New openings November 2022 !
Are you in search of a fun, rewarding position supporting the next generation?
SPARK (Student Pathways to Adventure, Resilience and Knowledge) is an after-school and summer program for youth ages 12-18. Our goal is to improve lifelong outcomes for the youth we serve by reducing teen substance use, teaching life skills and building resilience. We do this, in part, by helping kids discover things the “Light them up!” Activities include: Skateboarding, music, archery, skating, skiing, snowboarding, mountain biking, art, theater, games, sports, rock climbing, backpacking and just about anything else that our teens may want to pursue.
SPARK is currently accepting applications for multiple positions! We are seeking:
1. A Youth Mentor for our after school and summer program.
2. An administrative and logistics support person
3. A Youth Justice Mentor to work with youth in the Youth justice system.
See full job descriptions below.
SPARK mentors work directly with youth (12-18), lead and facilitate activities, teach life-skills, help resolve conflicts, listen, share, and model positive interactions & relationships. Youth Mentors will also be involved in logistics and planning, meal and snack preparation and other areas of need that arise throughout the program to ensure an exciting, positive, and safe experience for our students.
Being a SPARK Youth Mentor is both fun and rewarding, but it isn’t just another job. A Youth Mentor is important to the youth they interact with, in a number of ways. SPARK students count on you to be present and supportive of them. They look for trust and friendship with somebody who has made it past the difficult years of adolescence.
The role of a SPARK mentor is to:
- Create and maintain a safe and supportive environment
- Foster relationships through positive communication, openness, and vulnerability
- Empower our participants with a sense of self and autonomy
- Promote the discovery of their passions by providing creative and diverse experiences.
- Fuel the pursuit of those passions towards mastery
- Model healthy decision making
- Positively represents SPARK to the greater community
If you identify with these personal and professional traits, we highly encourage you to apply!
Send your resume and a cover letter explaining why you are excited to be a Youth Mentor and answer the question, "What lights YOU up?" to scott@lightyourspark.org
Don't have a resume? Text us a video of yourself telling us why you are excited to be a Youth Mentor and answer the question, "What lights YOU up?"
~or~ fill out a job application at this link:
If you have questions before applying, feel free to call Scott Griffiths at 715.255.0509
Job Title: SPARK – Youth Mentor
Job Type: Part-time, 20-30 hrs/wk
Reports to: SPARK Program Director
Wage Range: $17.00-$19.00. Commensurate with experience
Job Description: SPARK Mentors work directly with youth to prevent, reduce or delay teen substance use and delinquency by providing a fun and supportive environment for teens to hang out, learn and explore new things. A SPARK Youth Mentor’s primary role is to build caring relationships with youth from ages 12-18 Mentors create a fun, physically and emotionally safe, and supportive environment. Mentors support youth in discovering and pursuing activities that interest them. Mentors work with youth to support their social and emotional development by modeling positive communication, conflict resolution, and decision-making.
Requirements:
Essential Functions and Responsibilities
Direct Mentoring with Youth
If you have questions before applying, feel free to call Scott Griffiths at 715.255.0509. Send your resume to scott.griffiths@co.ashland.wi.us Include a cover letter explaining why you are excited to apply and what you can bring to this position.
Job Type: Part-time, 20-30 hrs/wk
Reports to: SPARK Program Director
Wage Range: $17.00-$19.00. Commensurate with experience
Job Description: SPARK Mentors work directly with youth to prevent, reduce or delay teen substance use and delinquency by providing a fun and supportive environment for teens to hang out, learn and explore new things. A SPARK Youth Mentor’s primary role is to build caring relationships with youth from ages 12-18 Mentors create a fun, physically and emotionally safe, and supportive environment. Mentors support youth in discovering and pursuing activities that interest them. Mentors work with youth to support their social and emotional development by modeling positive communication, conflict resolution, and decision-making.
Requirements:
- A desire to build caring relationships with adolescents from all walks of life.
- Must be willing and able to serve as a driver in the BART transportation system which includes:
- Valid driver's license (CDL not required)
- Pre-hire and random drug and alcohol screening
- Ability and willingness to drive a 15-passenger bus/van
- Ability to work evening and weekend hours
- Must be able to pass a criminal and caregiver background check
Essential Functions and Responsibilities
Direct Mentoring with Youth
- Supervising, instructing, or participating in games or activities to engage with youth during daily programming. Activities include art projects, sports, cooking, music, board games, video games, field trips, swimming, hiking, photography, writing, action sports, etc.
- Assisting youth in conflict resolution amongst their peers
- Participating in or facilitating discussion circles.
- Emotionally supporting youth through a variety of experiences from daily struggles at school or with peers to significant life crises such as the loss of a loved one, or experience of abuse, homelessness, etc.
- Creating opportunities to engage youth in experiences that expand their horizons
- Continual engagement with youth help them build social skills and uphold community agreements
- Visiting and supporting youth off-site at locations such as school, home, sporting events etc.
- Daily staff meetings to plan and prepare for daily programming
- Planning specific activities to engage youth during regular programming hours
- Regular and ongoing professional development discussions, book studies etc.
- Daily debriefing and troubleshooting regarding the needs of individual youth or families
- Planning field trips
- Developing activity proposals including budgets for specific activities for review by the Program Director
- Continually collaborating with the SPARK team to improve the impact and effectiveness of SPARK programming.
- Preparation of food and snacks for daily programming
- Grocery shopping or pickup
- Cleaning and sanitizing after meals are complete
- Picking youth up from school or home to attend daily programming
- Dropping youth off at home after daily programming
- Transporting youth to and from off-site activities and field trips
- Cleaning, sweeping, mopping, sanitizing, trash removal, etc. before or after daily programming
- Light duty maintenance tasks such as painting, or rearranging the physical space (i.e furniture, etc)
- Occasional light construction projects based on the comfort level of the specific mentor.
- Recording Attendance in the online database
- Communicating and coordinating with individual youth and families re: transportation etc.
- Maintaining regular communication with Program Director, Administrative and Logistics Assistant, and other mentor staff regarding daily logistics, etc.
- This is a part-time, grant-funded, limited-term position working 15-30 hrs/wk.
- Work hours and days vary based on programming hours and preparation needs. But hours vary between 11:00 am and 9:00pm. A successful candidate MUST be available for afternoon, evening and weekend hours.
- The current compensation for this position ranges from $17.00- $19.00/ hr depending on experience and skills.
- There are no additional fringe benefits available for this position
If you have questions before applying, feel free to call Scott Griffiths at 715.255.0509. Send your resume to scott.griffiths@co.ashland.wi.us Include a cover letter explaining why you are excited to apply and what you can bring to this position.
Job Title: Administrative and Logistics Assistant
Job Type: Part-time, 20-30 hrs/wk
Reports to: SPARK Program Director
Wage Range: $17.00- $20.00/hour. commensurate with experience
Location: Ashland
Closing Date: Open until filled.
Job Description:
SPARK (Student Pathways to Adventure Resilience and Knowledge) is an after-school and summer mentoring program working with Ashland County youth in grades 6-12. We focus on fostering developmental relationships with the youth we serve and we provide healthy outlets such as skateboarding, art, sports, music, camping, and more, as an approach to substance abuse prevention. SPARK is seeking a qualified individual to serve as the Administrative and Logistics Assistant to provide support to the program staff daily.
A strong candidate for this position will be highly motivated and able to work independently as needed. This is a faced paced and high-energy environment and a successful applicant must be able to embrace this aspect of the position.
Requirements
Essential Functions and Responsibilities
Education and Experience
If you have questions before applying, feel free to call Scott Griffiths at 715.255.0509. Send your resume to scott.griffiths@co.ashland.wi.us Include a cover letter explaining why you are excited to apply and what you can bring to this position.
Job Type: Part-time, 20-30 hrs/wk
Reports to: SPARK Program Director
Wage Range: $17.00- $20.00/hour. commensurate with experience
Location: Ashland
Closing Date: Open until filled.
Job Description:
SPARK (Student Pathways to Adventure Resilience and Knowledge) is an after-school and summer mentoring program working with Ashland County youth in grades 6-12. We focus on fostering developmental relationships with the youth we serve and we provide healthy outlets such as skateboarding, art, sports, music, camping, and more, as an approach to substance abuse prevention. SPARK is seeking a qualified individual to serve as the Administrative and Logistics Assistant to provide support to the program staff daily.
A strong candidate for this position will be highly motivated and able to work independently as needed. This is a faced paced and high-energy environment and a successful applicant must be able to embrace this aspect of the position.
Requirements
- Must be willing to serve as a driver within the BART transportation system which includes:
- Valid driver's license (CDL not required)
- Pre-hire and random drug and alcohol screening
- Ability and willingness to drive a 15passenger bus or van
- Must be able to pass all required background checks
- Strong computer literacy is required
- Self-motivated, highly organized, and detailed oriented
- Strong communication skills, both written and verbal
- Ability to work independently
- Ability to work with a wide variety of personalities
- Experience working with spreadsheets is required, and experience with databases is preferred. Flexibility, positive attitude and growth mindset.
Essential Functions and Responsibilities
- Maintain, organize, and order supplies as needed, including, but not limited to, office and cleaning supplies, groceries and food preparation supplies, art room supplies, and skatepark supplies.
- Manage and track youth registration materials. This includes ensuring waivers are issued and signed as needed using online software and paper forms.
- Develop, implement, and maintain an effective inventory and checkout system for outdoor equipment, art supplies, first aid kits, etc
- Assist with overnight trip logistics, including permission slips, travel arrangements, packing lists, and transportation needs
- Track and submit regular budget reports, including the management of receipts, petty cash, and donations
- Maintain database tracking donations and donors, including ensuring letters of appreciation are regularly sent
- Maintain an effective method for the tracking and organization of regular communication with youth and families
- Schedule regular maintenance for vehicles, including submitting monthly mileage, filling gas cards, and scheduling regular cleaning of vehicles
- Support staff in regular upkeep of the facility, including but not limited to, light cleaning, installing batteries in security cameras, ensuring trash is regularly removed, etc.
- Participate in daily staff meetings and keep detailed notes
- Support staff in food preparation as needed, including ordering food for pick-up, serving daily meals, and clean-up of kitchen space
- Manage daily logistics, including checking in each participant, tracking rides needed, developing daily transportation routes, and assigning drivers
- Participate in transportation needs as necessary, including the pick-up and drop-off of youth
- Respond to daily phone calls and emails
- Work with staff on the development of flyers, newsletters, and promotional materials, including the printing and distribution of all materials
- Volunteer coordination, including assisting staff with the recruitment of volunteers, tracking volunteer hours, and maintaining a database of volunteers. This includes the tracking of youth volunteers and hours within the SPARK community
- Participate in any required training and staff development opportunities
- Greet every child by name every day
- Be willing to become familiar with trauma-informed care and approach each day using trauma-informed practices.
Education and Experience
- High school diploma or equivalent, Bachelor’s degree, or professional administrative support experience preferred.
- 1-2 years of experience in administrative support is preferred.
- This is a part-time, grant-funded, limited-term position working 20-30 hrs/wk.
- Work hours and days vary based on programming hours and preparation needs. But hours vary between 9:00 am and 9:00pm.
- The current compensation for this position ranges from $17.00- $20.00/ hr depending on experience and skills.
- There are no additional fringe benefits available for this position
If you have questions before applying, feel free to call Scott Griffiths at 715.255.0509. Send your resume to scott.griffiths@co.ashland.wi.us Include a cover letter explaining why you are excited to apply and what you can bring to this position.
Job Title: Youth Justice Mentor/ Credible Messenger
Job Type: Part time hourly
Wages: $17-20/hour
Reports To: At Risk and Adjudicated Youth and Family Support Specialist
Job Description:
The primary role of the YJI Mentor is to build relationships with, and mentor youth who have been referred to the Youth Justice Innovations program. The goal of this program is to help youth who are involved in the justice system understand what actions led them to their referral and help them learn new skills and strategies to avoid criminal behavior in the future. The mentor will use evidence-based strategies, such as Carey Guides, as well as evidence-informed strategies such as Developmental Relationships, The Homeboy Industries model, and the Credible Messenger model to achieve these goals. The mentor will help the youth identify areas for growth, set positive goals, and discover interests in positive, pro-social activities. The Mentor will also help coordinate, and supervise students with Community Service hours at local organizations. The YJI program will work hand-in-hand with the SPARK (Student Pathways to Adventure Resilience and Knowledge) after-school and summer program staff to help referred youth get involved in healthy pro-social activities.
