity thrives.
Develop culturally responsive lesson plans aligned with social justice issues and creatively facilitate those lessons for diverse learners.
Facilitate arts-based lessons that focus on foundations/techniques visual arts (specifically drawing, murals, paintings, ceramics, sculpture); and integrate cultural themes and social issues
Establish clear objectives for all lessons, units, and projects, and communicate those objectives to students- aligned with the standards of our Creative Justice Approach curriculum model and Art-ivation Process.
Work in collaboration with other Arts Facilitators from different media and backgrounds in weekly meetings and monthly creation/ development spaces through the El Puente Arts and Cultural Organizing Collective.
Ascertain and interpret group interests and adapt teaching methods and instructional materials to meet students' varying needs and interests.
Keep inventory of supplies, prepare necessary materials for the class in advance, and contribute to the upkeep of the space.
Evaluate activity to determine if they are producing desired results.
Child-friendly personality and ability to promote positive character development in all youth
Progressive development of student skills leading to a final project and organizing presenting opportunities for youth, including displaying their work at the Centers.
Communicate effectively with kids, families, and colleagues.
Child-friendly personality..
Delegate responsibilities to classroom assistants.
Ensure a safe environment for all members.
Create reports for administrators as needed (materials needed, behavior reports, etc)
Be aware and observant in the classroom.