Position Name: “AmeriCorps Member - Youth Education Program ”

Number of individual AmeriCorps members serving in this position:The Program aims to recruit 1(one) full-time and 2(two) part-time AmeriCorps members to focus on community economic development.

Member Immediate Supervisor Name:

The Site Supervisor will provide day-to-day supervision and evaluate the AmeriCorps member’s performance according to the Program policies and procedures. The immediate site supervisor will be the Pennsylvania Workforce and Education Manager Monica Luna 717-3018060 mluna@wearecasa.org

CASA’s Pennsylvania Immigration Integration Manager Sara Salazar is the AmeriCorps’s grant manager, she can be reached at 717-2197678 or by email ssalazar@wearecasa.org

Position Start date:

The Program launch will be on Monday, September 11^th 2023. If there is any position available after that day, members may start as agreed with the AmeriCorps’s grant Manager and Site Supervisors. The real start date for each individual will be identified on the individual Service Agreement.

Position End Date: Friday August 16th, 2024 

Days/ Hours of Service

Full-time 1700 hours: AmeriCorps members will serve at least 40 hours per week.

Part-time 900 hours: AmeriCorps members will serve 20 hours per week. 

Regular service time will occur Monday through Friday, 9 am to 5 pm. Some evening and weekend service is required.

Individual schedules are agreed upon by the AmeriCorps member, the AmeriCorps’s Grant Manager and Site Supervisor at the beginning of the program. The schedule may be changed upon agreement, based on the program or member’s need

Host Sites. Locations:

Members may be asked to serve at any of the following locations:

CASA York: 225 E Princess St York, PA 17403

CASA Lancaster Welcome Center: 315 W James St Lancaster, PA 17603

CASA York Welcome Center: 907 Roosevelt Ave York, PA 17404

The main service location for each member will be identified on the individual Service Agreement. 

If due to COVID-19 CASA should close its offices, members will be allowed to continue service on virtual mode for the time of the closure.

CASA’s Mission and goals.

CASA’s Mission is to create a more just society by building power and improving the quality of life in low-income immigrant communities.

CASA’s Vision is a future with diverse and thriving communities living free from discrimination and fear, working together with mutual respect to achieve full human rights for all.

Project Mission and Goals: The Mi Espacio/Escalera program(s) seeks to improve high school graduation and college enrollment rates among Immigrant and ELL students, while supporting middle school students in enrichment programming. The program includes a comprehensive after school curriculum combined with leadership activities, service learning, and summer internship and career exploration activities. The core competencies covered in the program are career exploration, educational attainment, technology, college and educational field trips, personal and leadership development, summer volunteer experiences, and job readiness training.

 Community Need:

South central Pennsylvania has one of the fastest growing Latino populations in the state, including a mix of Puerto Rican, Mexican, and other Latino immigrants. Indeed, York County’s Hispanic population has experienced a 155% increase from 2000 to 2014, and Lancaster County’s Hispanic population has grown from 15,639 in 1990, to 26,742 in 2000, and is now at 52,299 (a 96% increase from 2000 to 2014). This population growth is largely due to secondary migration from nearby metropolitan areas (New York, New Jersey and Philadelphia), and from the birth of second-generation immigrant children. The region is also expected to receive an influx of Puerto Ricans displaced by the recent hurricane. Many families are mixed-status families, and the overall population is younger than the average population in the area. 

The needs of Latino families in the south central Pennsylvania region are significant. A few years ago, when a wave of York area immigrant residents who commuted to Baltimore for work or to access services came to CASA’s Baltimore Center, they spoke with CASA staff about the growing Latino community in York, and the high demand for an organization like CASA. We then began our more formal work in the region. CASA conducted a preliminary needs assessment of low-income immigrant residents, doing a combination of door-to-door outreach and meeting with existing service providers and local government agencies to learn more. When asked to assess the obstacles they faced to improving their economic conditions, 69% of survey respondents cited linguistic and cultural barriers. Financial management, legal issues and lack of appropriate skills training for available jobs were also all reasons cited as obstacles by over 50% of the population surveyed. CASA identified an overwhelming need for legal services, as well as bilingual financial literacy and workforce development services. While some quality services were being provided, many were not linguistically and culturally accessible to the growing Latino population, and most survey respondents were unaware of them.

The focus of CASA’s AmeriCorps program will be on those immigrants who are Legal Permanent Residents (LPRs) and are eligible to become citizens, as well as on Latinos who are already citizens, including both naturalized citizens and newly resettled Latinos from Puerto Rico. Based on initial research that correlates with research across the country, several key strategies will be critical to serving this population: financial education and coaching; support in obtaining citizenship; and case management support to identify and secure employment or improve employment opportunities.

