Jumpstart Community Engagement Coordinator

Applications for 2023-2024 school year are open until filled. Priority will be given to those who send in all application materials by July 10, 2023.

The Community Engagement Coordinator recruits, trains, and manages volunteers for various Jumpstart service projects that address specific program and community needs. The volunteers engaged can consist of a combination of college students, clubs/service organization members, family members of the children served, community members, Jumpstart alumni, corporate partners, donors/funders, and others who can participate in a range of service projects designed to deepen the site/program’s impact and visibility within the community. Service project categories include one-day (short-term) events and/or multi-day (long-term) activities.

COVID-19 Vaccination now a condition of employment

The University of Washington requires all employees, whether on-site or remote, to be fully vaccinated as a condition of employment unless a documented medical or religious exemption is approved. The UW allows for reasonable accommodation for medical or religious reasons as outlined here. A philosophical reason is not an acceptable exemption reason. Please note that all preschools that Jumpstart partner with require proof of COVID-19 vaccination. Some sites do not accept exemption notes, regardless of reasoning, so please expect Site Managers or preschool staff to ask for this. 

To apply:

1. Watch our Jumpstart Video 

2. Verify you are eligible for Work Study by emailing workstdy@uw.edu or checking your Financial Aid Status for your award amount

3. Submit resume to grisr@uw.edu with relevant experience and cover letter explaining 1) why you are interested in the position and how this role aligns with your current interests/experience and future goals, and 2) what skills you will bring to the position.

4. Applicants who move onto the next round will be invited to the interview process

Description

Community Engagement Coordinators serve 300 hours, 12-19 hours per week in the following areas:

Essential Functions

Volunteer Recruitment and Training 

  • Recruit 40-50 volunteers to provide the service events/hours needed
  • Recruit volunteers for short-term and/or long-term service projects. This may include events such as Jumpstart’s annual Read for the Record, MLK Day Jr. Day of Service, and Jumpstart for a Day.
  • Outreach to potential volunteers through in-person conversations, posting to social media, holding recruitment events, etc.
  • Present Jumpstart’s mission and service opportunities to campus and local community organizations, student groups, faculty/staff, preschool partners, and families to recruit volunteers.
  • Coordinate all volunteer required paperwork and criminal history checks for participation in a service event. 
  • Facilitate and support training of volunteers on topics such as reading to young children, assembling literacy materials, and filling out volunteer paperwork. 

 

Event Planning and Implementation

  • Assist site staff in identifying volunteer service projects through needs assessment and ongoing communication with Jumpstart Corps Members, preschool program partners, and other stakeholders in the community.
  • Assist site staff in implementation of service projects and support volunteers for service projects held at preschool program partners, on-campus, or in community locations/spaces.
  • Collaborate on preparation of service project materials and coordinate logistics of delivery, set-up, and pack-up from event (start to finish).
  • Coordinate with site staff and Jumpstart Corps Members to plan on-going and/or annual volunteer and preschool program partner appreciation events.
  • Solicit in-kind donations to support service projects according to AmeriCorps guidelines (if applicable).

 

Volunteer Management and Tracking 

  • Establish and regularly update volunteer sign-ups, schedules, and list of events.
  • Communicate and engage regularly with volunteers through check-in calls/meetings, e-mails, and personal appreciation for their efforts.
  • Support site staff in managing social media accounts for volunteer recruitment and celebration and for general community engagement purposes.
  • Work with Jumpstart site staff to ensure volunteer criminal history check requirements are fulfilled and all required paperwork is collected and organized appropriately.
  • Document and log volunteer data and hours in volunteer tracking tool and report data and hours to site staff and Jumpstart. 

 

Evaluation of Volunteer Projects 

  • Collect, manage, and compile feedback from all parties involved in volunteer service projects, including volunteers, preschool program partners, and community members through written reports, testimonials, and verbal comments.
  • Share feedback with site staff to acknowledge strengths, successes and to make improvements for future volunteer service projects and activities.

 

Family and Alumni Engagement

  • Support site staff and Jumpstart Corps Members in orienting preschool program partners and families to Jumpstart.
  • Assist site staff in identifying service projects to engage families in response to the needs identified in the program partner needs assessment. 
  • Collaborate with Jumpstart Corps Members to communicate program activities with families through newsletters and educational resource guides.
  • Share information about future service opportunities with alumni for continued engagement and connection. 

 

Marginal Functions

  • Research relevant community organizations and service events to coordinate additional hours and team/community building opportunities for Jumpstart Corps Members.
  • Research relevant campus partners or community organizations to coordinate additional leadership and/or professional development opportunities for Jumpstart Corps Members.

