Tuesday, May 28, 2019

Egan Office Graduate Student Positions

I am writing to you regarding a special opportunity for graduate students interested in working in some of Chicago’s most vibrant but under-resourced communities. The Egan Office needs five to six  graduate students to fill School-Community Coordinator positions for 2019-20. These Coordinators are based in communities and serve as connectors—communities to resources, people to people, institutions and organizations to community, and communities to other communities. Former School Community Coordinators have described their experiences in communities as unique, highly fulfilling and invaluable in determining their professional and personal goals. Spanish speakers are especially needed in several communities!

Graduate students who have a passion for equity and social justice in communities will gain experience and skills in areas such as asset-based community engagement; countering inequity; an anti-bias approach to community building, organizing and development; institutional and systems change; education policy and practice in the context of community; parent/family/women’s leadership in communities; public policy and financing; the intersection of gentrification and segregation in housing and schools; the sustainable neighborhood community school model; and more.

Please post and share the attached flyer widely. If you know of a graduate student(s) who would benefit from such an experience, please encourage them to apply and contact me directly. The enclosed job description contains more details.

As always, we appreciate your ongoing support of our work in Chicago communities!

In solidarity!
Lourdes

Lourdes Mercedes Sullivan, 
Assistant Director
Egan Center for Urban Education and 
Community Partnerships
Student Center, Room 306
(773) 325-8963 (office)
(773) 953-0474 (cell)

The Egan Office
for Urban Education and Community Partnerships
at the Steans Center for Community-based Service Learning

JOB DESCRIPTION
Title:
School-Community Coordinator
Campus:   
Lincoln Park/Off-Campus
Starting Salary:
$14.00 - $15.00
Hours:
25 hours per week

Schedule:
Mostly daytime hours; some evening & weekend work
Position Starts:
Early-August through June, 2020; must be available to work for the entire 2019-20 school year
Commitment:
Two or more years of commitment to the position highly preferred.
Other Requirements:
Availability to attend weekly mandatory staff meetings (day to be determined) and tutor meetings (held on Fridays from 10:00-12:00).

About The Egan Office: The Egan Office believes that schools are important community institutions that can contribute to and benefit from an asset-based approach to community building and development. The Egan School-Community Coordinator is a community service work-study position for graduate students to serve in Chicago’s most under-resourced schools by facilitating sustainable partnership development and resource acquisition, and providing oversight and support to DePaul tutors assigned to the school.

POSITION SUMMARY:
Egan School-Community Coordinators work with Egan Office staff to promote understanding of and commitment to the social justice vision, mission and operational principles of what we call the “Egan Way” through modeling and through development of opportunities for study, reflection, dialogue, and praxis. In schools, school-community coordinators are key in developing positive, sustainable and mutually beneficial relationships among school, community and university partners. Schools are viewed systemically and are always understood within the context of their community and its development.

Egan School-Community Coordinators have four primary roles: (1) Promote an asset-based approach to identifying community resources—developing relationships; facilitating sustainable partnerships and promoting collective work on community-defined goals; (2) connecting school partners with university and community resources and; and; (3) supporting the work and learning of a team of DePaul undergraduates who work within the schools; and, (4) assisting in planning, monitoring and implementing various program components and projects.

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES:
I.        Promoting an Asset-based Approach to School-Community Development: (4-5 hours per week)
a.       Become immersed in the asset-based approach to community development and other critical theories and principles of the “Egan Way” through participation in regular professional development opportunities; through self-education (ongoing reading, discussion, etc.); and through praxis—ongoing practice using those models and principles and regular reflection on the efficacy of the practices and the need for ongoing improvement.
b.       Facilitate the implementation of a preliminary and ongoing asset-mapping process both within the school and within the community
c.       Develop strong knowledge of community and university resources by identifying and building relationships with diverse peoples, implementing asset-mapping strategies and doing research to better understand the unique history, assets and needs of your school and its community
d.       Collect and analyze data and key documents on both the school partner and the community