Member Position Summary:

CASA’s centers “Mi Espacio” after school program, and standalone college and career exploration after school program sites. They will implement the Escalera college prep curriculum during weekly after school classes with students, and will also participate in-home visits and follow up meetings with students and their parents where necessary. Members will also provide workshops to high school and middle school students who fall outside of the target schools regarding the college application process, financial aid, career exploration, and enrichment lessons.

Required training prior to Member Placement:

CASA will provide a two-week orientation program at the beginning of the Service Year. The Training will include CASA organization overview, some training will include the Escalera curriculum, college access and financial aid workshops, racial equity, classroom management, and program facilitation. as well as best practices on outreach, record keeping, and other relevant issues. 

The training includes an overview of National Service, the role of CNCS and Pennsylvania's PennSERVE, as well as training on prohibited activities as described by CNCS.

Access to Vulnerable Populations:

AmeriCorps members serving in this position have recurring access to vulnerable populations as described by CNCS.

Member Impact:

Members will assist program participants in advancing to high school, graduating from high school, completing an internship, applying to college, choosing a career pathway, and seeking financial aid, where relevant. Members will also help participants to build their leadership skills, develop their self-confidence, problem solving abilities, and engage parents into the students’ academic and higher education experience. Members will be evaluated about outcomes such as number of students who participate in the Mi Espacio, or Parents as Teachers program and in college access workshops and outputs such as how many of those participants graduate from high school, apply for financial aid, apply to multiple colleges, and are accepted into college, or successfully complete a summer internship and increase in parent engagement. Members will also be evaluated on their soft multiple-skills required in every job environment, such as public speaking, learning will, teamwork, communication, and professionalism. 

Essential Functions of Position:

Direct Services

1. Recruiting students to participate in the program; 
2. Facilitating the Escalera curriculum in target schools 
3. Conducting individual home visits and goal-setting sessions with families at the beginning of the school year; 
4. Delivering educational workshops and activities related to college- and career readiness, leadership development and civic engagement, and health and financial literacy, as well as other life skills training and academic enrichment; 
5. Developing and leading community service activities and field trips for participants; 
6. Providing individual mentorship and support to program participants; 
7. Develop internship opportunities and connecting program participants to these opportunities;
8. Facilitating multiracial safe-space conversations and other activities intended to improve school climate; 
9. Providing referral to other services as appropriate; and 
10. Administering pre- and post-tests and tracking all program participation. 

Information Gathering

1. Strengthen and develop
2. Organizational partnerships with high schools in the service area
3. Conduct needs assessments and provide community education within service area
4. Update organizational databases based on activities conducted

Community involvement/Leadership Development/Volunteer Management

1. Develop volunteer opportunities related to after school programing
2. Train and coordinate volunteers to participate in financial aid workshops
3. Reach out to other community organizations to offer program’s services to their constituents

Note: The AmeriCorps member will not be allowed to perform duties that violate the AmeriCorps Prohibited Activities or fall outside of the program goals.

Required Knowledge, Skills, and abilities:

1. Experience performing duties in multicultural environments.
2. Bilingual candidates preferred. English-Spanish, English-French, etc 
3. Highly organized and efficient, “can-do” attitude, flexibility, teamwork, and attention to detail; high degree of initiative Access to personal transportation preferred.
4. Fast learner.
5. Some knowledge of popular education, workforce development, and financial education are a plus.

Required Academic and Experience Qualifications:

1. A high school diploma or GED or agree to obtain one during the service year.
2. Having a Bachelor degree in social sciences is a plus.

Other required qualifications:

1. Ability to perform all of the duties outlined above.
2. U.S. Citizen or U.S. Legal Permanent Resident (recently naturalized citizens are encouraged to apply).
3. At least 17 years old.
4. Pass a national service criminal history check of the national sex-offender registry, state repository checks (Pennsylvania and state of residence), and FBI fingerprint check, before starting national service.
5. Express commitment to complete one year of National Service.
6. COVID-19 vaccination: CASA has implemented a mandatory vaccination policy (1st and 2nd dose) effective July 1, 2021 requiring COVID-19 vaccination(s) for all employees and prospective employees, AmeriCorps members, and paid or non-paid internships. In accordance with CASA's duty to provide and maintain a workplace that is free of known hazards, we are adopting this policy to safeguard the health of our employees, AmeriCorps members and interns, and their families, CASA members and visitors, and the community at large from infectious diseases that may be reduced by vaccinations. In making this decision, the executive leadership team reviewed recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices and local health officials. All prospective employees will be required to provide proof of COVID-19 vaccination or appropriate medical/religious accommodation documentation prior to the first day of employment with CASA. AmeriCorps member candidates will be required to provide proof of COVID-19 vaccination (1st and 2nd dose) or appropriate medical/religious accommodation documentation at the time of presenting proof of citizenship and SSN eligibility

Prohibited Activities:

Read the attached list of prohibited activities for AmeriCorps members. They are also listed on the Member Service Agreement.

