Social Justice Advocates Volunteer

*Please follow the instructions to apply at the bottom*

Volunteer with the GDS Team, have a transformative learning experience and help empower youth, families, and our community to Reach their Potential! GDS is seeking a Community Social Justice Advocate Volunteer to join our team. The Social Justice Advocate will help lead a grassroots campaign, The Equity Movement. The candidate must have a strong interest in mental health, youth, community, and social justice.

Growth and Development Services, Inc. (GDS), is a nonprofit organization founded in 1996 by Dr. Gary Altheim. GDS was created to advocate and provide essential services to youth challenged by emotional, behavioral, educational, and social issues. This position is mainly virtual with some in-person activities.

The Equity Movement is a campaign to ensure the continuation of GDS programs, utilization of current community resources, and the creation of new programs for children, youth adults, and families that reside in Washington Heights/Inwood and beyond. Community advocates also help address needs and issues related to social justice and marginalized youth. They advocate for most needed supportive services with community board members, meet with government officials, and attend community events.

Community Advocates help coordinate community impact events, contact alumni, attend community board meetings, and co-lead GDS Advocacy Committee.

Open to all levels of experience, recent graduates, and young adults are encouraged to apply. Excellent writing and communication skills are essential. Current undergraduate or graduate students, pursuing advocacy, public administration, nonprofit management, communications, or public relations are encouraged to apply.

Participants will work closely with a dynamic leadership team at GDS, a small non-profit organization serving individuals, families, and the community. GDS prides itself on its hands–on training approach through which participants learn administrative, advocacy, and leadership skills. Participants will have the opportunity to use their newly learned knowledge on specific projects geared to engage the community and enhance the agency’s provision of services. Through GDS’ Training Institute, participants will receive ongoing training on Community Leadership, Youth Advocacy, and Advocacy.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Community Advocacy:

• Advocate for the need of recreational, arts, wellness, and therapeutic programs
• Assist in event coordination for community and youth events
• Assist in the recruitment of youth for the agency’s youth program
• Support programming staff with maintaining and organizing program supplies, maintaining and updating databases, and other administrative duties
• Assist programming staff with developing curricula for workshops and group activities
• Provide office support to Development and Administrative staff

Qualifications and Skills:

• Team Player-kind, compassionate, communicative, and competent
• Passionate about youth advocacy and social justice
• Organized
• Social Media savvy,
• Microsoft Office
• Resourceful and motivated

TO APPLY:

Please review website and program information, and send cover letter and resume addressed to Dr. Gary Altheim - Executive Director @ drgaryaltheim@excelgds.org In your cover letter specify why you would like to volunteer at GDS and your availability.