AmeriCorps Career Coach

AMERICORPS MEMBER ACTIVITIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

The LISC AmeriCorps member will serve as a career coach to help provide one on one guidance, trainings and coaching to clients of our STEP graduate program.

During STEP sessions, the member will be involved in all aspects of the STEP program from outreach, info sessions, interviews and assessments, curriculum building, facilitating team builder and Ice-breaker activities, attending financial literacy classes, attending tours of partner companies, and creating an individual jobs and service plan with graduates.  AmeriCorps member will be part of the classes, which take place 25 hours a week for six weeks, enabling them to continue to build relationships with our incoming participants.

• AmeriCorps Member will be responsible for inputting own program data specifically regarding STEP participants into CBA’s Apricot database system. The database system tracks clients visiting the Merrimack Valley Food Bank for services. 
• AmeriCorps Member will attend a variety of meetings throughout the week including Workforce Development department meetings, CBA program meetings, and CBA staff meetings to keep up-to-date on our organizational goals. 
• There will also be an opportunity to serve some evenings and weekends during the CBA program events including CHOP (Community Health Outreach Project) dinners monthly, Acre clean up, National Night Out, community swap, and Acrefest, as well as partner events to promote STEP.

When STEP classes are not in session, the member will be checking in with graduates and partner companies to follow up on supervisors' assessments, check on any barriers graduates might be facing at their work, work towards each individuals service plan, and provide encouragement and guidance to participants. Related to the program they will also be supporting outreach, tabling, presentations to partner organizations, and interviewing potential candidates for the next cohort of STEP.

PERFORMANCE, CAREER DEVELOPMENT, AND SERVICE REQUIREMENTS

This is an AmeriCorps position.  LISC and CBA will not allow the member to engage in activities that are considered prohibited under the terms of the grant while serving as a LISC AmeriCorps member.

Members will be provided with goal(s) at the onset of the service assignment based on the activities and responsibilities noted above.  Members will track goal attainment monthly through an on-line system (training provided). Members will also discuss professional performance in the form of a mid-term and final appraisal. Members are required to track time and submit on-line (training provided) timesheets twice per month.

Members will perform day to day service at CBA and serve a minimum of 40-42 hours per week.  Normal service hours are Monday – Friday from 8:00 am – 5:00 pm with 60 minutes for lunch per day. There will be opportunities to serve evenings and weekends.  

Members will have an immediate supervisor and a local LISC supervisor throughout the term of service as identified by LISC and CBA.

Members are expected to attend and participate in all LISC AmeriCorps sponsored activities including but not limited to:

• Attending a local onboarding session coordinated by LISC and an onsite orientation to our organization;
• Attending a national leadership conference tentatively scheduled for March 2019;
• Attending all locally sponsored monthly meetings;
• Participating in nationally sponsored webinars;
• Actively participating in at least two team coordinated service projects (one for Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service and one for National AmeriCorps Week); and,
• Engaging in any other LISC events as determined by the local LISC office.

DESIRED SKILLS

• Desire and ability to work with a diverse group of people, particularly those living in low-income distressed neighborhoods
• Ability to work independently and in a team environment
• Computer skills
• Good written and oral communication skills
• Ability to work a flexible schedule (some night and weekends may be required)

PROGRAM ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS

To be eligible to participate as a LISC AmeriCorps member the candidate must meet all eligibility requirements to serve as a National Service participant including but not limited to:

• Be eligible to earn 100% of the education award associated with this description
• Be eligible to perform the term of national service associated with this description
• Have unexpired proof of status as a US citizen or possess unexpired permanent resident status and be able to provide documentation as determined by CNCS during the pre-enrollment period
• Possess a high school degree, GED certificate or agree to achieve GED during the term of service
• Be at least 17 years of age (note there is no upper age limit)
• Be able to complete at the hours within the timeframe of the service term and serve the full term

NATIONAL SERVICE CRIMINAL HISTORY SEARCH REQUIREMENT

If a candidate has a criminal record, it does not necessarily make a candidate ineligible for service. Only candidates who are subject to registry on the National Sex Offender Public Website or have been convicted of murder may not participate as an AmeriCorps member.  Only candidates being offered and then accepting the position must consent to a search of the National Sex Offender Public Website, a State Level Criminal History Search and an FBI search. Consent is provided via the LISC AmeriCorps application. Candidates must be cleared by CNCS prior to the first day of service.