Colorado Nonprofit Association

Youth Program Manager

About The Village Exchange Center  

The Village Exchange Center (VEC) is a community center that celebrates religious and cultural diversity by creating an inclusive environment where residents from all backgrounds can practice, interact, share, and develop together. We seek to assist the immigrant and refugee population to feel empowered to use their existing strengths and unique perspectives to enrich the city’s diverse and inclusive community.

Job Summary for two programs

The Village Exchange Center is a proud partner of the City of Aurora in celebration of its diverse and growing immigrant population to implement a nationally recognize program called the Natural Helpers. The Natural Helpers Program trains community leaders in leadership skills and current resources through a 25-hour program. Graduates of the Natural Helpers Program are thereafter mobilized to assist other immigrants and refugees navigate life in a new country and to be a bridge between municipalities, service providers and their respective communities.

Responsibilities

• Natural Helpers Program:
• Implement/Coordinator the Natural Helpers curriculum.
• Conduct a minimum of 3 Natural Helpers program per year, each program consisiting of 3 one-day classes.
• Recruit individuals to enroll in the Natural Helpers program.
• On-going mentoring/training of Natural Helpers.
• Coordinate and work with the various program managers and directors to assign Natural Helpers to program and projects within VEC and externally.
• Provide monthly meetings with the Natural Helpers that will provide both civic opportunities, resource information and outside service providers to keep Natural Helpers up to the date on services to provide their respective communities.
• Responsible for updating the Natural Helpers resource guide with current services, resources, and contacts.
• Assist with the implementation of the online Natural Helpers resource guide.
• Participate in a monthly call with the Natural Helpers program leaders.
• Provide reports on Natural Helpers quarterly that should include volunteers and work hours.

Youth Natural Leaders Program:

• Develop, implement, oversee, and supervise VEC’s Youth Natural Leaders program, which is a youth leadership program with a focus on high school age youth in the City of Aurora. 
• Conduct outreach and recruitment of Aurora youth to participate in the Youth Natural Leaders program and other VEC youth programming. 
• Develop and manage program opportunities for middle and high school age. 
• Develop and manage youth program and activities including summer camps, service-learning opportunities, meet-ups, after school programs, leadership training and other skill development programs. 
• Maintain consistent communication with youth and parents/guardians that are participants in VEC youth programming via emails, texts, phone calls, newsletters, and social media.
• Represent VEC in advocating for the development of youth programming and youth program funding. 
• Prepare and provide progress reports as needed and track youth participant program outcomes and metrics.
• Remain abreast of initiatives and best practices related to youth development, communication, and engagement. 
• Assist with marketing youth programs through community outreach and social media outreach. 
• Manage and oversee the Youth Leadership Programs budget in coordination with the Director of Programs.
• Develop, maintain, and nurture relationships with community organizations, partner organizations, and the City of Aurora. 
• Develop coordination between Youth Natural Leaders and Natural Helpers. 
• The duties and responsibilities related to grant programs include:
• Manage the on the ground oversight of two fund projects/programs. 
• Work with senior management and other members of the VEC team to create business plans, proformas, marketing, and oversee fiscal responsibilities.
• Serve as lead liaison on matters related to Funds management.
• Coordinate the financial management and reporting on the Funds.
• Assist VEC leadership in the development of fund budgets.
• Develop and implement Fund-related standard operating procedures.
• Track and manage expenses for the Funds and ensure that dollars from the Fund are distributed in adherence with the grant’s intent.

Requirements About You:

The ideal candidate would have a strong desire to assist refugee/immigrant communities and have familiarity with them and their related needs and services. The ideal candidate will work well collaborating with a multidisciplinary team, program participants, volunteers, and outside partners, an essential function of the position is to have bilingual language skills and be flexible and patient in the face of changes or challenges. Candidates should be very reliable, have strong independent work skills, and be willing to share cultural knowledge with our team.

• Fluent in Spanish.
• 3 years’ experience of program coordination, implementation, and oversight.  
• Will only consider bilingual English-Spanish speaking applicants. 
• Strong desire to serve refugee/immigrant communities.
• Excellent listening, oral, and written communication skills.
• Familiarity with needs of refugee/immigrant communities.
• Familiarity with community resources.
• Flexibility, weekday, and evening hours required.
• Ability to work well collaborating with others on diverse interdisciplinary behavioral health team.
• Demonstrated cultural and linguistic competency.
• Firsthand cultural knowledge as a member/leader in local refugee community in Colorado.
• Ability to build trusting relationships with community members and act as advocate for and liaison between refugee community and diverse network of providers.
• Skilled at facilitating client and family engagement.
• Ability to give and take direction accurately, efficiently and flexibility.
• Basic computer competency, including knowledge of Microsoft programs, outlook and google applications.
• Submit monthly reports in a timely manner.
• Experience working with volunteers. 

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