Get Ready for College Outreach Coordinator

The Los Angeles Public Library (LAPL) has offered a Get Ready for College initiative to the City’s teens and their support networks for nearly 20 years. Get Ready for College aims to give teens the confidence to apply to, enroll in, and attend college successfully. Program offerings include workshops centered on researching universities and applying for financial aid. In recent years, Get Ready For College has also focused on outreach to historically underserved communities in the City of Los Angeles, where youth face increased barriers to attending college, including economic and racial inequities, language, and transportation.

LAPL's helpful resources are frequently underused. We seek an outreach consultant to help increase awareness and participation in Get Ready for College to help bridge knowledge gaps between students, families, and the college readiness resources that would support their transition to college.

Working with the Young Adult Services Office staff, the Get Ready For College Outreach Contractor will produce the following deliverables during the 12-month contract period:

• Expand the reach of and engagement with LAPL’s Get Ready for College resources, including increased workshop attendance, particularly among underrepresented youth.
• Help LAPL establish new partnerships with external community organizations providing college readiness and financial aid resources in alignment with Get Ready for College.
• Work with Youth Services staff to develop a college-readiness outreach toolkit.
• Assist Young Adult Librarians and branch staff with outreach and promoting their Get Ready For College programming and resources.
• Work with LAPL's Youth Services coordinating office to develop strategies to help librarians effectively plan and promote LAPL's college readiness resources to local communities, such as:
  • Creating asset maps of local service providers supporting college readiness; and
  • Compiling lists of local college readiness events and organizational contacts supporting middle and high-school youth within LAPL's 6 regions.
• Facilitate or secure a partner to facilitate at least 8 bilingual (Spanish and English) financial aid/FAFSA 1-hour workshops between Fall 2024 and Summer 2025, including 7 in-person (possibly offsite) and 1 virtual session. Presentation materials can be provided.

Duties include:

• Research college-readiness programming provided by schools and outside organizations within LAPL’s service area.
• Compile and maintain a record of LAUSD and non-LAUSD college-readiness offerings.
• Identify vendors that offer college-readiness services for potential collaboration.
• Collaborate with LAPL and Library Foundation of Los Angeles (LFLA) staff as needed.

Requirements:

• Must be eligible to work as a fee-for-service independent contractor under California State law
• Bachelor’s Degree, preferably in a related educational field
• Must possess Spanish-language fluency
• Familiarity with college-readiness services and needs in Los Angeles
• Excellent communication and presentation skills both in-person and virtually
• Strong communication skills that include professional writing, public speaking, and intra-personal communication
• Experience in outreach, engagement, and networking with educators, parents, children, teens, and youth-serving organizations
• Strong familiarity and comfort with equity and inclusion issues and with underserved communities, especially BIPOC communities
• Project management skills, including accountability, time management, prioritizing tasks, and meeting high-pressure deadlines
• High level of familiarity with Microsoft Suite, Google Suite, and other internet-based programs
• Must be able to work well both independently and with a team
• Valid California Driver's License and reliable transportation are required

Preferred:

• A background or degree in Education
• Candidates who are based in the City of Los Angeles or L.A. County

Please note that this is a hybrid position with some required in-person/onsite meetings and sessions.