Commitment: Full-time, exempt. Flexible hours, requires evening hours 2-3x/week.
Start Date: Sept 2018
Compensation: $60,000-$65,000 plus benefits and generous vacation
About the Hunts Point Alliance for Children
The Hunts Point Alliance for Children (HPAC) is a collaborative of the schools and community-based organizations operating in the Hunts Point neighborhood of the Bronx, zip code 10474. HPAC’s mission is to expand the hopes and potential of Hunts Point children— nurturing our neighborhood youth along their path to college or career by unifying our diverse alliance of community organizations to connect every family with the resources they deserve. Since 2007, HPAC has provided opportunities for over 300 children annually to engage in programming that sparks their interest in learning, engages them creatively, and allows them to look forward to the future.
Hunts Point is consistently ranked one of highest-need neighborhoods in New York City. Located in one of the poorest congressional districts in the United States, Hunts Point has been affected by a long history of poverty, unemployment, and poor health and education outcomes. Less than 25% of adults over 25 years old hold a college degree. HPAC and its Alliance members address these barriers to consistently provide quality educational programming and resources.
About the Hunts Point College Advisor
In May 2018, HPAC and partners were one of four recipients of Graduate NYC’s College Completion Innovation Fund. CCIF seeks innovative strategies to identify and overcome barriers to college graduation. HPAC will lead the work to create a college going culture in the Hunts Point community, in concert with two Alliance members, St. Ignatius School and Rocking the Boat. All three programs currently work with students and alumni on college access and maintain ongoing contact with program alumni. Collectively, we hope to expand our collaboration with additional partners in future years.
This exciting new position addresses the college-going culture in Hunts Point. Our students are often the first in their families to attend college. Lack of experience, reluctance to access support services, financial stress, and other similar reasons can contribute to college students dropping out. The Hunts Point College Advisor will execute a two-prong strategy to increase college success:
1) Build a Hunts Point College network, which will serve as a foundation of the college-going culture in Hunts Point. Main activities for the College Network include:
- Create a peer-mentor training program for current Hunts Point college students to serve as a non-judgmental resource for each other in navigating the challenges of college;
- Hold open ‘office hours’ at a community coffee shop to foster a community-wide college culture and provide college students from a range of schools with a single neighborhood-defined space of their own to meet up, learn from each other, get direct support from the advisor, and succeed in school;
2) work directly with HPAC’s rising college students to help prepare them to succeed in a college setting.
Responsibilities include:
Hunts Point College Student Advisement (70%)
- Develop strong partnership with Rocking the Boat and St. Ignatius college programming staff; Establish a system of communication with current college programs across three organizations to connect with college students; Lead monthly inter-organization meetings to build resource and best practice sharing, as well as share student updates.
- Develop student peer mentoring program for Hunts Point college students; includes identification and training of peer leaders each semester and supporting them as peer leaders.
- Track college students in accordance with perseverance metrics and resources accessed; assess success of Graduate Hunts Point via focus groups and college retention rates.
- Host evening hours 2-3x per week from designated college community hub, accessible to commuter college students, to provide guidance and safe space for students to convene. Manage logistics of space usage and coffee certificates for students.
- Develop and promote relevant workshops for college students. i.e. FAFSA Renewal workshops, Resume Building, Career-Oriented Workshops, etc.
- Update HPAC directors and program partners regularly on student progress, successes, and challenges.
- Develop reports to share with Graduate NYC, HPAC Leadership and Board of Directors, and throughout the wider Hunts Point community.
- Develop and carry out evaluation process of the program, with the assistance of an external evaluator.
HPAC College Access Advisement (30%)
- Work with HPAC Scholars in 11th and 12th grade through college preparation:
review student profiles and assist with planning and application process. Document student progress and proactively identify issues that may arise.
- Create, execute, and monitor systems that ensure an efficient and effective college application process.
- Build and maintain relationships with colleges and universities to create partnerships benefiting both the school and students.
- Create communication systems to work effectively with students and parents.
- Plan, coordinate, and deliver signature college counseling events such as college essay mentoring kick-off, FAFSA parent meetings, College Decision Day, and college orientation workshops, expanding opportunities for more Hunts Point students to participate.
- Successfully assist scholars and families complete all financial aid applications, inquiries, and make an informed decision regarding which college to attend.
- Update HPAC directors regularly on student progress, successes, and challenges. Track admissions decisions, statistics, scholarship awards, and generate reports for leadership and Board of Director meetings.
We are looking for someone who is:
- Passionate about education and creating pathways through college.
- Bachelor’s degree in education counseling or related degree; Masters degree in education, counseling, or related degree preferred.
- Bilingual English/Spanish preferred.
- At least 3-4 years’ experience working with youth 16-24; specifically with either college access programming or college completion guidance or support.
- Strong builder of meaningful relationships with various stakeholders such as parents, school administrators, and community members
- Strong networking abilities
- Experience working with Naviance, College Board data systems, and other higher education data and research resources.
- Extremely organized and detail-oriented
- A strong and effective communicator who is comfortable conveying information verbally, in written form, and electronically
- Capable of creating and documenting systems and processes
- Is well-versed in Microsoft Office applications (Word, Excel, Publisher, etc.) and Google applications (Docs, Sheets, Drive, etc.)
Please send cover letter and resume to YDJobs@hpac10474.org
The Hunts Point Alliance for Children is an Equal Opportunity Employer that does not discriminate based on race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, national origin, age, marital status, disability, veteran status, genetic information, or any other basis protected by relevant national and state law.
