Youth Art Mentoring Facilitator

Youth Art Mentoring uses one-on-one mentoring to provide a safe environment for students to explore the arts while creating connections with a trusted adult figure. Selected students have the opportunity to work with a professional artist to create a project that investigates social justice issues and holistic well-being through the arts. The program gives students a practical way to approach the world with the inquiring mind of an artist, while also receiving mental health support services through a certified art therapist. Youth Art Mentoring currently exists at Whittier ECE-8 School, Bruce Randolph and Manual McAuliffe for 25 students in grades 4-12. By developing artistic process and skills of inquiry, students are able to create art that has social impact and become advocates in uplifting issues in their communities. 

Position pays $25 per hour for 6-8 hours per week.

Learn more about YAM here: https://www.redlineart.org/art-mentoring

The YAM Facilitator is responsible for supporting the Art Education Manager to oversee and direct the planning, organizing, and implementation of our Youth Art Mentoring after school program. This entails leading art lessons, engaging youth and adult mentors, and helping oversee program objectives.

Facilitation Responsibilities:

• YAM currently resides after school from 3:00-5:00 PM at Bruce Randolph (Tues), Whittier EC-8 (Wed) and Manual McAuliffe (Thurs). It is critical that you have reliable transportation for this position. You will be transporting food and art supplies to each school site Tues, Wed and Thurs. A wagon will be provided to aid you in this. 
• You will be responsible for leading 3 class sessions per week (6 hours total) and following our social justice art education curriculum. 
• Create a fun learning environment by following, elaborating and adding your personal expertise to the curriculum and engaging students/mentors in content.
• Support students by being an emotionally available, trustworthy and caring adult figure.
• Update curriculum when changes are made and send them to the Art Education Manager.
• Coordinate classroom practices, onsite-lesson plans, daily schedules, program materials and social justice based teaching pedagogy to assure adherence to program policies and consistency of programming.
• Assist in development and implementation of the Annual Youth Art Exhibition by working with the Art Education Manager.
• Work on an ongoing basis with the Art Education Manager to ensure stated outcomes are achieved and all educational programming offerings are effective and responsive to community needs.

Program Logistics:

• Must be able to lift 55 pounds; Must be able to travel, enter and exit a vehicle without assistance, and withstand exposure to adverse weather conditions. 
• Arrive at the school site at least 15 minutes early to set up food and art materials for each session. At the end of each class you will pack away these supplies in your vehicle and use them for the next day’s session . 
• Relay any information from students' parents, mentors, art teachers or school administration to the Art Education Manager. 
• Inform Art Education Manager of additional materials and supplies as needed and they will be purchased.  
• Maintain program records including attendance, class lists, schedules and other documentation and share with the Art Education Manager.

Qualifications

WORKSKILLS: Experience successfully working with culturally diverse youth and adults, confident public speaker, strong organizational skills, enthusiastic about teaching, lesson creation and planning, ability to remain calm in a busy classroom setting and support program participants. 

EXPERIENCE: Preference will be given to applicants who have classroom teaching experience of at least 2 to 5 Years. Other types of education experience may include independent artist experience. Applicants should be experienced in art and understand how to teach various types of artistic mediums and expressions. Applicants should have strong communication skills, an outgoing attitude and experience working with diverse groups of youth and adults. 

EDUCATION: A Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience in fine arts or education