Requirements
Essential Functions and Responsibilities
Job Type: Part time hourly
Wages: $17-20/hour
Reports To: At Risk and Adjudicated Youth and Family Support Specialist
Job Description:
The primary role of the YJI Mentor is to build relationships with, and mentor youth who have been referred to the Youth Justice Innovations program. The goal of this program is to help youth who are involved in the justice system understand what actions led them to their referral and help them learn new skills and strategies to avoid criminal behavior in the future. The mentor will use evidence-based strategies, such as Carey Guides, as well as evidence-informed strategies such as Developmental Relationships, The Homeboy Industries model, and the Credible Messenger model to achieve these goals. The mentor will help the youth identify areas for growth, set positive goals, and discover interests in positive, pro-social activities. The Mentor will also help coordinate, and supervise students with Community Service hours at local organizations. The YJI program will work hand-in-hand with the SPARK (Student Pathways to Adventure Resilience and Knowledge) after-school and summer program staff to help referred youth get involved in healthy pro-social activities.
Requirements
- A high school diploma
- A minimum of one year of previous experience working with adolescents or lived experience in the juvenile justice system.
- A degree in education, social work, or other related field is preferred.
- Individuals with lived experience in the juvenile or adult justice system are encouraged to apply.
Essential Functions and Responsibilities
- Work one-on-one with referred youth to promote positive behaviors and interactions with staff as well as other youth and community members.
- Collaborate with the SPARK program and SPARK mentors to help youth connect with pro-social activities and opportunities
- Respond to the individual needs of youth and establish stable and consistent relationships with each child and their families/caregivers.
- Create and maintain a log for youth justice check-in to ensure compliance with court orders.
- Relay information related to compliance; progress; etc to the assigned social workers regularly and as often as necessary.
- Provide necessary Carey Skills Guides/assignments/tasks to youth as identified by the assigned social worker and ensure completion.
- Utilize positive strategies to support the social and emotional development of all youth.
- Report on a regular basis to Youth Justice innovations grant coordinator regarding issues of need and/or concern.
- Lead activities and provide mentoring at SPARK when scheduling allows.
- Demonstrate unwavering belief in the capacity of all youth to succeed, and a passion for advocating for the most disadvantaged and marginalized.
- Demonstrate the ability to interact effectively with people of diverse backgrounds and different identity groups by being sensitive, appreciative, respectful, and responsive to beliefs, practices, and cultural needs that are different from your own.
- Understand the prevalence and impact of childhood trauma and respond to youth behaviors accordingly.
- Consider the full context of each youth’s living and family situation and provide support, referrals and community connections for that youth and their family when appropriate.
- Approach challenging behaviors with a restorative rather than punitive mindset.
- Help referred youth see their engagement with YJI as an opportunity rather than a punishment.
- Be willing to grow and learn in this role, which includes seeking out training and new skills to become more effective.
- Have a track record of punctuality, reliability, meeting deadlines, and successful execution of projects.
- Must be able to work independently and complete tasks timely and thoroughly.
To Apply
If you have questions before applying, feel free to call Scott Griffiths at 715.255.0509
Send your resume and a cover letter explaining why you are excited to become a youth mentor and tell us a little about what lights you up to scott@lightyourspark.org
Don't have a resume?
Text or email us a video of your self.
Tell us why you'd be excited to be a youth mentor and tell us, "What lights YOU up?"
~or~ fill out a job application at this link:
If you have questions before applying, feel free to call Scott Griffiths at 715.255.0509
Send your resume and a cover letter explaining why you are excited to become a youth mentor and tell us a little about what lights you up to scott@lightyourspark.org
Don't have a resume?
Text or email us a video of your self.
Tell us why you'd be excited to be a youth mentor and tell us, "What lights YOU up?"
~or~ fill out a job application at this link: