April 2017

New Avenues Commitment to Equity: 

New Avenues for Youth imagines a community where all young people thrive and experience health, well-being, and a self-determined home. Historical inequities and intersecting forms of oppression such as racism, poverty, adultism, sexism, homophobia, and ableism, among others contribute to marginalization and exploitation of youth. We believe, to redress youth homelessness and housing instability we must challenge and dismantle racism and other forms of oppression and build relationships within our communities that advance equity.

At New Avenues, advancing equity is an ongoing commitment without closure. We remain open-minded and presume best intentions, knowing that discomfort and conflict are inevitable. We take risks and make and learn from our mistakes. We seek multiple perspectives, strive for transparency, remain humble, and resist the urge to silence hard truths.               

About New Avenues for Youth:  

New Avenues for Youth imagines a community where all young people thrive and experience health, well-being, and a self-determined home.  New Avenues works in partnership with the Portland community to provide homeless, foster-care, and at-risk youth of all backgrounds with the resources and skills needed to lead healthy, productive lives.  We are a diverse non-profit organization in our 20^th year serving youth.

The Position:

The Employment Specialist will work with New Avenues PAVE job training program to support homeless and at-risk youth develop and follow through on employment, education, and personal goals. The Employment Specialist integrates the results of academic, life skills, and work readiness assessments to develop an individualized goal plan with youth. This position will also provide one-on-one services and support in order to help youth obtain and retain employment and complete education goals.  As a part of the PAVE team, the Employment Specialist will help maintain a structured, supportive and safe milieu. In addition, the Employment Specialist will collaborate with staff across New Avenues in order to create a model that provides the most effective, comprehensive services for program youth.

Education & Experience:

• Bachelor’s degree in related field preferred
• At least 2 years’ experience working with at-risk youth
• Workforce development experience preferred
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills
• Strong organizational and detail-orientation skills
• Strong computer skills required
• Willingness and ability to drive company vehicle in order to transport clients to various community activities is required
• Ability to work with multicultural staff and youth
• Bilingual English/Spanish preferred

Skills & knowledge:

• Provide educational and vocational assessments to determine youth’s current skills and areas of growth.
• Develop an individualized youth service plan with youth’s input that is guided by the assessment results, for each youth enrolled in PAVE.
• Utilize traditional and non-traditional methods of education to engage youth in the program and identify school and work related goals and plans.
• Provide support and guidance to help youth expand work readiness skills, post-secondary readiness, and accomplish identified goals.
• Provide job support when needed to assist a youth in retaining employment
• Maintain regular bi-weekly to monthly contact with youth enrolled in PAVE.
• Facilitate individual and group opportunities for youth to further develop employment and post-secondary skills.
• Provide referral to other programs and services as needed.
• Maintain accurate and timely documentation of all services. Track youth participation in activities and document youth progress in these activities in accordance with performance reporting requirements using an electronic data collection system.

New Avenues for Youth offers a very generous benefits package.  To apply, send your cover letter and resume to jobs@newavenues.org.  Please be sure to include where you came across this opportunity in your response. You can learn more about New Avenues by visiting our website athttp://www.newavenues.org/contact-us/employment-opportunities.  New Avenues for Youth is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Oregon Food Bank’s Commitment to Equity:

At Oregon Food Bank (OFB), we hold people experiencing hunger and food insecurity in Oregon and SW Washington at the center of our actions and decisions. We envision a community where each person can participate, prosper and have access to food that is both nourishing and in keeping with their culture. We recognize that systemic injustices exist – such as racism, classism, and sexism – and that these create and perpetuate conditions that sustain poverty and hunger.

Understanding this, we commit to serve marginalized communities, in both urban and rural environments, in ways that value who they are and their lived experiences. We resolve to listen to and include these communities in our work, and to respond where bias and inequities appear. We will confront oppression and poverty by developing solutions to hunger that are community-driven, honor a diversity of needs, and value everyone. Our food programs and public policy efforts aim to build a society where everyone can thrive – celebrating our differences and working together to overcome injustices that might divide us…because no one should be hungry.

Oregon Food Bank is an Equal Opportunity Employer, and we encourage applications from candidates who can contribute to the diversity of our organization.

Position Summary

Who we are looking for:

As part of the People & Culture (Human Resources) department, the Equity & Inclusion Coordinator will help put Oregon Food Bank’s equity plans into action. This position will help level-up our internal capacity to provide culturally-relevant services to clients we serve.  This will be accomplished in part by advising internal teams and/or providing trainings; supporting and project-managing our Equity Plan tasks; assisting in the development of communications about our equity and inclusion work; helping us consistently apply an equity lens to our decisions; and strengthening relationships with communities of color or other social service organizations.  This full-time role reports to the Director of People & Culture and could be based in either our NE Portland or Beaverton office.

Who you are:

You care deeply about people experiencing hunger and are passionate about empowering them by helping to shape OFB’s equitable and inclusive practices that address the root causes of hunger. You are a courageous advocate who can both collaborate with others and also speak your truth. You have skill both in building relationships and “getting stuff done.”  Staff at all levels feel comfortable seeking you out for advice knowing you start from a place of strength and partnership to assist them in problem-solving or mapping activities or changing processes to support our equity initiatives. An effective project manager, you are known for your ability to prioritize multiple tasks to meet deadlines, and to move others into action. Inclusivity and equity is both a passion and a lived experience.

Click HERE for the full job description.

SMART’S COMMITMENT TO EQUITY

As an early literacy program focused on helping children succeed with reading and learning, SMART can’t ignore that deep racial, cultural, social, and economic inequities in our country and state make it harder for some children to succeed compared to others. SMART’s vision is an Oregon in which every child can read and is empowered to succeed, and we are making equity a top priority.  As part of this, we particularly seek staff members, volunteers, and board members whose personal or professional background gives them unique perspective to further SMART’s work in serving children of color and children from other marginalized groups.

POSITION SUMMARY

Want to be the heartbeat of our organization?  Consider a leading role on the front lines of the state’s largest volunteer-based literacy nonprofit organization, SMART (Start Making A Reader Today) reading program.  SMART partners with schools around the state and engages community volunteers to read one-on-one with 10,500 PreK through third-grade children annually, helping strengthen literacy skills and encourage a love of reading. Participating children also receive new books each month to keep and read with their families.

Behind the scenes, our Program Director leads program initiatives and implements the strategic plan. A top goal is advancing our overarching commitment to equity: on our team, in our selection of books, with our volunteers, the children we serve, and in the schools.

With 10,500 children, 5,000 volunteers, and nearly 40 employees in 9 regions, you need to know how to provide commanding leadership, make the team believers in our values, and orchestrate memorable celebrations of our success.

This position is one of five on the organization’s core leadership team. You are at the table as the subject expert on early childhood literacy with the Executive Director and Directors of Finance, Communications, and Development. To view the complete job description, click here.

To catch our attention please tell us what you know about:

• Educational equity. First-hand experience in underrepresented communities is a plus.
• Supporting literacy development for English Language Learners.
• Management of geographically disbursed sites.
• Motivation of volunteers and staff.

You will also want to confirm your formal training and university education in literacy.

Please upload your resume and cover letter using the following link: https://smart.hiringthing.com/job/39392/program-director   

First review of applicants will be March 14. The position will be considered opened until filled.

Salary range and benefit information will be disclosed if selected for phone interview.