The YEAH! Network uses research, advocacy, and community education and collaboration to influence policy and practice in adolescent sexual health. By articulating a common agenda among diverse local, state, and national stakeholders, we are working to create an informed, empowered, and engaged response to teen pregnancy and sexual health disparities in Hampden County.




Friday, November 11, 2011

Become a part of the YEAH! Network team!

Title: Youth Engagement Coordinator Full-time,
Type: Exempt from Overtime Requirements
Location: Holyoke, MA


The YEAH! (Youth Empowerment Adolescent Health) Network, started in 2006, is a community coalition working to motivate the leaders of Hampden County to address high teen birth rates. The YEAH! Network creates a forum for diverse community stakeholders to organize and share resources in their effort to create an informed, empowered, and engaged response to teen pregnancy and other youth reproductive health disparities. Founded in 1979, the Massachusetts Alliance on Teen Pregnancy advocates statewide and mobilizes communities to prevent teen pregnancy, to increase opportunities for youth and young parents, and to empower young people to make healthy decisions about relationships, sex, parenting, and life.
Together, the YEAH Network and the Alliance are collaborating on the Youth First project, an initiative in Holyoke and Springfield, MA. This 5-year project, funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), involves partnerships with public agencies, youth-serving organizations, clinical providers and other stakeholders to implement a multi-component community-wide initiative to prevent teen pregnancy.
In order to develop a robust collaborative with a common agenda, reinforcing activities, and youth mobilization, the Youth Engagement Coordinator will integrate the youth engagement components of the Youth First initiative and the YEAH Network Teen Leadership Project. Overall the YEC would oversee three major areas:


1. Increase Youth Engagement
•Provide technical assistance to Youth First community partners to support meaningful youth engagement in the community-wide teen pregnancy prevention effort Engage other youth leadership groups in Springfield and Holyoke to address teen sexual health Collaborate with other Youth First staff to integrate youth engagement across the initiative


2. Develop and Coordinate the Youth Leadership Team for the Youth First initiative 
•Members of the Youth Leadership Team are highly skilled or trained youth leaders that will represent the youth voice across the components of the YF Initiative. •This group will be in a adult- youth partnership that works towards implementation of a youth-led advocacy model


3. Coordinate and supervise the YEAH Network Teen Leadership Project (TLP)
•TLP provides the leadership and advocacy training to future teen leaders that can join the Youth Leadership Team or take other leadership roles in the community to address teen sexual health


Responsibilities
• Coordinate and support the Youth First Youth Leadership Team of 10-12 youth from Holyoke and Springfield, including facilitating regular meetings and supporting youth-designed and led action projects on sexual health
• Coordinate and supervise the Teen Leadership Project
• Develop a youth network
• Oversee local youth-led communications strategies using social media and traditional media
• Develop and implement collaborative youth outreach project
• Assist with Youth First project evaluation including data collection and surveying youth
• Create and disseminate promotional items for youth
• Maintain the Youth First Facebook page
• Raise visibility of teen pregnancy prevention and the project


Skills and Experience
• 2-5 years’ experience facilitating youth groups October 2011
• Strong knowledge of, and commitment to, youth development principles
• Must be self-directed and capable of operating in a cooperative environment
• Highly proficient with Microsoft Office and general computer skills
• Spanish language skills a plus
• Candidates familiar with the communities of Springfield and/or Holyoke preferred
• Experience working as part of a team and leading teams through a work plan
• Highly organized and able to prioritize tasks for efficiency and productivity
• High level of problem solving skills
• Ability to independently develop project work plans
• Experience with developing community partnerships
• Knowledgeable about use of social media (Facebook, Twitter, YouTube)
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills


Education
Master’s degree in public health, social work, education, public policy, human resources, or a related discipline plus 2-3 years’ experience, or Bachelor’s degree with 3-5 years’ experience in a relevant field. Equivalent experience will be considered.


Please send a resume and cover letter by November 18th, 2011 to:
Dr. Sarah Perez McAdoo, Director YEAH Network
4 Open Square Way, Suite 415
Holyoke, MA 01040
spmcadoo@yeahnetwork.org
fax: 413-533-9327
NO PHONE CALLS PLEASE

No comments:

Post a Comment