Jumpstart Corps Member (non-AmeriCorps)

Jumpstart Corps members have the unique opportunity to inspire young children to learn, serve in a local community, collaborate with others on a team, and build professional skills. All Jumpstart Corps members receive high quality training to help them implement Jumpstart’s outcome-based program, promote children’s school success, and build family engagement. This position serves vulnerable populations, i.e. preschool children.

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. 

Description

Corps members complete an intensive commitment and make a substantial impact in the life of young children. During the school year, Corps members (non-AmeriCorps) serve 200 hours, 8-12 hours per week by fulfilling the following responsibilities in two main settings: 

Essential Functions 

Overall

  • Able to communicate verbally and via email/messaging with peers, Jumpstart staff, children, children’s families and classroom teachers. 
  • Able to arrange their own transportation to service site in a timely and reliable fashion.

In the classroom

  • Able to interact with preschool-age children at their level in a classroom setting with high activity and noise levels and other varying environmental conditions. Interaction includes being able to move around the classroom to participate in various activities with the children. 
  • Able to participate fully in Jumpstart programming with preschool-age children– two times per week for two hours each, totaling four hours a week. This classroom time includes a variety of activities in a consistent routine that includes reading, small and large group activities, and facilitating centers. 
  • Able to participate fully in at least 1 hour each week in additional individual classroom service, implementing individualized activities with children and supporting teacher-led activities. This participation involves working with preschool-age children and other adults in a preschool classroom.
  • Able to see both print and illustrations in order to read children’s books.
  • Able to hear children and adults in order to participate in back and forth conversations.
  • Able to demonstrate effective reading skills in English in order to implement Jumpstart programming. Includes reading children’s books, song charts, and materials in the classroom.
  • Able to demonstrate effective writing skills in English in order to implement the Jumpstart program. Includes writing children’s names and demonstrating how to write words and letters for children. 

Outside the classroom

  • Able to participate fully in 30+ hours of pre-service and 10+ hours of on-going in-service trainings, broken down in 1/2-8 hour increments/ exact increments will vary. Trainings are delivered in a variety of formats including web-based trainings, group in-person trainings, PowerPoint presentations, small group discussions, and role-plays.
  • Able to participate fully in 1+ hour team planning meetings and classroom activity preparation 2-5 times per week, which includes planning, reflection, and/or training, for a total of 2-5 hours per week, working with other Jumpstart members in a small group to reflect on and plan for weekly classroom activities.
  • Able to complete 1-5 hours weekly of individual planning and preparation for Jumpstart classroom activities. This includes preparing children’s books, writing reflection papers on Jumpstart service, and gathering materials for classroom activities.  
  • Able to demonstrate effective reading skills in English in order to participate in the Jumpstart program. Includes reading lesson plans and training manuals. 
  • Able to demonstrate effective writing skills in English in order to participate in the Jumpstart program. Includes writing reflections and written responses to questions in training.

Marginal Functions

  • Able to attend periodic service days and events outside of regularly scheduled service, occasionally held on weekends.
  • Engage in member-led committees that encourage community building and extended learning opportunities for members and children with potential to step into leadership roles

Required qualifications

Eligibility

  • Must be willing and able to pass all required criminal history background checks

Dedication to early childhood education

  • Experience working with young children, and/or a desire to learn more about early childhood education 
  • Strong language and communication skills 
  • Ability to communicate and collaborate with children’s families
  • Willingness to learn about Jumpstart program implementation and planning
  • Willingness to implement Jumpstart’s research based curriculum with integrity 

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 on a team to collaborate, communicate, and problem solve
  • Desire to seek opportunities for self and team growth 
  • Willingness to receive and provide feedback in an effort to improve quality of one’s service in the program
  • Availability, dependability, and willingness to be flexible in different contexts, such as in training, scheduling, in the classroom, with unexpected changes
  • Professionalism and good judgment in relating to Jumpstart peers, children, partners, and families

Desired skills and abilities

 

  • Bi-/multilingual/cultural (most spoken languages in preschools: Spanish, Mandarin, Cantonese, Vietnamese, Somali, Oromo, Amharic, Tagalog, Russian)
  • Lived in or familiar with communities Jumpstart typically serves (South Seattle, White Center, Highline)
  • Experience working with young children (classroom setting, small group/1-on-1 tutoring, babysitting, nannying, etc.)

 

Compensation and employment benefits

  • Opportunities to earn academic credit -
    • LEAD 298A offered in Fall (2 credits) and Winter (2 credits)
    • Meets service-learning requirements for most courses
    • Internship placement for ECO major upon approval by ECO professor/staff
  • Extensive training in the field of early childhood education
  • Unique opportunity to join a national network of individuals serving young children 
  • Invaluable opportunity to make a difference in the lives of 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 Team Leaders and supervising Site Managers

Application questions

To apply:

  1. Watch our Jumpstart Video to get a sense of the program
  2. Fill out an online application: https://my.jstart.org/apply/ 
  3. Applicants who move onto next round will be emailed an invitation to a small group or individual interview via Zoom

Interviews are done in groups or individually. Interviewees receive a reminder with the questions and Zoom link at least 12 hours prior to their interview.

Interview Agenda:

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.