Fellow, Afterschool Works for America

THE OPPORTUNITY – ABOUT THE AFTERSCHOOL ALLIANCE

The Afterschool Alliance is a nonpartisan nonprofit organization dedicated to ensuring that all children and youth have access to high-quality afterschool and summer programs. Afterschool and summer enrichment programs provide youth in grades K-12 with a range of activities and academic support. Research has shown that youth who participate in quality afterschool programs do better in school, are more engaged in learning, are more likely to graduate, and land better jobs with higher incomes. Youth in programs gain foundational skills like teamwork and communication, build positive connections with peers and mentors, and have opportunities to try new things and discover passions and talents. But for every youth in a program, 4 are waiting to get in.

POSITION SUMMARY

The Afterschool Alliance is seeking an Afterschool Works for America Fellow to help implement our Afterschool Works campaign to protect and expand funding for local afterschool and summer enrichment programs. These programs keep kids safe and provide critical opportunities for children and youth to learn, grow, and explore. Current policy and budget proposals present great challenges and uncertainty to these programs. The Fellow position is designed to be a one-year position supporting advocacy efforts and managing an above-average load of communication and outreach activities during this critical juncture. The best candidates for this position will be knowledgeable about policy and advocacy; a confident communicator across various mediums; passionate about our mission; thrive in fast-paced environments; have strong interpersonal, organizational, and problem-solving skills; and appreciate working with a collaborative, creative team dedicated to amplifying the voices and accomplishments of youth programs and building relationships with elected officials from every part of the country. This one-year position may be extended, depending on performance, available resources, and organizational needs.

The Afterschool Works for America Fellow at the Afterschool Alliance will work closely with the Policy, Research, and Communications teams, under the supervision of the Senior Vice President of Policy, to help the afterschool and summer field advocate effectively and seize opportunities to increase support for afterschool and summer program funding. The work conducted by the Fellow will have a tangible impact on efforts to protect and expand opportunities for children and youth and federal, state, and local investments in afterschool and summer programs.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Track, coordinate, and, as needed, help execute activities of our target state support team and overall support for state afterschool networks and other advocates, such as policy/advocacy webinars and presentations, program site visits or events for members of Congress, email and letter-writing campaigns, and more.
• Collect stories on the impact of 21st CCLC afterschool and summer learning programs.
• Work with the Sr. VP of Policy to staff and summarize input of the Afterschool Alliance’s 21st Century Community Learning Center Reauthorization Working Group aimed at improving the 21st CCLC program to better support young people, families, communities, and providers.
• Help craft outreach, advocacy, and communications tools and resources as needed
• Assist with outreach around the release of an extensive new study of America After 3PM, documenting the unmet demand for programs and parent perspectives.
• Participate and represent the Afterschool Alliance in coalition meetings, roundtables, and task forces as needed.
• Write and publish blogs to educate the field on pending policy challenges and opportunities.
• Participate in weekly all-staff team meetings and other internal or external meetings.

The Fellow will be part of the larger Afterschool Alliance team and will have opportunities to meet with other team members across departments, as well as join conversations and meetings with a range of coalition partners. While the Fellowship requires a strong ability for independent work, the supervisor will meet weekly and will always be available for any immediate questions throughout the project. We endeavor to provide a friendly, open, and supportive work environment.

Hours per week: 40 hours, full-time

Employment Type: Temporary, 12-month Fellowship, exempt from overtime provisions

Qualifications:

• At least six years of relevant experience (this can include college and/or graduate school)
• Interest and/or experience in public policy or advocacy at the federal, state, or local level
• Experience with the afterschool and summer learning field and programs
• Able to work independently and as part of a team
• Strong research, writing, and editing skills
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail
• Passion for increasing learning opportunities for all students
• Washington, DC-based position with a hybrid work schedule and limited travel

Equal Opportunity Employer Statement

The Afterschool Alliance is an equal opportunity employer. We will not discriminate and will take affirmative action measures to ensure against discrimination in employment, recruitment, advertisements for employment, compensation, termination, upgrading, promotions, and other conditions of employment against any employee or job applicant on the basis of race, ethnicity, gender, national origin, age, religion, creed, disability, veteran’s status, sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression.