Boston Private Industry Council AmeriCorps VISTA Job ...
Boston Private Industry Council AmeriCorps VISTA Job Description
POSITION: Youth Transitions Data VISTA Volunteer PROGRAM DATES: August, 26 2011 to August 24, 2012 REPORTS TO: Youth Transitions Director, Kathy Hamilton GENERAL DESCRIPTION: The work of the VISTA volunteer will provide critical capacity to look more deeply into the academic successes and challenges of re-enrolled students and BPS graduates enrolled in local colleges. The VISTA volunteer assigned to the Boston Private Industry Council will be charged with documenting and better understanding the academic paths of the youth we serve in order to inform practice and policy development.
MORE INFORMATION: The Youth Transitions Data VISTA Volunteer will support the work of the dropout recovery and college completion teams. Both initiatives are innovative pilots that provide student support services in the context of larger multi-sector projects to improve educational outcomes for urban youth. As such, the service data provides rich information on reasons that students succeed or fail. However, there are more lessons to learn through the data than we have the capacity to analyze. This VISTA position will give us capacity to learn more from our service data, through the responsibilities described below.
The dropout recovery team is dedicated to contacting recent high school dropouts and reenrolling them in the Boston Public Schools (BPS). This project is part of a larger effort to lower the high school dropout rate and increase the graduation rate. The team develops quantitative and qualitative research on the evolving dropout recovery initiative for presentation to the Youth Transitions Task Force and the PIC Board as well as the BPS Superintendent and her team, the Boston School Committee, and other concerned audiences.
In a more recent initiative, the PIC’s college completion team provides college and career support to Boston Public Schools (BPS) graduates transitioning from high school to higher education in order to increase college retention and completion rates. The team coaches students to help them persist, improve academically and identify career goals. It is also part of a larger initiative, Success Boston, convened by Mayor Thomas M. Menino, to increase the college success rates of BPS graduates. Service data would be shared with the Success Boston partners, the PIC Board and other concerned audiences.
GENERAL DUTIES: 1. Analyzes the data to find and communicate the stories it tells, beyond the usual reports to funders and other audiences. 2. Mines service data for untold stories on reasons that students succeed and fail, develops reports that explain findings. This will involve collecting, analyzing, and distributing data related to youth transitions staff and other stakeholders. 3. Work with dropout recovery specialists and postsecondary coaches to advise them on developing and fine-tuning the data base, perhaps restructuring fields and constructing queries. 4. Writing briefs that analyze some of the trends that we see in student academic performance. 5. Attend regularly scheduled weekly team meetings of the Re-engagement Center and SuccessBoston staffs. S/he will also attend the PIC policy committee meetings to observe how the data enriches the discussions. QUALIFICATIONS:
Bachelors degree desired Interest in, or familiarity with, education policy and practice and/or urban development Familiarity with database development Attention to detail and superior follow through Good communication, organizational and project management skills Ability to operate in a dynamic fast paced environment Proven ability to initiate, multi-task, and balance work projects Ability to work independently as well as within a team environment Must be a US Resident, US National or Permanent Resident Alien
BENEFITS: For a one year full-time commitment and 1,700 hours of AmeriCorps service Fellows receive: A taxable living allowance of $13,958 Comprehensive health care benefits Excellent training and professional development opportunities Loan forbearance $5,550 educational award upon completion MBTA pass providing full access to the bus and subway system in Greater Boston
TO APPLY: The Deadline for applications is July, 18th 2011 Please e-mail or fax resume, cover letter, and two references to: Erica Mercier at [email protected] P: (617) 488-1319 F: (617) 423-1041 www.bostonpic.org www.americorps.gov If you have any questions please feel free to e-mail or call the contact above.
POSITION: Youth Transitions Data VISTA Volunteer PROGRAM DATES: August, 26 2011 to August 24, 2012 REPORTS TO: Youth Transitions Director, Kathy Hamilton GENERAL DESCRIPTION: The work of the VISTA volunteer will provide critical capacity to look more deeply into the academic successes and challenges of re-enrolled students and BPS graduates enrolled in local colleges. The VISTA volunteer assigned to the Boston Private Industry Council will be charged with documenting and better understanding the academic paths of the youth we serve in order to inform practice and policy development.
MORE INFORMATION: The Youth Transitions Data VISTA Volunteer will support the work of the dropout recovery and college completion teams. Both initiatives are innovative pilots that provide student support services in the context of larger multi-sector projects to improve educational outcomes for urban youth. As such, the service data provides rich information on reasons that students succeed or fail. However, there are more lessons to learn through the data than we have the capacity to analyze. This VISTA position will give us capacity to learn more from our service data, through the responsibilities described below.
The dropout recovery team is dedicated to contacting recent high school dropouts and reenrolling them in the Boston Public Schools (BPS). This project is part of a larger effort to lower the high school dropout rate and increase the graduation rate. The team develops quantitative and qualitative research on the evolving dropout recovery initiative for presentation to the Youth Transitions Task Force and the PIC Board as well as the BPS Superintendent and her team, the Boston School Committee, and other concerned audiences.
In a more recent initiative, the PIC’s college completion team provides college and career support to Boston Public Schools (BPS) graduates transitioning from high school to higher education in order to increase college retention and completion rates. The team coaches students to help them persist, improve academically and identify career goals. It is also part of a larger initiative, Success Boston, convened by Mayor Thomas M. Menino, to increase the college success rates of BPS graduates. Service data would be shared with the Success Boston partners, the PIC Board and other concerned audiences.
GENERAL DUTIES: 1. Analyzes the data to find and communicate the stories it tells, beyond the usual reports to funders and other audiences. 2. Mines service data for untold stories on reasons that students succeed and fail, develops reports that explain findings. This will involve collecting, analyzing, and distributing data related to youth transitions staff and other stakeholders. 3. Work with dropout recovery specialists and postsecondary coaches to advise them on developing and fine-tuning the data base, perhaps restructuring fields and constructing queries. 4. Writing briefs that analyze some of the trends that we see in student academic performance. 5. Attend regularly scheduled weekly team meetings of the Re-engagement Center and SuccessBoston staffs. S/he will also attend the PIC policy committee meetings to observe how the data enriches the discussions. QUALIFICATIONS:
Bachelors degree desired Interest in, or familiarity with, education policy and practice and/or urban development Familiarity with database development Attention to detail and superior follow through Good communication, organizational and project management skills Ability to operate in a dynamic fast paced environment Proven ability to initiate, multi-task, and balance work projects Ability to work independently as well as within a team environment Must be a US Resident, US National or Permanent Resident Alien
BENEFITS: For a one year full-time commitment and 1,700 hours of AmeriCorps service Fellows receive: A taxable living allowance of $13,958 Comprehensive health care benefits Excellent training and professional development opportunities Loan forbearance $5,550 educational award upon completion MBTA pass providing full access to the bus and subway system in Greater Boston
TO APPLY: The Deadline for applications is July, 18th 2011 Please e-mail or fax resume, cover letter, and two references to: Erica Mercier at [email protected] P: (617) 488-1319 F: (617) 423-1041 www.bostonpic.org www.americorps.gov If you have any questions please feel free to e-mail or call the contact above.
