NorthStar 4-H Youth Mentor

With the NorthStar 4-H Youth Mentoring program, you can gain valuable skills in supporting youth, engaging in the community, honing your teaching skills, and making a real impact while building relationships. We need your good energy today! Come live and work in beautiful Western Maine.

Qualifications:

• Self-motivated with a high degree of flexibility, creativity, and independence
• Ability to clearly and concisely communicate both orally and in writing
• Excellent organizational skills
• Effective public speaker
• Prior volunteer or community service experience
• Dedication to the mission of AmeriCorps
• Ability to use various types of technology
• Reliable transportation or ability to drive a 12-passenger van/Clean driving record
   

Site-Specific Qualifications:

• Outdoor education experience is a plus; training is available  
• Experience working with vulnerable teen populations

Eligibility:

• Be at least 21 years of age
• Possess a high school diploma or equivalent, Bachelor’s degree or two years of experience preferred
• Be a citizen, national, or lawful permanent resident of the United States (documentation required)
• Satisfy the National Criminal History Check eligibility criteria pursuant to 45 CFR 2540.202
• DOE fingerprinting is required
• 1st Aid/CPR is required; training is available  
• Must hold a valid driver's license and maintain a clean driving record 

Essential Functions:

• Develop and maintain caring, professional relationships with participating students, families, school staff, and community partners.
• Commit to ensuring the physical, mental, and emotional safety of all participants
• Engage youth in group programming, facilitate relationship building with a diverse group of youth and adult volunteers
• Create safe spaces for youth to take risks, reflect, and share personal experiences
• Inspire problem-solving and listening skills among peers
• Involve youth in experiential learning, encourage youth to explore new things
• Engage youth in both setting and managing academic and life goals
• Create a structure for extended learning opportunities, college readiness, and/or expanded career awareness
• Coordinate, facilitate, and participate in meetings and professional development opportunities with organization staff, partners, and the AmeriCorps program
• Complete Community Health Worker Training
• Coordinate and participate in community service projects, support program staff in recruiting, training, and managing volunteers
• Participate in the following organizational capacity-building activities:

1. Work as a team to design intentional program delivery systems for long-term youth engagement
2. Develop a skilled network of caring adult and peer mentors
3. Apply a comprehensive approach to youth development strategies
4. Creating a strong community support network
5. Utilize validated assessment tools and positive youth development best practices to inform prevention, promotion, and intervention strategies for youth while promoting social and emotional wellness

*In addition, sites and members may work toward prioritizing: 

• Informal relationship building with youth
• Embracing student voice and choice 
• Family engagement

Site-Specific Essential Functions:

• Ability to work in fast-paced environments that include long work days, nights, weekends, and overnight trips both in the backcountry and urban settings
• Assist classroom teachers, provide regular afterschool programming 
• Serve as a year-round mentor for students in grades 7-12, post-high school youth, and adult volunteers
• Engage youth 1:1 to meet individual needs and to set and reflect on
• goals
• Meeting regularly with grade level cohorts of 10-14 students to plan experiences based on student voice and choice
• Organize and supervise groups of 8-20 volunteers and youth during programming and community events with a focus on group and risk management
• Support the over all mental health and wellbeing of youth impacted by ACES; act as a referral source
• Support 4-H staff to plan and pack for overnight camping experiences
• Ability to drive 12-passenger vans with or without a trailer
• Ability to occasionally lift 50lbs
• Ability to sit or stand for long hours
• Ability to work in all weather conditions 
• Perform other reasonably related duties as assigned to support the overall program mission

Service Schedule & Conditions:

• 35‒40-hour week (may include some weekend and evening hours)
• Fast-paced environment with various deadlines and multiple internal and external stakeholders
• Service is performed in schools, out in the community, in government agencies, and in nonprofit settings among people of all ages
• Member will serve both in an office setting—using computers and general office equipment—as well as directly with youth and community members
• Because of the nature of the project and rural geography, personal transportation is encouraged

Service Relationships & Support:

Member will be provided support by the direct supervisor and host site organization as well as Goodwill NNE AmeriCorps staff.  Member will receive a thorough on-site and AmeriCorps orientation, host site-specific training, and training on various topics related to service within a nonprofit setting.  Various reporting will be required of the member throughout the term by the AmeriCorps staff regarding member performance, completion of goals, training accomplishments, and continuous improvement of the Granite State Service Corps program. (Member training may not take up more than 20% of a member’s term.)

How to Apply:

Contact Lyndsey Smith, NorthStar Program Director, at lyndsey.smith@maine.edu or by calling 207-665-2068. A resume will be required to set up an interview and can be sent to the above address.

See www.americorps.gov for more information on AmeriCorps service. 

​​See https://extension.umaine.edu/bryantpond/lakeside-classroom/northstar/ for more information on the NorthStar 4-H Youth Mentoring Program.