Job Announcement- Alliance Youth Organizer

JOB ANNOUNCEMENT: The Alliance Youth Organizer

The mission of the Illinois Safe Schools Alliance (the Alliance) is to
promote safety, support and healthy development for lesbian, gay, bisexual,
transgender and questioning (LGBTQ) youth, in Illinois schools and
communities, through advocacy, education, youth organizing and research.



The Alliance is a social justice anti-oppression organization that operates
via youth leadership in all aspects of programming and organizational
infrastructure.  Because the Alliance focuses on systemic change in early
childhood, elementary, middle and secondary schools, youth at the Alliance
are defined as youth in E-12 environments, or of age to be in E-12
environments.  It is these voices that hold the most power in the work of
the Alliance and it is the crucial role of the youth organizer to create and
facilitate processes and opportunities for youth to be further advanced as
leaders in the LGBTQ safe schools movement in Illinois and nationwide.



The Alliance Youth Organizer position is full-time and is located at the
Alliance¹s downtown office, 70 E. Lake, Suite 900. The core hours for this
position are M-F, 9a-5p; however, this position does require some travel
statewide as well as attendance at meetings and events on evenings and/or
weekends.  Salary is commensurate with experience; benefits include health
insurance.


Major responsibilities for this position include, under the supervision of
the Program Manager:
·     Management of Alliance youth leadership committees across Illinois:
ü  Serve as the primary staff liaison to the Chicago youth leadership
committee, including facilitating supportive environments for youth to plan
and lead meetings and projects, working with adult volunteers to support
youth in their work, and serving as a vehicle, when needed, to bring youth
needs to stakeholders of the Alliance.
ü  Support youth organizing efforts across the state and facilitate
opportunities for Alliance youth leaders in different geographical locations
to collaborate.
ü  Facilitate youth organizing activities and projects, alongside and in
support of current youth leaders, to expand current youth leadership areas
and activities.
ü  Support youth leaders in providing technical assistance and support to
students in the creation and sustainability of gay-straight alliances
(GSAs).
ü  Coordinate GSA Network Summits.
ü  Organize a youth-led Day of Silence and Night of Noise annually.
ü  Partner with the Policy and Resource Development committees to plan and
implement youth-led activities within each of those areas.
ü  Plan and implement evaluation activities to document the impact of youth
organizing activities.
·     Leadership of youth organizing and youth leadership work within the
Alliance and in partnership with a broad base of partners in Illinois and
nationally:
ü  Serve as an activist and advocate for young people in all areas of
Alliance and partner work where youth choose not to be.
ü  Integrate youth organizing with long-term, community-driven policy change
efforts.
ü  Remain current on promising and new practices related to youth organizing
and youth leadership through relationships with other practitioners and
familiarity with research and reports.
·     Partner with the Executive Director, Policy Director, Program Manager,
Development Director, and committee and Board volunteers on all fundraising
activities including special events, cultivating individual donors,
developing sponsorship opportunities, fee-for-service programming, and
grant-writing and reporting.
·     Other duties as assigned including copying and collating materials,
collaborating with partners, outside contractors and vendors, and
partnership building activities.

Required experience and skills are:
·     Passionate about working with young people and creating avenues for
genuine youth leadership
·     Commitment to youth/adult interaction policies and values
·     Sense of humor
·     Familiarity with LGBTQ topics and issues, particularly as they relate
to youth
·     Willingness and ability to by led by shared community values that
direct Alliance youth, staff and volunteers in how we work with each other
and how we interact with the world
·     Experience in coordination, planning and/or management of projects
·     Experience in non-profit program development, including budget
development
·     Excellent written and verbal communication skills
·     Capacity for, and comfort with, teamwork including working with
volunteers
·     Ability to travel in-state
·     Some evening and weekend availability
·     Experience working with gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender youth
·     Knowledgeable in issues of youth development and experience in
cultivating youth as leaders
*this is not a position providing social services to youth, and applicants
should understand the difference between providing service and supporting
youth as leaders
Preferred experience and skills are:
·     Experience implementing and/or evaluating programs
·     Knowledge of central and downstate communities
·     Experience in coalition building
·     Bilingual: English/Spanish
·     Managing volunteers

People interested in this position should send a cover letter and resume to
David Fischer, Program Manager, Illinois Safe Schools Alliance, 70 E Lake
Street, Suite 900, Chicago, IL  60601 OR fax to 312/368.0283 OR
david@illinoissafeschools.org <mailto:shannon@illinoissafeschools.org> .
No phone calls or office visits please.