Community Engagement and Belonging - Boys and Girls Clubs of Dundee Township : Job Details

Boys & Girls Clubs of Northwest SuburbsEmpowering Youth, Enriching CommunitiesJob Title: BelongLab DirectorProgram Area: Primary and SecondaryReports To: Barrington D220 Area DirectorStatus: Full timeA Dynamic Team on a Great MissionThe Boys & Girls Clubs of the Northwest Suburbs (formerly Dundee Township) was founded in 1997 with the mission of enabling all young people, especially those who need it the most, to reach their full potential as productive, caring, responsible community members. In our 28-year history, BGCNWS has become the premier local provider of after-school youth programming. Our core program areas are Life & Workforce Readiness; Character & Leadership Development; Healthy Lifestyles; Creative Arts; and Fitness & Recreation.Each of our 16 program sites are strategically located in high need, under-served neighborhoods in five communities. We are thrilled to begin the development of our 45,000sf innovative Woodlands Community Impact Center, which focuses on Life and Workforce Readiness programs for middle school and high school students, featuring a Culinary Arts Cafe, Creative Arts Lab, TechLab, BuildLab MakerSpace, and BelongLab as well as a gymnasium and academic center.BGCNWS engages a community collaborative approach with school districts, park district and business partners to provide effective afterschool programs to develop the mindset and skillset in our kids that are critical to life success. We're searching for a passionate candidate to join our dynamic team of committed professionals in a fun, engaging and rewarding environment to help build great futures for our youth.BelongLabA sense of belonging is vital to our children's wellbeing. When children feel a sense of belonging and sense of pride with their peers and their communities, they gain emotionally strength, are self-assured and able to deal with challenges and difficulties, which creates an important foundation for their learning and development.Belong Lab MissionWorking with community partners and stakeholders, BelongLab will develop programs, services, and initiatives to foster belonging and inclusiveness among all Club members and families and deliver programming for community members focusing on empowering youth, addressing barriers, and promoting positive peer to peer relationships, as well as implementing an effective strategy to develop stronger, more meaningful relationships between students and families of Barrington and Carpentersville.Job Summary and PurposeThe Boys and Girls Club of Dundee Township is excited to hire a BelongLab Director. This position will be a valued team member, providing social and emotional leadership to create a caring environment for our staff and the children and families we serve. We are looking for a candidate who is passionate working with children, their families, and who consults and collaborates with staff for the betterment of the program. This candidate will work collaboratively with our public school partner employees, community leaders, and community organizations who support youth and the families we serve. This position requires a person who can develop and implement strategies, programs and partnerships to meet the BelongLab mission. To be effective in this setting, the BelongLab Director must be highly organized, possess excellent communication skills, flexible, enjoy working with children, have a strength base perspective, and maintain an emotionally positive and supportive environment for staff and for our children.Position Responsibilities:

• Enthusiastic commitment to BGDT's mission
• Emphasis on strengths-based approaches

Implementing a survey process for youth, community members and families to determine areas where a lack of sense of belonging exists.Establish and manage a BelongLab Advisory Committee to develop a Strategic Plan that identifies stakeholders and areas of improvement and focus, with specific goals, outcomes and measurables defined, and periodically assess progress.Developing and managing a comprehensive mentorship program that emphasizes youth voice and fosters positive peer to peer relationships between members and between parents and families of Barrington and Carpentersville.Cultivate close relationships with Barrington (D220) and Dundee (D300) School District staff, school principals, teachers, social workers, community partners, faith organizations, and volunteer leaders to meet mutual goals around improving an inclusive culture and sense of belonging.Serve as a liaison between the community and organization and identify opportunities for improved collaboration and partnership within the community. Work with community partners to develop programs, services, and initiatives that meet the needs of the organization around belonging, including community events, service projects and parent engagement activities.Implement proactive and integrative strategies that lead to a more inclusive club culture.Develop and deliver workshops and training programs for stakeholders, mentors and mentees on topics such as leadership, communication, and personal development, with a focus on empowering youth, addressing barriers, and promoting positive peer to peer relationships.Ideal CandidateAn enthusiastic commitment to BGCNWS' mission and positive youth developmentA high attention to details with focus on accuracyEffective self-management and team management skills.Demonstrated excellent written and verbal communication skillsAn understanding of mentoring programs and strategies. Peer-to-peer mentoring program experience a plus.Strong interpersonal and assessment skills and respect for diversityBackground working with a recognized trauma informed organizationKnowledge about the impact of direct and vicarious exposure to trauma in similar communitiesBilingual in English and Spanish, orally and written, desired but not required.Experience developing professional skills through training series and other opportunities as they arise.Required QualificationsBachelor or Master's degree in Social Work, Counseling, Psychology, or an acceptable related fieldFive (5) years of previous job-related experience in a school or youth development agency environmentSelf-starter, capable of giving directions to others and working under pressure in certain casesFamiliarity with multicultural groups, previous work experience in a multicultural setting, and willingness to enroll in language and multicultural coursework to supplement training if necessaryStrong computer literacy skillsDemonstrated excellent written and verbal communication skillsRequirementsBachelor or Master's degree in Social Work, Counseling, Psychology, or an acceptable related fieldFive (5) years of previous job-related experience in a school or youth development agency environmentSelf-starter, capable of giving directions to others and working under pressure in certain casesFamiliarity with multicultural groups, previous work experience in a multicultural setting, and willingness to enroll in language and multicultural coursework to supplement training if necessaryStrong computer literacy skillsDemonstrated excellent written and verbal communication skillsSalary Description $60,000 - $65,000 per year