Job Description
Job Description
ABOUT RED HOOK INITIATIVE (RHI)
Red Hook Initiative (RHI) is a community-based nonprofit working to improve the lives of the more than 6,500 residents of Red Hook Houses, Brooklyn's largest public housing complex. RHI believes that the social change to overcome systemic inequities begins with empowered youth, and that change in communities should come from within. In partnership with community adults, we nurture young people in Red Hook to be inspired, resilient, and healthy, and to envision themselves as co-creators of their lives, community, and society.
Youth development, community building, and community hiring are at the core of RHI's approach to strengthen Red Hook's future. Our model gives young people and residents the tools, resources, and opportunities they need to interrupt the systems and barriers that perpetuate historic inequities for the community. Residents lead the way toward a more equitable, hopeful future. Over our 20-year history, RHI's model and dedicated team have been nationally recognized for its innovative, place-based approach to social change.
RHI creates a culture of excellence with our ten core values as the foundation: community leadership, mutual respect, welcoming space, strengths-based perspective, trust, high expectations, encouragement, inspiration, holistic approach and adaptability.
JOB SUMMARY
The Academic Tutor supports adolescent participants in RHI's youth programs, providing individual and small-group instruction in Mathematics, English, and the Sciences to help them address academic gaps on their path to a high school diploma. Academic Tutors manage daily Study Lounge operations, fostering a positive classroom climate through structured support, culture-building, and student engagement. They guide students in completing classroom assignments and academic projects, collaborating with students to develop individualized participant improvement plans, co-design lessons to reinforce key concepts, encourage assignment completion, and offer, as needed, NYS Regents preparation. They meet regularly with the College Success Team to track progress and with the Socio-Emotional Team to identify additional supports for student success.
ESSENTIAL DUTIES + RESPONSIBILITIES
▪ Manage daily operations of the RHI Study Lounge, providing a structured space for class assignments and academic projects.
▪ Design and implement interactive lessons focused on study skills, organization, and time management, with guidance from the College Success Team.
▪ Facilitate group assignment support sessions while fostering an interactive, youth-centered learning environment. ▪ Provide tailored instruction to students' academic progress through small-group sessions.
▪ Mentor scholars through academic coaching; guiding them to advance toward graduation and post-secondary goals. ▪ Review student report cards at least quarterly to develop goal-setting and improvement plans. ▪ Monitor student progress and maintain consistent documentation, including progress notes on academic challenges and achievements.
▪ Report on student progress to College Success Team in support of individualized academic interventions. ▪ Maintain student records by entering relevant data into databases and spreadsheets as needed. ▪ Participate in full staff and planning meetings as needed to align academic support strategies with broader program goals.
May be assigned other duties and responsibilities as determined by the supervisor or director.
COMPETENCIES (Knowledge, Skills & Personal Attributes)
▪ Strong relationship-building skills, with the ability to foster a trusting, supportive, and motivating learning environment for students.
▪ Empathetic and patient, with a positive attitude and a commitment to student success.
▪ Experience providing academic support, with confidence in NYS high school core subjects: o ELA (all levels), or Mathematics (through Algebra II and Geometry) + Science (including Living Environment, Biology, and Chemistry)
▪ Ability to create engaging lesson plans that support students' learning needs and goals.
▪ Commitment to individualized student support, including those with IEPs, by addressing diverse learning needs. ▪ Strong verbal and written communication skills to engage effectively with students, families, and colleagues. ▪ Passionate about place-based, youth, and community development, with a dedication to educational equity. ▪ Knowledge of youth development principles and best practices
▪ Ability to foster an inclusive environment that celebrates diversity and cultural backgrounds. ▪ Culturally responsive and equity-driven, with a deep respect for the diverse backgrounds and experiences of the Red Hook community.
▪ Highly organized and adaptable, with the ability to manage multiple tasks and set priorities ▪ Collaborative and team-oriented
▪ Proficiency in Spanish or Mandarin is a plus.
EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE
▪ Pursuing or completed an undergraduate degree.
▪ Proficiency in Google Docs and Google Drive.
▪ Familiarity with NYC DOE curriculum and Next Generation Learning Standards is a plus.
WORKING CONDITIONS (ENVIRONMENT) & PHYSICAL DEMANDS
▪ The RHI work environment is characteristic of a typical indoor office/program environment and the noise level is generally quiet to moderate.
▪ While performing administrative duties the employee will operate a computer and other office equipment. During this time the employee may sit or stand at will. During youth program hours, there is more movement (e.g. standing and walking, moving tables and chairs to set up the room).
▪ RHI provides a hybrid work arrangement for employees, when possible. In this role, a hybrid schedule may be arranged when direct services are not in session.
▪ This job is primarily based on-site at RHI's main program office in Red Hook, Brooklyn. The ideal candidate will either be a resident of Red Hook or one of its neighboring communities or will be within reasonable commuting distance to RHI's main program office.
The ideal candidate should be able to meet the physical demands of the job with or without reasonable accommodation.
COMMITMENT TO DEI & EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY
RHI actively engages individuals from all backgrounds and is committed to embracing diversity across all areas and aspects of the organization. We firmly believe that an atmosphere of civility and mutual respect towards individual differences and embracing an inclusive and equitable environment is indispensable to building a successful organization, contributing to a positive and meaningful employment experience for staff, and advancing the best possible outcomes for the clients served by RHI's programs. We are also committed to community hiring and supporting the job prospects of Red Hook residents.
As an equal opportunity employer, RHI is committed to providing employment opportunities to all qualified individuals and does not discriminate against any employee or applicant on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity and expression, disability, age, marital status, military status, veteran status, pregnancy, parental status, genetic information, or any other characteristic or basis prohibited by applicable law.
COMPENSATION & BENEFITS
RHI strives to offer a competitive compensation and benefits package that reflects our core values and commitment to our employees. This is a part-time, non-exempt position, requiring up to 15 hours per week, on-site from 3pm- 6pm Monday through Thursday, with some scheduling flexibility to meet the 15-hour workload. The salary is $25/hour. Additionally, RHI provides a comprehensive benefits package that includes NYSick Time, an employee assistance program (EAP), which includes 12 counseling sessions per year.
TO APPLY
Please log on to the RHI career portal at: https://rhicenter.applicantpro.com/jobs/ to apply for this position. Please be prepared to upload your cover letter and resume as one combined PDF document.
Date Issued: April 2024
Job Posted by ApplicantPro