Youth Program Assistant

About the Organization

For more than three decades Canal Alliance has been the leading service provider and community advocate for Marin's low-income, Spanish speaking immigrants. Canal Alliance helps vulnerable members of this target population acquire the tools they need to thrive.

Canal Alliance University Prep (UP!) is a college readiness program designed to support students in their journey to enroll in and graduate from a secondary education, so that they and their families can thrive in this community. University Prep works with students in grades 6-12 after school, Monday-Thursday, with occasional Saturday enrichment programs. We provide the following services, in order to support students to graduate from high school eligible to enroll in a 4-year university:

• Weekly tutoring with a math or English specialist
• Weekly advisory class, during which students develop leadership skills, learn social-emotional development skills, and participate in Restorative Justice circles
• Daily homework help
• Monthly outdoor enrichment excursions (middle school)

Position Summary

The University Prep! Program Assistant is a 10-12 month, part-time position that reports to the Youth Education Senior Manager.  The Program Assistant supports the middle and high school programs. Work hours are Monday-Thursday, 2:30pm-7:30pm, Friday 10-3pm, from late August-late June. Year-round employment is a possibility for candidates seeking summer employment. 

The Program Assistant must be a passionate believer in the power of education to improve the lives of immigrant youth and their families.  Successful candidates will be tenacious in their desire to support students to ensure that middle and high school participants are prepared for college and beyond.  

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Lead daily opening activities for middle and high school programs
• Provide effective supervision of middle and high school students 
• Support students with homework as needed
• Manage student volunteers
• Assist with facilitation of weekly high school advisory class
• Manage resource center materials
• Coordinate in-program celebrations and incentives (birthdays, holidays, etc.)
• Manage snack distribution, clean up, and storage 
• Print weekly attendance sheets
• Update grades and other Salesforce records
• Coordinate student and family field trips
• Coordinate Saturday enrichment excursions

Knowledge, skills and abilities

• Effective positive discipline and classroom management skills
• Understanding of and ability to teach middle school subject matter
• Ability to build positive student relationships
• Ability to get along with people and establish cooperative working relationships with staff, students, families, volunteers 
• Strong organizational skills 
• Good verbal and written communication skills
• Ability to function with minimal supervision, follow directions, pay attention to detail, handle multiple tasks simultaneously, and manage stressful situations effectively 
• Ability to go beyond expectations in the assignment, task, or job description without being asked

Education and Experience Requirements

• Minimum of 1 year experience working with at-risk youth in an educational environment. Experience working with Latinx, immigrant youth strongly preferred.    
• Proficiency in word processing, spreadsheet, database, presentation and e-mail software
• Detailed knowledge of minimum college entry requirements and college application process (preferred)
• Experience working with Salesforce and/or other CRM (preferred)