Maker VISTA at Computers4Kids

Description

Computers4Kids (C4K) seeks a full-time Maker VISTA to serve as a Project Coordinator. VISTA members make a year-long, full-time commitment to serve at C4K. In return for service, the VISTA member will receive federally sponsored benefits and may be eligible for an education award upon completion of service.

Since 2001, C4K has provided a creative and safe out-of-school learning environment where young people from low income communities work with adult mentors to explore their own ideas, develop new skills, and build confidence in themselves through the use of technology. This position represents an extraordinary opportunity for an individual to gain nonprofit capacity building experience while helping grow an established program within a well-respected Charlottesville non-profit organization with a track record for providing high quality, award-winning programming for underserved youth.

The Maker VISTA Project is focused on transforming education for youth disadvantaged by poverty. As a Project Coordinator, your work onsite will impact C4K and the greater community through partnership development, volunteer facilitation, community building, resource creation, educator training, and much more. Maker Ed’s mission is to create more opportunities for all young people to develop confidence, creativity, and interest in learning as a whole through making.

Maker VISTA responsibilities:

• Promote maker education, culture, and practice within C4K.
• Collaborate with C4K staff to plan making activities and create an implementation plan.
• Test maker activities prior to implementation.
• Facilitate maker activities training for C4K staff and mentors.
• Assist in procuring materials, through donations when possible.
• Document and share making activities in an ongoing record.
• Support Maker Ed in its mission to create more opportunities for all young people to develop confidence, creativity, and interest in science, technology, engineering, math, art, and learning as a whole through making.
• Support Maker Education Initiative (Maker Ed) in identifying best practices and disseminating Maker Education messaging, materials, and resources which help organizations nationwide that engage youth disadvantaged by poverty in making activities.
• Meet with members of Maker Ed’s staff and partners to learn of other program offerings and initiatives such as Maker Corps or the Open Portfolio Project that may align with subsite.
• Serve as a critical contributor to continuous improvement efforts by providing on­ the­ ground feedback that optimizes Maker Ed’s effectiveness.

Skills Required

Desired qualifications, skills, and experience:

• A passion for learning and helping others to learn.
• Experience in an informal learning environment.
• Making experience.
• Able to balance clear well-bounded tasks with tasks that have no external deadline.
• Able to work in an out-of-school educational setting (busy, loud, unpredictable, etc).
• Interpersonal skills, including an ability to get along with people of diverse backgrounds and ability to make people feel welcome and included.
• Experience working with youth, in particular low-income youth from underserved neighborhoods.

Work Schedule

Must be able to work evenings.

Additional Info

Express your interest and apply now! Learn more at http://makered.org/maker-vista/joinus/ and click on the links to apply.