College Access Mentor

Company Overview:

Improve Your Tomorrow (IYT) was founded in 2013 with the mission to increase the number of young men of color (YMOC) to attend and graduate from colleges and universities. We envision a world where men of color are overrepresented in higher education, underrepresented in the criminal justice system, and leaders in their communities. By embodying our core values of Character, Service, Teamwork, and Liberation we work to combat academic inequities and build a college-to-community pipeline.

Position Overview:

The College Access Mentor Specialist is the primary relationship-builder and college-going culture anchor for students in grades 6–8. As a full-time, single-site leader, this role delivers bi-weekly mentorship, identity-centered programming, open study hall, and family engagement designed to build the Brotherhood foundation that sustains students through high school and into college. The Mentor owns the site culture, leads programming, and is the consistent adult presence students expect to see.

Key Responsibilities:

Mentorship & Student Development

• Deliver 1:1 mentorship sessions , focused on identity, belonging, brotherhood, confidence, study habits, and college aspiration.
• Facilitate Brotherhood programming and Member Development Workshops aligned to the assigned site model.
• Build trusting, consistent relationships with students that support long-term IYT engagement.
• Programming & Academic Support
• Support open study hall or structured academic support time as directed by the Associate Program Director.
• Provide targeted transition support for 8th graders entering high school.

Family Engagement

• Conduct family touchpoints after mentorship sessions, centering on student strengths and progress.
• Participant in the planning and execution of the family engagement quarterly touchpoints/moments (Q1 Orientation/Welcome, Q2 Milestone, Q3 Mid-Semester, Q4 Celebration).

Data & Documentation

• Log all mentorship sessions, programming attendance, and family touchpoints in Salesforce within 24 hours.
• Track student engagement trends and surface concerns to the Associate Program Director in a timely manner.
• Capture and submit regular site content — photos, short videos, student stories, and impactful program moments to the Associate Program Director, with all required consent and release documentation on file.
• Support the 8th grade pipeline handoff process by ensuring student data, engagement history, and relationship context are transferred to the High School College Advising Mentor Specialist.

Site Operations & Presence

• Maintain a consistent, visible, and positive IYT presence on campus every scheduled service day, serving as a reliable adult anchor for students in the program.
• Support daily site logistics including student sign-in, space setup for study hall, and coordination with school staff on scheduling and student access.
• Assist with attendance capture during structured programming days and flag students who were absent or disengaged to the Associate Program Director for follow-up.
• Uphold IYT's Brotherhood culture in all interactions with students, school staff, families, and community partners — modeling the values and identity of the program at all times.
• Notify the Associate Program Director promptly of any school-level concerns, scheduling conflicts, or barriers that affect daily program delivery.

AmeriCorps Member Development

• Participate in all IYT-required onboarding, regional training, and professional development sessions covering mentorship delivery, Brotherhood facilitation, trauma-informed practice, family engagement, and Salesforce documentation.
• Engage in regular coaching and observation cycles with the Associate Program Director to build and refine core mentorship and facilitation competencies.
• Complete all AmeriCorps service hours, timesheets, and member reporting requirements on time and in accordance with program guidelines.
• Reflect on student engagement trends, personal growth as a mentor, and areas for skill development through structured check-ins with the Associate Program Director.
• Engage with IYT's model as a learning experience with a pathway toward future FTE employment within IYT upon successful completion of the service term.

Schedule:

• Full-time AmeriCorps service term (school year), Monday-Friday, 8:30am-5pm; some weekends, evenings, and organization-wide events will be required.

Location:

• Field-based — This position works out of an assigned local school campus.

Pay Rate:

This is an AmeriCorps stipend position funded through the California Men’s Service Challenge (CMSC).

AmeriCorps Living Allowance

Benefits:

AmeriCorps Member Benefits include the following:

• Living allowance (as listed above)
• Segal Education Award upon successful completion of the service term. This Award can be applied towards qualified student loans and college expenses. Contingent on the number of years served.
• Medical benefits (if eligible)
• Student loan deferment (if eligible)
• Professional development & career advising
• Access to IYT Alumni Network
• Wellness and mental health workshops
• Professional development and training through IYT and AmeriCorps
• Guaranteed admissions (for former IYT students)
• Pathway to future full time employment within IYT

Term of Service:

The AmeriCorps Member, College Access Mentor Position at IYT serves youth during the 2026-2027 school year with service terms beginning August 2026 and ending on June 11th, 2027.

Must Haves:

• Commitment to the mission, vision, and values of IYT.
• Ability to self-motivate to achieve results.  
• A multi-tasker with a solid ability to work under pressure.
• Ability to prioritize work, meet deadlines, and produce quality results. 
• Excellent communication and management skills that can both inspire and push others to accomplish their goals.  
• Ability to operate with an appropriate, responsible level of transparency and vulnerability, engendering confidence and trust. 
• Must meet all AmeriCorps eligibility requirements (U.S. citizenship or lawful permanent resident status; background check).

Experience:

Required

• Patience, warmth, and genuine enthusiasm for working with middle or high school-age youth.

Preferred

• Tutoring, mentorship, or youth development experience.
• Bilingual in Spanish

Education

• High school diploma or GED is required
• Enrollment in or completion of a college degree program preferred.

Computer Skills

• G-Suite
• Microsoft Suite
• Zoom
• Salesforce

Salary : $2,176 - $2,206