Youth Programs Associate - 2025215
Chicago, IL
US Programs – Human Services /
Limited Term, Full-time /
On-site
Are you a person of compassion? An advocate for justice? Someone who stands up for the rights of the vulnerable and speaks out for the marginalized, the exploited and the forgotten? Do you believe in our calling as Christians to welcome the least of these and love our neighbor?
If you answered ‘yes’, to any of the above, World Relief, and millions of people around the world need you.
At this pivotal moment in time, we are rapidly expanding and growing our team to meet the increasing needs of our world. We are looking for people who want to use their gifts and talents to make a real and tangible difference in our world and the lives of the suffering.
If you’re looking for a purpose-driven career in which you can grow your talents, while also standing up for the rights of the vulnerable, we want you to join us today.
ORGANIZATION SUMMARY
World Relief is a global Christian humanitarian organization whose mission is to boldly engage the world’s greatest crises in partnership with the church. The organization was founded in the aftermath of World War II to respond to the urgent humanitarian needs of war-torn Europe. Since then, for 80 years, across 100 countries, World Relief has partnered with local churches and communities to build a world where families thrive and communities flourish.
Today, organizational programming focuses on humanitarian and disaster response, community strengthening and resilience, and refugee & immigrant services and advocacy.
POSITION SUMMARY:
The Children and Youth Services Associate will support immigrant and refugee youth (ages 0–24) and their families through school enrollment, educational support, youth programming, and community engagement. This position blends responsibilities from school enrollment and youth programming roles, ensuring a holistic approach to supporting children and young adults through after-school clubs, tutoring, summer learning, and socio-emotional development opportunities. This role coordinates with the Youth Services Coordinator and other program leads to facilitate comprehensive services that include: school enrollment and orientation, academic and social-emotional enrichment clubs, family engagement, transportation, volunteer coordination, and data reporting. The ideal candidate is passionate about working with diverse communities and thrives in fast-paced, collaborative environments.
This is a limited-term position funded through a grant agreement until June 30, 2026 and contingent upon funding extension.
ROLE & RESPONSIBILITIES:
- School Enrollment & Family Engagement
- Coordinate school enrollment for newly arrived refugee and immigrant children, including preschool and early intervention referrals.
- Provide parents with school support services, such as quarterly check-in calls and parent-teacher conference attendance.
- Communicate regularly with families via phone calls and home visits to update them on school or program participation.
- Advocate for students and families in school settings.
- Youth Program Implementation & Coordination
- Lead and implement youth clubs for young adults (ages 18–24), focusing on job readiness, career exploration, and SEL (Social Emotional Learning) in partnership with the Workforce Development team.
- Implement after-school clubs (K–12), both in-person and virtual, focused on academic support and social-emotional growth.
- Ensure safety protocols, volunteer coordination, logistics, and communication with families and schools.
- Organize and lead the summer learning program with a strong emphasis on SEL.
- Transportation & Logistics
- Organize and facilitate transportation for eligible students to/from after-school club sessions.
- Drive a 15-passenger van and coordinate/supervise intern or volunteer drivers.
- Volunteer & Intern Management
- Coordinate with the Tutor Coordinator to recruit, onboard, train, and match volunteers and interns for youth programming.
- Lead pre-club meetings and provide on-site guidance and communication for volunteers during club sessions.
- Program Administration & Reporting
- Maintain accurate client and program records, ensuring weekly attendance and case notes are up to date.
- Prepare and submit monthly reports and contribute to grant documentation.
- Formalize and improve structural procedures in response to program growth.
- Team & Community Engagement
- Participate in team meetings, training sessions, and organizational events.
- Engage in community activities as a representative of the Children & Youth Services program.
- Collaborate across departments to identify and serve newly arrived youth.
JOB REQUIREMENTS:
- Mature and personal Christian faith
- Committed to the mission, vision, and values of World Relief
- Desire to serve and empower the Church to impact vulnerable communities
- Able to affirm and/or acknowledge World Reliefs Core Beliefs, Statement of Faith, Christian Identity and National Evangelicals For the Health of The Nation document
- Valid driver’s license and ability to drive a 15-passenger van.
- Ability to work afternoon hours and participate in active youth programs.
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:
- Passion for serving immigrant and refugee children and youth.
- Strong interpersonal, communication, and organizational skills.
- Demonstrated ability to work sensitively in a cross-cultural setting.
- Familiarity with social-emotional learning frameworks.
- Self-motivated, flexible, and able to manage multiple responsibilities.
- Experience in youth programming or education strongly preferred.
- Bilingual fluency preferred (Arabic, Dari, French, Pashto, Rohingya, Spanish, Swahili, Burmese, Nepali).
- Bachelor’s degree preferred.
- Experience with Microsoft Office Suite.
$22 - $25 an hour
World Relief offers a competitive benefits package and employee discount program for full-time and part-time employees.
World Relief is honored to be recognized with the Gold-level Cigna Healthy Workforce Designation for exceeding the core components of our well-being program including leadership and culture, program foundations and execution, and whole person health.
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Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
We are proud to be an EEO/AA employer M/F/D/V. We maintain a drug-free workplace and perform pre-employment substance abuse testing.
For World Relief staff, strong commitment to the mission, vision, and values of World Relief is essential, and Christian faith is a prerequisite for employment, based upon United States federal guidelines provided in Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.