Required qualifications

Dedication to volunteerism and coordinating volunteer projects

  • Experience in a leadership role
  • Experience recruiting, training, managing, and supporting groups of people to address community needs through service projects
  • Ability to build relationships and work with volunteers, Jumpstart Corps Members, families, and community members 
  • Track record of planning and implementing volunteer events
  • Experience with tracking and analyzing data 
  • Desire to learn about Jumpstart program, including early childhood education best practices 

Communication

  • Strong language and communication skills (written and oral)
  • Ability to give presentations to large groups of potential volunteers
  • Desire to share the Jumpstart mission with the community

Commitment to service

  • Community service experience and/or a desire to serve in the community
  • Ability to work with people from diverse backgrounds
  • Ability to fulfill a yearlong community service commitment
  • Enthusiastic and positive attitude toward helping others

Professionalism

  • Ability to work well independently and on a team
  • Availability, dependability, and ability to simultaneously manage multiple priorities 
  • Willingness to be flexible in different contexts and able to handle unexpected changes, such as in training or during a service project
  • Professionalism and good judgment in relating to Jumpstart peers, children, partners, and families 
  • Demonstrated ability to solve problems creatively and resourcefully
  • Focus on achievement of goals and completion of projects in a timely manner
  • Experience with Microsoft Office programs – Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook
  • Social media experience
  • Ability to work with people from diverse ethnic, racial, and socioeconomic background

Desired skills and abilities

We believe that Black and brown people, Indigenous people, people of color, people from working class backgrounds, womxn and LGBTQ+ people must be centered in the work we do. Hence, we strongly encourage applications from people with these identities or who are members of other marginalized communities.

  • Bi-/multilingual/cultural; lived in or familiar with communities Jumpstart typically serves (South Seattle, White Center, Des Moines).
  • Experience with recruiting and supporting groups of people to address community needs through community service projects

Compensation and employment benefits

  • Potential to earn a Federal Work-Study award or stipend during term of service
  • AmeriCorps members will be eligible to receive a Segal AmeriCorps Education Award upon completion of their 300 hour service term 
  • Extensive training in the field of early childhood education and family engagement framework
  • Professional training and support to implement volunteer projects and events
  • Unique opportunity to join a national network of individuals serving young children
  • Opportunity to form connections with local preschool children, families, and staff and to make an impact on a child's potential for success in kindergarten and beyond.
  • Training in social justice issues, particularly those affecting educational inequities in Seattle and beyond
  • Skills in learning how to effectively work in a group and develop one's own leadership potential
  • Mentorship from Site Managers and CELE staff/students
  • Opportunities to earn academic credit - meets service-learning requirements for most courses and LEAD 298 offered in Fall (2 credits) and Winter (2 credits)

Application questions

To apply: 

1. Watch our Jumpstart Video to get a sense of the Jumpstart UW program

2. Verify you are eligible for Federal Work Study by emailing workstdy@uw.edu or checking your Financial Aid Status for your award amount

3. Attend the Student Staff Info Session on May 12th at 1:30pm PST in MGH 171, Multipurpose Room or May 26th at 1:30pm on Zoom. RSVP here: https://forms.gle/LLH5L6HpbUwKcvX5A

4. Submit an online application here: https://my.jstart.org/apply/ and upload 2 supporting documents: 1) a resume with relevant experiences and skills, and 2) a 1 page cover letter explaining why you are interested in the position, how this role aligns with your current interests/experience and future goals, and what skills you will bring to the position.

5. Applicants who move onto the next round will be invited to the interview process. If you are missing any application materials, your application will not be considered.

Jumpstart is an Equal Opportunity Employer that does not discriminate on the basis of actual or perceived race, creed, color, religion, gender identity or expression, national origin, ancestry, citizenship status, age, mental or physical disability or handicap, medical condition, pregnancy (including pregnancy, childbirth, and medical conditions related to pregnancy, childbirth, or breastfeeding), sex, gender, marital or parental status, amnesty, political affiliation, veteran status, military service, sex stereotyping (including assumptions about a person’s appearance or behavior, gender roles, gender expression, or gender identity), sexual orientation, genetic information, or any other category protected by applicable federal, state or local laws. The Organization is dedicated to this policy with respect to recruitment, hiring, placement, promotion, transfer, training, compensation, benefits, employee activities and general treatment during employment. Consistent with the Americans with Disabilities Act, applicants may request accommodations needed to participate in the application process.