AmeriCorps Program Coordinator
The Power of Play
For more than 15 years, Playworks has leveraged the power of play at recess and throughout the school day to accelerate children’s learning and improve school climate. In partnership with the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and AmeriCorps, Playworks currently serves more than 300 schools in 22 cities across the country, reaching 120,000 children daily. Principals and teachers tell us as a result of having Playworks on their campus, kids are more active, bullying, fights and injuries significantly decrease, and students return to the classroom focused and ready to learn.
In addition to placing Playworks’ program coordinators in schools full-time, Playworks’ Training Department offers fee-for-service workshops and hands-on training and technical assistance to enable schools, school districts and community-based organizations to put our approach into action in their communities. For more information, please visit www.playworks.org.
About AmeriCorps:
AmeriCorps is national movement of “service.” It’s a chance to apply your skills and ideals toward helping others and meeting critical needs in the community. It is an opportunity to make a big difference in your life and in the lives of those around you. Each year, AmeriCorps offers more than 75,000 opportunities for individuals of all ages and backgrounds to “serve” through a local or national nonprofit organization. Serving in a non profit as an AmeriCorps member is an intensive experience that meets our country’s critical needs in education, public safety, health, and the environment. AmeriCorps programs focus on work to improve lives, strengthen communities, and foster civic engagement through service and volunteering. More information can be found at www.americorps.gov.
About the Position:
This position is for the 2012-13 school year. Interviews for these positions are held throughout the spring and summer with start dates in early/mid August.
Program Duties
Planning and implementing positive sports and play based programming during recess, in school and after school hours at a public elementary school.
- Recess - create a safe and inclusive playground yard and be a significant presence on the yard by organizing and playing large games with 20+ students as well as role modeling
- Junior Coach Program – organize a youth leadership program by facilitating trainings and working with teachers and staff
- Class Game Time - lead individual classes in skills building, cooperative games, and activities to increase awareness of rules and boundaries at recess
- Out of School Program – continue to promote Playworks’ core values in an out of school setting through an after school program, including small group homework, snack and physical activity or a before school program, consisting of early morning play and physical activities on campus
- Interscholastic leagues - recruit and coach students for developmental sports leagues
- Volunteer Program - recruit and coordinate volunteers (e.g. school family members) to build a school community that supports positive, inclusive play and physical activity
- Service Projects - participate in monthly service projects and national days of service, working together as a team to serve the community
Administrative Duties
- Maintain communication between Playworks staff, school staff, teachers, families, and volunteers
- Collect and maintain paperwork including organizing daily, weekly, and monthly schedules, timesheets and volunteer logs
- Collect and enter data for various grant requirements in online database
Check out our “Day in the Life” for a sample of what your day could look like: http://www.playworks.org/files/Day_in_the_life_of_the_ACPC.pdf
- Demonstrated experience leading groups of children with the ability to engage and inspire youth
- Demonstrated commitment to serving the greater community
- Commitment to serving for one full school-year and completing 1700 hours of service during that school-year (40+ hours/week of service, including participating in occasional night and weekend service opportunities such as community service projects)
- Motivated self-starter with strong interpersonal communication skills, both oral and written
- Humorous and playful with ability to set clear goals and follow through with flexible and creative problem solving tools
- Conceptual ability for the larger perspective with a strong attention to detail and multitasking
- Experience interacting with diverse communities and the ability to integrate into and existing school community
- Knowledge of computer and internet based programs for use in communication and grant requirements
- Individuals will be enrolled as AmeriCorps service members (info at www.americorps.org)
- Living allowance for the service period
- Education award for use at Title IV institutions or to pay back qualified student loans (pending completion of a minimum of 1700 hours of service)
- Health plan includes medical benefits
- Possible child care expense reimbursement (http://www.americorpschildcare.com/)
This position is for the 2012-13 school year. Interviews for these positions are held throughout the spring and summer with start dates in early/mid August.
- Please no phone calls
- Position will remain open until filled
- Playworks employees please visit the HR Google site to submit your resume and cover letter
As an equal opportunity program, Playworks encourages applications from all individuals regardless of age, gender, race, ethnicity, or physical ability, and evaluates all candidates on a merit basis.
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