Park Avenue Youth & Family Services

POSITION DESCRIPTION

Associate Director, Internet Cafe

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Position: Internet Café Associate DirectorProgram:  Community Technology Empowerment Project

Partner Agency: Park Avenue Youth & Family Services

Location(s): 3400 Park Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55407

Name of Site Supervisor and Title:  Tessa Trepp, Director                

CTEP Program Description:

The AmeriCorps Community Technology Empowerment Project (CTEP) bridges the “digital divide” for new Immigrants and low-income communities in Minneapolis and St. Paul. Join AmeriCorps CTEP and help make the information age accessible to all.  CTEP is a project of Saint Paul Neighborhood Network (SPNN).

Site History and Mission

The mission of Park Avenue Youth & Family Services is to build up and support urban youth and families in the Minneapolis community. For 25 years, Park Avenue has provided services and growth opportunities, including a free legal clinic, free health care, middle school science enrichment, an Internet Café, and an after-school tutoring program.

Tronix Team, a program of Park Avenue Youth & Family Services, brings challenging and exciting projects to urban middle school youth, nurturing future engineers, scientists and educators. We create the desire, education, and skills that children need to pursue science and education careers. Recently, Tronix Team expanded our program to serve students across the Twin Cities.

The Internet Café was established due to a growing need to generate computer literacy in the community. Consisting of 26 computers, the Café is open to community members wishing to train for the workplace, search for employment, attain a GED, and use the Internet. Youth are also encouraged to use the computer center for educational games and the Internet, preparing them for success in school. The primary impact is in the development of relationships with the children, youth, and families in the community through computer usage.

Preferred Site Schedule for Member

Mondays - Fridays, 12-8

In addition, members attend professional development days with their fellow CTEP members to enhance service-readiness skills, personal attributes at the service site, and citizenship skills.  These Corps days take place twice a month on the 1st and 3rd Fridays from 9 AM to 4 PM, and these trainings are mandatory.  Members also attend statewide AmeriCorps events, such as the Martin Luther King Day celebration, and/or serve on the statewide InterCorps Council.

Essential Functions:

  • Recruit and train volunteers from the community to supervise and teach classes in the Internet Café.
  • Develop curricula for computer classes (Skill building, Microsoft Office, typing, employment search, accessing school information, educational games, Internet).
  • Supervise the Café when volunteers are unavailable.
  • Schedule volunteers and classes for the Café.
  • Advertise computer classes within the community.
  • Maintain Tronix Team supplies through ordering and donations.
  • Schedule new after-school sites and maintain old partnerships.
  • Coordinate instructors and volunteers for Tronix Team sessions.
  • Supervise City of Minneapolis high school interns (STEP UP program) and Junior Instructors for Tronix Team.

Minimal Functions:

  • Teach Tronix Team sessions when instructors are unavailable.
  • Help Tronix Team instructors prepare for sessions in the workshop.
  • Track contracts.
  • Data entry of Tronix Team and Internet Café surveys.

Required Qualifications:

  • At least 17 years old.
  • U.S. citizenship, naturalization, or permanent residency.
  • Ability to travel within the Twin Cities.
  • High school diploma or GED (or progress toward while serving for special circumstances).
  • Basic personal computer skills (word processing, internet, email, etc.).
  • Experience working with low-income and/or recent immigrant populations, especially in education or mentoring.
  • Demonstrated organizational and leadership skills.
  • Evident developed communication skills - both orally and written.
  • Capacity to spend long periods of time at a computer
  • Ability to move up to 25 pounds.

Preferred Qualifications:

(One or more of the following are desired but not required):

  • Post-Secondary Education.
  • Bilingual in Hmong, Somali, Spanish, or other language.
  • Experience in volunteer management.
  • Advanced technology skills, especially in web design, video production, or computer applications.
  • Experience in staff training, especially technology.
  • Proven success in supervising part-time staff.
  • Knowledge of community and resources for youth and families.

Site Environment:

The CTEP member will be at Park Avenue Youth & Family Services for the majority of time and will work primarily in the Internet Café. On occasion, the CTEP member will travel to a Tronix Team session at an offsite location (library, community center, or school). Primary equipment to be used include: computers, copy machines, printers, soldering irons (for Tronix Team), and fax machines.

Service Term:

Full-time: 1700 hours. Start Sept 7, 2010; complete by Aug 31, 2011.

Members Receive:

Full-time: A living allowance (approximately $450 bi-weekly), an educational award of $5,350.00 (upon successful completion), health and dental insurance plan including reimbursement of deductible charge, child care (d.o.q) and ongoing training.

How to Apply:

Apply online at my.americorps.gov and click on “Apply to Serve” (be sure to enter 06ACHMN0010008-0 as the “Program Listing ID,” or search for the Community Technology Empowerment Project).  Contact: Joel Krogstad, joel@technologypower.org, 651.556.1384

We are committed to recruiting and engaging individuals without regard to disability, gender, race, religion or sexual orientation.  Reasonable accommodations will be made upon request.  Alternative formats of this document are also available.

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