Program specialist Jobs in Elgin, IL

Middle School Leadership Program Coordinator

FVCA is committed to providing year-round leadership development opportunities for at-risk teenagers. During the school year we provide a weekly after-school program called Teen Night Together (TNT) which includes recreation time, small group Bible study, a life skills lesson, and dinner. The Middle School Leadership Program Coordinator is responsible to recruit, train, and lead a team of volunteers to conduct the middle school TNT program.

During the summer FVCA also provides a two-week leadership development program called CORE. The Middle School Leadership Program Coordinator is responsible for overseeing a small team of seasonal staff to conduct the CORE program during the summer months.

Fox Valley Christian Action partners with the local church in discipling people in the under-resourced communities of the Fox River Valley into a life-transforming relationship with Jesus Christ! Since 1977 FVCA has served children and families in low-income communities primarily in Elgin and Aurora. The school districts serving these communities identify 30,000 children coming from low-income families within 15 miles of our campus. We have an 85 acre Christian camp and conference center where we provide a completely free overnight summer camp and weekly after-school programs for children and teenagers from our local communities. We partner with the local church in our ministry because we believe that it is God's design for all believers to be discipled in the context of a local church. It is our vision to see every child and family that we serve growing in a life-transforming relationship with Jesus through the church. Our commitment is to provide a variety of activities where children and families can take their "next step with Jesus." For some the next step is a first time commitment; for others the next step may be a re-commitment to walk with Jesus; for others their next step may be walking with a Savior that they have been committed to for years. Wherever they are at, our commitment is to help them take the next step. As our children become teenagers we also provide opportunities for them to explore future college and career opportunities; to create a vision and a plan for their future.

Position Responsibilities: FVCA is committed to providing year-round discipleship opportunities for middle school teenagers through our summer CORE and school year TNT programs. The Middle School Leadership Program Coordinator will oversee both of these programs annually.

During the school year (Sept - May) the Middle School Leadership Program Coordinator will:

• Acquire volunteers needed for TNT
• Prepare Volunteers for specific roles and responsibilities through training events:
  • Help Plan & Prepare a 1-Day Annual Leadership Planning Event
  • Help Plan & Prepare a 3-Day/2-Night Basics Training Event
  • Help Plan & Prepare a 1-day Advanced Training Event
• Participate in helping launch new TNT Groups
• Provide ongoing training and encouragement for the volunteers
• Help promote TNT and register new participants
• Oversee the Middle School Curriculum Committee
• Monitor students' growth and progress in their spiritual and life skills goals
• Help Plan & Prepare a 1 Night Parent Orientation Dinner
• Oversee Weekly TNT Meetings (Typically 30 weeks X 3 Nights/Week)
• Plan & Prepare two 1-Night Middle School Retreats (1 Fall & 1 Spring)
• Participate in 2-3 Middle School Days of Serving per year
• Train volunteer team to make periodic visits / calls or send note cards to Middle School Students and their Families

During the summer (Jun - Aug) the Middle School Leadership Program Coordinator will:

• Create and conduct program- specific training for the CORE staff
• Help develop specific program elements / activities for the CORE program participants
• Assist in promotion and registration for participants in the CORE program
• Regularly participate in CORE activities to monitor the program and to provide ongoing training and support for the CORE staff
• Assist CORE staff in difficult / sensitive situations with CORE teens
• Assist in communication with parents of CORE teens
• Monitor students' growth and progress in their spiritual and life skills goals

Requirements

• Passionate Christ-follower with a heart for serving kids and families in under-resourced communities, actively participating in a local church; loves children and teenagers
• Reliable, resourceful, self-motivated, team oriented, can work with a wide range of people and backgrounds
• Experience working with / leading teams
• Enjoys the outdoors and engaging others in outdoor activities
• Organized and administratively skilled
• Confident using computers and technology; competent in creating basic spreadsheets and electronic documents
• A strong communicator; must be able to communicate clearly and effectively with staff, volunteers and community members
• A passionate and winsome personality that attracts others to engage in the ministry
• Skilled at training, delegating and organizing others (both staff and volunteers)
• Willing to serve flexible hours throughout the year
• At least 3 years experience working with at-risk youth in a cross-cultural setting
• Has a bachelor's degree
• Fluent in Spanish and English