DreamYard Mission and History: DreamYard, founded in 1994, is a Bronx-based organization that uses the arts, social justice pedagogy and digital and connected learning to inspire youth, public schools and communities. DreamYard’s yearlong arts programs develop artistic voices, nurture young peoples’ desire to make change and cultivate the skills necessary to reach positive goals. By committing to sustained learning opportunities along an educational pathway, with 45 partnering public schools K-12th Grade, with our own DY Prep HS School and at the DreamYard Art Center in Morrisania, DreamYard supports young people as they work toward higher learning, meaningful careers and social action. We seek to be effective locally while having a national impact through partnerships, collaboration and learning exchanges.

Anti-racism Commitment: At DreamYard, we commit to being an anti-racist organization. We lead with race because we operate in a country founded on the genocide of Indigenous people, the enslavement of African people, and the oppression of countless others. We acknowledge the role this history plays in perpetuating inequity and dominant white culture. 

We are intentionally building a path toward racial equity by:

● Challenging oppression and its intersections

● Using art and education as a platform to offer a hopeful vision of the future

● Identifying and uplifting the power and cultural assets that exist within our community of educators, artists, dreamers, young people and life-long learners

● Encouraging the principles of justice, unity, equity, creativity, and joy

● Transforming policies, procedures, practices, and programs (for example: striving for transparency and equity in pay and compensation structures regardless of race, culture, gender, ethnicity, creed, etc.)

● Understanding our staff, community members and partners are at different levels on the anti-racist continuum and embracing that we all have a place in this work

The Community DreamYard is focused in the Bronx, a borough that possesses incredible cultural, human and economic assets. In addition to work throughout the Bronx, DreamYard partners with local, national and international communities using the arts to build bridges to opportunity. The organization believes that the arts are a necessary part of developing our local assets to their greatest potential.

The Position Program Coordinator, Summer Youth Employment and Work-Based Learning Program Reports to: Director of Internships and Work-Based Learning Programs at DreamYard Supervises/Collaborates with: DreamYard Team, TAFT Educational Campus Staff & SYEP/WLG Participants Location: Bronx, NY Days and Hours: Year-round - Monday -Friday (9:00 am - 5:00 pm)

Scope of Work

This is a year-round position, reporting to the Director of Internships and Work-Based Learning Programs at DreamYard. The Program Coordinator is committed to being the liaison between DYCD, DreamYard, HERE-to-HERE, and the TAFT Education Campus in an effort to ensure excellent support and resources for year-round Work-Based Learning (WBL) programming. The ideal candidate will have solid work experience with the Summer Youth Employment Program (SYEP) and Work Learn, Grow (WLG), and will be a highly organized administrator who skillfully communicates summer and year round program needs to a variety of stakeholders and has the ability to navigate through the complexity of working with DYCD.

Responsibilities

● Disseminate information on summer and year-round Work-Based Learning programs to employers, parents, teachers, students, and staff;

● Assist with the compliance process and coordinate communication with all stakeholders to assess, screen, interview, select, and place qualified students into work-based learning experiences based on their career interests and program of study;

● Monitor SYEP activities including recruitment, registration, the collection of documentation, orientation, payroll, and program implementation and ensure compliance with city agency requirements;

● Data collection and entry;

● Coordinate pre-assessments and weekly assessments of work sites during the summer program; program documentation and story catching;

● Plan, coordinate, and assist with the facilitation of work readiness training workshops and participant orientation;

● Monitor and review incident reports and inform DYCD of all incidents;

● Prepare, review, and edit written materials as needed for correspondence, brochures, agendas and newsletters;

● Maintain an inventory of supplies and materials to support the Summer Youth Employment Program;

● Participate in professional development and external meetings and conferences, including DYCD meetings;

● Other duties as assigned. 

Core Competencies

● Superb communication skills and high emotional intelligence;

● A keen leader who inspires young people to be the best version of themselves; possess an ability to create cohesive teams through effective communication and coaching;

● High Achiever, who has a demonstrated track record of achieving results;

● Creative Thinker with the ability to navigate and resolve the complexities of working with different city-wide agencies in order to achieve results;

● Empathic - possess the charisma, patience, warmth to work with young people;

● Client service oriented - seeks to be the face and voice of the summer youth and WBL program;

● Forward thinker, active listener and proactive who takes pride in his/her work;

● Versed and committed to DreamYard’s culture and community driven by core values, and commitments to social justice and racial equity.

Minimum Qualifications

● BA degree;

● Minimum of 2 years of solid work experience working with SYEP; able to lead the way and navigate through the complexities, barriers, and loopholes to get the work done;

● Bilingual, English/Spanish a plus;

● Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively with teams;

● Excellent interpersonal and communication skills;

● Ability to travel when visiting work sites or taking field trips, using public transportation;

● Familiarity with the Department of Youth Services and SYEP/WLG program requirements strongly preferred.

● Must be fully vaccinated.

To Apply Please submit (1) a resume, (2) a cover letter providing more in-depth information on your academic and professional experience, (3) a short writing sample (2) pages maximum), and (4) contact information for at least three academic or professional references via e-mail by February 28, 2022.

About DreamYard DreamYard offers competitive salaries, an excellent benefits package, and generous paid time off; starting salary for this position is commensurate with experience and with similar positions citywide.

DreamYard is committed to the principles of arts education, educational reform and social justice, and fashions its programs to specifically address the needs of urban communities that are typically underrepresented because of race, sex, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status. Accordingly, we welcome and encourage applications from a diverse range of individuals. Bronx based and Spanish speaking applicants are strongly encouraged to apply. DreamYard Project, Inc. employs without regard to race, sex, sexual orientation, religion, national origin, age, disability, or any other attribute not related to superior performance.