- The tools to express themselves;
- The creativity to imagine new solutions to old problems;
- The belief that youth have the right and ability to fight for those solutions;
- The skills to hold communities and public officials accountable.
Jobs
3 AmeriCorps VISTA Positions at Critical Exposure
Critical Exposure teaches youth how to use visual storytelling to
document issues they face and how to run campaigns to make change in
their schools and communities. Through partnerships with schools and
community-based organizations, we’re building a new generation of civic
leaders who have:- The tools to express themselves;
- The creativity to imagine new solutions to old problems;
- The belief that youth have the right and ability to fight for those solutions;
- The skills to hold communities and public officials accountable.
Program Team (2 positions)
ABOUT THE POSITIONCritical Exposure is hiring two (2) AmeriCorps VISTAs to join our program team. Both VISTAs will work closely with our Program Manager, Educator, and Youth Organizer, as well as one second-year Critical Exposure AmeriCorps VISTA. The VISTAs will increase the organization's capacity to better serve youth as program participants and to expand our reach to new schools and new students.
Our Program staff work to develop young people's capacities to advocate for themselves. We believe, in order for long-term, structural change to take place, that those impacted most directly by an issue must be the ones who lead the fight for solutions. This is not a position providing social services to youth, and this is not a position advocating on behalf of youth. Applicants should understand the difference between providing service and supporting youth as leaders.
RESPONSIBILITIES
- Strengthen relationships with partner schools, youth programs, and organizing and advocacy groups locally and nationally.
- Improve Critical Exposure's curriculum, lesson plans, and workshop plans by ensuring that they are accessible to different learning styles and by including new visual resources.
- Identify opportunities to reach youth who are not currently in school and bring them into our in-house programming.
- Research and implement plans for local field trips to photography, social justice, and U.S. history museums and galleries.
- Document class developments and provide updates to Critical Exposure's Program Manager and Communications staff.
- Improve outreach materials to schools to include evaluation data and appeal to potential partner schools and potential youth participants.
- Coordinate partner summit to bring together school-based administrators working to support Critical Exposure programs around the city.
- Facilitate creation of new evaluation materials in consultation with pro bono consultants from Deloitte.
- Develop train-the-trainer model for our curriculum to be used by partner organizations.
- Experience working with youth of color and/or low-income youth (ideally ages 14-21 years old).
- Strong social justice analysis and understanding of campaign/movement-building strategies.
- Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to build relationships and communicate effectively and professionally with a diverse range of people.
- Comfortable doing outreach to new contacts.
- Comfortable leading classes and facilitating workshops.
- Experience developing curricula and lesson.
- Strong written and verbal communication skills.
- Problem-solving ability (e.g. ability to recognize opportunities to strengthen the way the organization operates and to create ideas and systems to address those needs).
- Strong work ethic and sense of responsibility.
- Ability to work both independently and as part of a small team.
- Ability to be self-directed on multiple projects/deadlines simultaneously.
- Attention to detail.
- Sense of humor.
- Photography skills and knowledge.
- Advocacy and/or organizing campaign experience.
- Multimedia skills – Final Cut Pro, DSLR videography.
- Demonstrated leadership capacity.
- Exhibit design experience.
- Education justice/injustice knowledge or involvement.
- Experience working in a fast-paced office environment, working effectively under pressure.
- Empowering youth to advocate for social change.
- Developing innovative methods of helping youth to be effective advocates for specific solutions to problems impacting youth.
- The power of youth/photography/art to serve as an effective advocacy tool and to compel decision-makers to take action.
- The need to make public schools and communities more accountable to youth.
- Combating internalized, interpersonal, and institutionalized forms of oppression.
- Civic engagement as a key facet of positive youth development
The position provides a stipend of $15,840 as well as an education award or a post-service stipend upon completion of service. There are numerous other benefits associated with AmeriCorps, including travel stipends and limited health coverage. The position is a year-long, full-time commitment with a strongly encouraged, although not guaranteed, second-year extension opportunity.
HOW TO APPLY
To apply, send a cover letter and resume to hiring@criticalexposure.org by June 11th. In the subject line of your email, please note that you are applying for a “Program VISTA” position. No phone calls, please.
People of color and people from the D.C. area are strongly encouraged to apply.
Development Team (1 position)
ABOUT THE POSITIONAs a part of the Development & Communications team, this position will work with other staff to build Critical Exposure’s capacity to share our work with supporters, students and funders. VISTA members working with Critical Exposure will have the opportunity to take on significant responsibility and will be an integral part of helping to support and strengthen the organization's growth and operations. VISTAs will be encouraged to take initiative on projects addressing areas of need that they identify and will have the opportunity to work closely with Critical Exposure's five permanent staff members.
RESPONSIBILITIES
- Strengthen fundraising management systems, including research into new grantmaking areas identifying potential corporate sponsorships.
- Improve our systems for maintaining our online donor database.
- Create more efficient bookkeeping processes for working with our accountant.
- Create innovative photography exhibits and secure new exhibit venues across the city.
- Help establish a donor cultivation plan and improve the donor recognition process.
- Develop strategies for increasing our presence on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram and LinkedIn.
- Design branding and printed materials for fundraising and exhibit events.
- Plan new, small-scale events and support the coordination of our larger, annual events.
- Support general office management including developing filing system, answering the main phone line, and coordinating board meetings.
- Identify and contact new community partners and photographers.
- Strong written and verbal communication skills.
- Ability to write, proofread and edit effectively for a range of audiences.
- Ability to take constructive criticism on fundraising and writing projects.
- Knowledge of social media platforms.
- Demonstrated leadership capacity.
- Event planning experience.
- Problem-solving ability (e.g. ability to recognize opportunities to strengthen the way the organization operates and to create ideas and systems to address those needs).
- Strong work ethic and sense of responsibility.
- Ability to work both independently and as part of a small team.
- Ability to be self-directed on multiple projects/deadlines simultaneously.
- Attention to detail.
- Sense of humor.
- Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to build relationships and communicate effectively and professionally with a diverse range of people.
- Creativity.
- Comfortable doing outreach to new contacts.
- Eagerness to learn and commitment to developing new strengths.
- Desire to work hard and take on important projects, not just make copies.
- Experience working with high-school-aged youth.
- Photography skills and knowledge.
- Advocacy and/or organizing campaign experience.
- Graphic design skills – Photoshop, InDesign and Illustrator.
- Exhibit design experience.
- Education reform knowledge or involvement.
- Experience working in a fast-paced office environment, working effectively under pressure.
- Empowering youth to advocate for social change.
- Developing innovative methods of helping youth to be effective advocates for specific solutions to problems impacting youth.
- The power of youth/photography/art to serve as an effective advocacy tool and to compel decision-makers to take action.
- The need to make public schools and communities more accountable to youth.
- Combating internalized, interpersonal, and institutionalized forms of oppression.
- Civic engagement as a key facet of positive youth development
The position provides a stipend of $15,840 as well as an education award or a post-service stipend upon completion of service. There are numerous other benefits associated with AmeriCorps, including travel stipends and limited health coverage. The position is a year-long, full-time commitment with a strongly encouraged, although not guaranteed, second-year extension opportunity.
HOW TO APPLY
To join our team of passionate change-makers, please send a cover letter and resume to: hiring@criticalexposure.org by June 11th. In the body of your email, please note that you are applying for the “Development” position.
People of color and people from the D.C. area are strongly encouraged to apply.
