AmeriCorps Employment Coach

The Neighborhood Developers and Local Initiatives Support Corporation are seeking a full-time AmeriCorps member to serve as an Employment Coach.  We are recruiting a full-time AmeriCorps member to be a part of our team for 11 months.  The position will remain open until filled.  The exact start and end date of the contract position is confirmed by the Member Agreement of Participation that will require signature prior to the start of service.  This is an AmeriCorps position and the individual selected to serve is not considered to be an employee of The Neighborhood Developers or LISC.

WHAT WE DO

The Neighborhood Developers has more than 40 years of experience in tackling affordable housing from all angles.  We create and preserve safe, healthy housing so that all of our neighbors have a place to call home. More than that, we ensure that people can stay in their homes by providing services ranging from rental and employment assistance, one-on-one financial and career coaching, to accessing food and medical care.  We also help community members develop their leadership skills so that they can advocate effectively for themselves and their neighbors.  We are part of the community and we work side by side with our neighbors to ensure that everyone in the community has a chance to thrive.

With residents and partners, LISC forges resilient and inclusive communities of opportunity across America – great places to live, work, visit, do business and raise families.  Over the last 40 years, LISC and its affiliates have invested approximately $24 billion in businesses, affordable housing, health, educational mobility, community and recreational facilities, public safety, employment and other projects that help to revitalize and stabilize underinvested communities.  Headquartered in New York City, LISC’s reach spans the country from the East Coast to the West Coast in 36 urban markets from Buffalo to San Francisco and 2,400 rural counties.  Visit us at www.lisc.org to learn more. 

YOUR ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITIES AS AN AMERICORPS MEMBER

This is an AmeriCorps position and as such, the member may not engage in prohibited activities as part of his/her/their service.  The member will have an immediate supervisor at The Neighborhood Developers and a LISC point of contact throughout the term of service for coaching, mentoring, and training support in order to undertake activities to achieve a community goal. 

An AmeriCorps Employment Coach will deliver employment services to low-income Chelsea and Revere residents, most of whom have limited English proficiency, and will help us build the infrastructure to have a pipeline of jobs for limited English proficient clients.  The AmeriCorps will assist job seekers from diverse backgrounds and levels of experience to conduct successful job searches and obtain employment or enroll in job training programs.  This position is located in Chelsea, MA with some work in Revere and some services being delivered remotely.  Specifically, the AmeriCorps Employment Coach will:

• Provide job referral and/or job placement services.
• Support clients with job search and application submissions.
• Develop, design, and deliver employment skills training – interviewing.
• Provide soft skills training about appropriate workplace behavior.
• Provide 1/1 career coaching and provide high quality facilitation of workshops incorporating best practices in adult education and training.
• Assist clients with onboarding to new jobs including aiding in salary negotiations.
• Provide post-employment checkups and advise to navigate on the job issues.
• Provide referrals to CONNECT’s other services and to our partner organizations as needed.
• Help organize and run single employer recruiting events and job fairs.

In performing these activities, The Neighborhood Developers and LISC AmeriCorps anticipate that the person in this position will achieve the following goal(s):

• 100% in Employment Services/Job Training – The member will provide 40 clients in employment/training counseling services and 20 clients will have secured employment.

In order to meet the goal(s), the successful candidate will be provided with a work-plan at the onset of service and training needed to achieve the goal(s).  Progress toward goal attainment will be measured monthly through an on-line system and training will be provided.

OTHER SERVICE REQUIREMENTS

Members are required to track time and submit on-line timesheets twice per month.  They are also required to submit a monthly report through the same system (training will be provided).  The person selected for this position will perform his/her/their day-to-day service at the partner site and serve on average 40 hours per week.  Normal business hours will be listed as 8:30 - 5:00 pm Monday - Friday with 30 minutes for lunch.  We offer employees the opportunity to keep a flexible schedule that may vary slightly from this schedule to accommodate their 1700 hour requirement.  Occasional evening and weekend service will be noted.  Members are eligible for all Federal Holidays and will participate in a day of service on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day, along with five (5) days off during the service term.  It is expected that the person will be flexible as oftentimes service requires some evenings and weekends.  

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

• Attending onboarding sessions coordinated by LISC. 
• Attending a national leadership conference: May 22-25, 2023, in Atlanta, GA.
• 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). 
• Attend Mel King Institute Certificate trainings.
• Engage in any other LISC events as determined by the local LISC office.

SKILLS NEEDED

• Passion for social justice and drive to work towards justice goals.
• Ease working with people who vary with regard to income, race, ethnicity, gender identity, religion or other factors.  Able to quickly build trusting relationships with a range of people.
• Education or experience working in affordable housing, community development, macro social work, leadership development, and/or community building.
• Demonstrated success engaging people to meet a shared goal, and in conducting outreach.
• Effective written and verbal communication skills, including for public outreach.
• Highly organized and self-motivated, with strong follow-through.
• Resourceful and able to problem solve.
• Self-reflective, able to hear feedback and a life-long learner.
• High school diploma or GED.
• Able to speak and understand both English and Spanish.

PROGRAM ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS

To be eligible to participate as a LISC AmeriCorps member the candidate: (1) must not have previously resigned from a LISC AmeriCorps position; (2) be able to earn at least 74% of the education award for this position; and (3) if having previously served, been exited with satisfactory service from a prior term.  

The candidate will also need to meet all AmeriCorps eligibility requirements including but not limited to:

• Be at least 17 years of age (there is no upper age limit).
• Possess unexpired proof of status as a US citizen or possess unexpired permanent resident status and be able to provide documentation as determined by AmeriCorps during the pre-enrollment period.
• Meet the National Service Criminal History Check Requirement noted below.

NATIONAL SERVICE CRIMINAL HISTORY CHECK REQUIREMENT

If a candidate has a criminal record, it does not necessarily make him/her/them ineligible for service.  LISC does not disclose any results with the host site and will discuss any eligibility concerns that may arise directly with the candidate as per LISC’s policy. 

Candidates being offered and accepting this AmeriCorps position must consent to a search of the National Sex Offender Public Website, State Level Criminal History Search, and an FBI search.  LISC should receive the results from all checks at least one week prior to the first day of proposed service.  The person must be cleared for service by LISC prior to the first day of service.  

A candidate may not be considered eligible for service in instances where he/she/they: (1) are subject to registry on the National Sex Offender Public Website (NSOPW); and/or (2) has been convicted of murder; and/or (3) has a non-resolved/non-adjudicated criminal offense.

PROGRAM BENEFITS

Upon successful completion of the full term of service, the member will be eligible for a $6,345 education award to pay off existing, eligible student loans or return to school.  Members are eligible to place qualifying, existing student loans (not in default) into AmeriCorps forbearance.  The position pays a total stipend of $21,000. The stipend is taxable and paid in 22 equal checks twice a month from LISC.  Direct deposit is required.  A health care benefit is available for the participant only.  For members with children under the age of 13, there is a child care subsidy benefit available which is dependent on the participant meeting all eligibility requirements (this benefit is administered by a contracted provider via the AmeriCorps Agency).  

Additional benefits for alums can be found here:  https://www.nationalservice.gov/special-initiatives/employers-national-service/alumni and information on Public Service Loan Forgiveness can be found here: https://studentaid.ed.gov/sa/repay-loans/forgiveness-cancellation/public-service.