Reading Partners AmeriCorps Volunteer Coordinator (2020-21) Baltimore, MD
Reading Partners is changing the education landscape. We are a leader in working to solve the literacy crisis in our country by leveraging community volunteers and AmeriCorps service members in under-resourced elementary schools. Our dedicated and expansive volunteer base provides one-on-one tutoring to students twice weekly, whether in person or through a remote tutoring system. Our traditional, in-person program is proven to help children master the reading fundamentals they need to unlock their potential as successful and confident readers in school and in life. Reading Partners is evolving our program to ensure students continue to receive the critical support they need despite entering into a different educational landscape as a result of the global health crisis. Our people are the heart and soul of our organization, and our greatest resource; we are all passionately rallied around our mission to help children become lifelong learners by empowering communities to provide individualized instruction that works. Join our stellar team leading the charge to expand our program and support students and their families. Learn more about us at www.readingpartners.org.
AmeriCorps/VISTA engages more than 80,000 Americans in intensive service each year at nonprofits, schools, public agencies, and community and faith-based groups across the country. Since the program’s founding in 1994, over 1 million AmeriCorps members have contributed more than 1.4 billion hours in service across America while tackling pressing problems and mobilizing more than 2.3 million volunteers for the organizations they serve.
At Reading Partners we have to mobilize 350 AmeriCorps and VISTA members to serve in various positions across the country. This AmeriCorps service opportunity is community-based, supporting and implementing the Reading Partners mission while at the same time exemplifying the AmeriCorps motto of “getting things done.” Reading Partners strives to recruit AmeriCorps members dedicated to a year of service in the community. Read on for more details about our service opportunities!
The Role
Interested in outreach, recruiting, and empowering community volunteers to provide 1:1 tutoring to our amazing students? Check out our Volunteer Coordinator role!
The AmeriCorps Volunteer Coordinator serves as the representative of Reading Partners within the community, leading the charge in recruiting and onboarding volunteer tutors. Volunteer Coordinators also lead in executing community engagement initiatives in the region. No two days are alike for Volunteer Coordinators! Our top Volunteer Coordinators are ambassadors for service, demonstrate an excitement for community/volunteer recruitment and outreach, and strongly believe in our vision and values and are excited to share those with the community.
What you’ll do and how you’ll do it:
Volunteer Recruitment and Engagement
Lead Reading Partners’ efforts to recruit, onboard and train volunteer tutors to deliver our curriculum.
- As a face of Reading Partners in the community, Volunteer Coordinators demonstrate an ability to communicate our mission, vision, and volunteer opportunities throughout the region. Volunteer Coordinators can successfully tailor their recruiting pitches to different audiences and demonstrate a high level of comfort with public speaking. Identifying and implementing effective recruitment strategies is a significant component of the Volunteer Coordinator role, as onboarding tutors (including delivery of our tutor orientation). Volunteer Coordinators also lead the creation and execution of retention strategies, planning for and hosting volunteer recognition events, and developing ways to appreciate partnerships.
Partnership Cultivation and Management
Cultivate and manage a portfolio of community partners that serve as pipelines for Reading Partners’ tutor recruitment efforts.
- We believe volunteers get results; our program can’t run without our volunteer reading partners! A self-starting individual will thrive best in this role, as Senior Volunteer Coordinators must balance a variety of responsibilities, including partnership research and cultivation to broaden the volunteer base, maximizing existing partnerships, and providing marketing support to the region.
Data entry & database management
Track new and returning volunteers through the process of becoming active volunteers
- Stellar organizational skills are a must for accurate tutor and partnership record tracking, data management through Salesforce, and supporting the high volume of volunteer tutor calls and emails.
- Complete weekly data auditing and consistent communication with volunteers to ensure a timely and positive experience for all volunteers.
Additional Information
- Except when under shelter in place orders or if schools/offices are otherwise closed to Reading Partners, the essential functions of this role are performed in designated locations where volunteer recruitment and training are taking place, such as a Reading Partners regional office, or another Reading Partners approved location.
- Due to the changing nature of serving in public education AmeriCorps members may, at any time, be asked to transition to another Reading Partners AmeriCorps position.
- In the event of a local, state, or federal disaster declaration, AmeriCorps members may be asked on a volunteer basis or be required by CNCS (the federal agency that administers the AmeriCorps program) or our state AmeriCorps commission to activate to assist in disaster response and recovery activities within their communities. This may involve virtual service opportunities or in-person service opportunities. This may include service opportunities outside of the member’s standard service hours or in place of their standard service duties.
About You!
You’ll be successful in this role if you:
- Are dedicated to national and community service
- Understand this position is an AmeriCorps service commitment and are dedicated to successfully completing a full term term of service.
- Demonstrate a passion for working with children
- Possess a natural ability to connect with people
- Are eager for a dynamic schedule
- Pay strong attention to detail and manage competing priorities effectively
- Boast a deep belief in and passionately promote our mission
- Demonstrate a love for relationship building and public speaking
- Have flexibility and adaptability in both work style and work environment
- Take initiative in meeting goals and seeking professional growth
- Can problem-solve through challenges and failures
- Can quickly learn new technology systems like Salesforce, and have a high level of comfort with Google Apps and Zoom Conferencing
- Root your work in our core values
- Possess a high school diploma or GED
- Hold US Citizenship or Permanent Resident Status
- Have not completed more than three (3) prior AmeriCorps or VISTA service terms
Bonus Points if you:
- Are an AmeriCorps, Peace Corps, and other national service alum/alumna
- Have experience volunteering with other community-based or education programs
What we offer:
- AmeriCorps members earn an annual living stipend of $17,000
- AmeriCorps members are eligible for medical, dental, and vision coverage at no cost for our members; childcare assistance is available through AmeriCorps for those who qualify.
- AmeriCorps members can earn an education award of $6,195 after successfully completing their service term.
- You may be eligible for student loan forbearance on federal student loans.
- We offer an exciting and dynamic culture, and we commit to investing in and supporting our amazing people to grow their careers with us. As such, we provide ongoing professional development opportunities.
The other things you need to know:
- Service Terms: AmeriCorps members serve full-time (approximately 40 hours/week) from August 2020 through June 2021, and must commit to a service term of 1700 hours over an 11-month period.
- Travel: Volunteer Coordinators are constantly traveling throughout the community, and need reliable transportation to attend partnership meetings, career fairs, and other events. AmeriCorps members also make occasional trips to regional offices and service day events.
- Reading Partners AmeriCorps Orientation: At the start of each program year, Reading Partners holds an intensive program orientation training to take a deeper dive into our program, foster relationships with regional teams, and learn the skills necessary to execute their respective AmeriCorps role.
- Onboarding Paperwork: This summer, all incoming first-year AmeriCorps members will need access to a few required identification documents (for example, their ID and Social Security Card), which can be securely and electronically sent to our AmeriCorps HR team. Unfortunately, we are unable to make exceptions to this requirement
- Note: A legible photograph of the required document is absolutely okay.
We look forward to hearing from you!