Citations: 

• 45CFR § 2520.65 - http://www.americorps.gov/help/ac_sn_all_2012/WebHelp/index.htm 

• 2012 AmeriCorps Provisions IV.D.3 - https://egrants.cns.gov/provisions/ACProvisions2012.pdf 

While charging time to the AmeriCorps program, accumulating service or training hours, or otherwise performing activities supported by the AmeriCorps program or CNCS, staff and members may not engage in the following activities: 

a. Attempting to influence legislation; 

b. Organizing or engaging in protests, petitions, boycotts, or strikes; 

c. Assisting, promoting, or deterring union organizing; 

d. Impairing existing contracts for services or collective bargaining agreements; 

e. Engaging in partisan political activities, or other activities designed to influence the outcome of an election to any public office; 

f. Participating in, or endorsing, events or activities that are likely to include advocacy for or against political parties, political platforms, political candidates, proposed legislation, or elected officials; 

g. Engaging in religious instruction, conducting worship services, providing instruction as part of a program that includes mandatory religious instruction or worship, constructing or operating facilities devoted to religious instruction or worship, maintaining facilities primarily or inherently devoted to religious instruction or worship, or engaging in any form of religious proselytization; 

h. Providing a direct benefit to— 

i. A business organized for profit; 

ii. A labor union; 

iii. A partisan political organization; 

iv. A nonprofit organization that fails to comply with the restrictions contained in section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 related to engaging in political activities or substantial amount of lobbying except that nothing in these 9 provisions shall be construed to prevent participants from engaging in advocacy activities undertaken at their own initiative; and 

v. An organization engaged in the religious activities described in paragraph 3.g. above, unless CNCS assistance is not used to support those religious activities; 

i. Conducting a voter registration drive or using CNCS funds to conduct a voter registration drive; 

j. Providing abortion services or referrals for receipt of such services; and 

k. Such other activities as CNCS may be prohibited. 

AmeriCorps members may not engage in the above activities directly or indirectly by recruiting, training, or managing others for the primary purpose of engaging in one of the activities listed above. Individuals may exercise their rights as private citizens and may participate in the activities listed above on their initiative, on non-AmeriCorps time, and using non- CNCS funds. Individuals should not wear the AmeriCorps logo while doing so.

Placement Type:

The position is not a reassignment from a previous Host Site/Agency.

Benefits:

Full-time commitment (1700 hour/year): $24,650

Biweekly living allowance of $ 986 health care coverage. Members may apply for the child-care allowance.

Member will be entitled to a $6,895.00 education award upon program completion.

Half-Time commitment (900 hours/year): $13,050

Biweekly living allowance of $ 522

Member will be entitled to a $3,447.50 education award upon program completion.

A living allowance will be paid bi-weekly directly. 

Individuals may be eligible to have the repayment of their qualified student loans postponed while serving. This postponement is called forbearance. While interest may continue to accrue during your service if you successfully complete the term of service the National Service Trust will pay all or a portion of the qualified loan's interest that accrued during your service. Most federally-guaranteed student loans are eligible for forbearance. 

CASA offers a variety of free-, high-quality- training courses on Financial Education, workforce development and more.

To be considered for the AmeriCorps Immigrant Workforce and Economic Empowerment Program interested individuals must submit a current resume and cover letter in the CASA website (https://wearecasa.org/join-us/). Staff will review the application, request an interview and application (if appropriate), conduct three reference checks, and match a potential applicant with a host site. After the applicant has met with the site supervisor at the host site, the applicant will be responsible for getting a three part criminal history check. Individuals will not be allowed to start orientation or be enrolled in the program until all appropriate background checks and paperwork is received by CASA. Position is contingent to CASA receiving the grant Award before Aug 31, 2023

Benefits Continued: 

Individuals may be eligible to have the repayment of their qualified student’s loans postponed while serving. This postponement is called forbearance. While interest may continue to accrue during your service, if you successfully complete the term of service the National Service Trust will pay all or a portion of the qualified loan's interest that accrued during your service. Most federally- guaranteed student loans are eligible for forbearance.

Selection Process:

To be considered for the AmeriCorps Immigrant Workforce and Economic Empowerment Program interested individuals must submit a current resume and cover letter in the CASA website (https://wearecasa.org/join-us/). Staff will review the application application, in case of .Staff will review the application, request an interview and application (if appropriate), conduct three reference checks, and match a potential applicant with a host site. After the applicant has met with the site supervisor at the host site, the applicant will be responsible for getting a three-part criminal history check. Individuals will not be allowed to start orientation or be enrolled in the program until all appropriate background checks and paperwork is received by CASA.

Contact:

For more information and to apply, contact: For more information about AmeriCorps, visit: Monica Luna www.americorps.gov

Pennsylvania Workforce and Education Manager

CASA For more information about CASA, visit:

mluna@wearecasa.org www.wearecasa.org