e.       Document all interactions, resources identified, and other observations and reflect in dialogue with others on how they may contribute within the school and community
f.        Develop and maintain strong relationships with people from all constituent groups  (principals/ administration, teachers, students, parents, community residents and leaders, and school staff) through on-site participation in school and community meetings and timely communication, in order to effectively learn about the community’s and school’s strengths, goals and needs and build mutual trust
g.       Promote relationship–building among all stakeholders by ensuring that people have opportunities to get to know and work with each other; by eliminating any obstacles to participation; and by both formal and informal training, coaching and networking with others
h.       Promote the development of effective groups, associations and councils that determine their own agendas, purposes, goals, vision/mission, principles and practices
i.         Ensure inclusive participation of all stakeholders having their voices heard in planning, decision-making, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of partnerships, programs and projects
j.         Other specialized practices as needed.

II.       Partnership Facilitation (4-5 hours per week): In collaboration with school and community partners,
    1. Provide consultation, modeling and facilitate training among diverse constituents to build inclusive and effective partnerships committed to school and community development
    2. Ensure that all of the components of our work are carried out in a respectful, reciprocal, sustainable and highly professional manner that adds value and addresses real school and community needs
    3. Develop strong knowledge of community and university resources, build relationships and facilitate partnerships
    4. Provide support for all community and school constituents (especially those that are most disenfranchised) to identify and use their own strengths/assets, set their own goals and priorities, and direct the processes involved.

III.     Support for Team of Tutor-Mentors (8-10 hours):
a.       Manage the relationships among school partners, community partners, Egan tutor-mentors and other DePaul staff by ensuring excellent communication, problem-solving and by taking initiative to address the needs of all stakeholders
b.      Serve as the on-site supervisor for Egan tutor-mentors and reinforce high levels of professionalism and excellence in tutoring and mentoring through individual coaching, knowledge and resource sharing and mutual support
c.       Assist in developing and facilitating Egan staff and program meetings and events including weekly school-community coordinator meetings, planning and facilitating weekly tutor meetings and attending ad hoc meetings as needed
d.      Assist in developing and implementing professional development and other learning opportunities for the purposes of community-building, reflection, and discussion about social justice issues and practices
e.      Support students in balancing work, study and other responsibilities and intervene with information and referrals to additional resources whenever necessary
f.        Promote community-building and a safe space for dialogue among tutors and among all Egan staff.


g.       Maintain administrative policies and procedures as needed including assisting with attendance monitoring, performance assessment and implementation of student employee disciplinary procedures
h.      Assist with on campus student recruitment, hiring and onboarding activities as needed

IV.    Program Planning and Development (5-9 hours):
a.       Contribute to ongoing & long-term program planning, implementation, monitoring and assessment of Egan programs and initiatives
b.      Communicate and collaborate effectively with Egan, Steans Center and other University staff
c.       Effectively document, file and share program updates on progress, successes and challenges in your work and contribute to data gathering and reporting
d.      Contribute to scholarship and publicity about our school-based efforts, Egan and the Steans Center
e.      Serve on special committees or task forces to accomplish short terms goals, initiate new projects and other needs.

V.      Other duties as assigned.


QUALIFICATIONS/REQUIREMENTS:
a.       Must be federal work-study eligible.  Please contact DePaul Central to make sure you are eligible.
b.       Graduate student with graduate level work in education &/or social justice related field preferred
c.       Demonstrated knowledge of and commitment to equity and social justice in schools and/or community
d.       Evidence of ability to learn from and develop positive relationships with people from diverse backgrounds and perspectives
e.       Must be able to work well both independently and as a team member
f.        Evidence of excellent written/verbal communication skills, problem-solving skills and interpersonal skills
g.       Demonstrated evidence of flexibility, creativity and overall professional demeanor including timeliness, organizational skills, taking initiative, and excellent attendance and follow-through
h.       Experience working with schools and/or community-based organizations preferred
i.         Experience working with, leading and/or supervising college students preferred
j.         Experience with schools, tutoring, literacy, community-building, community organizing, program development and/or child development preferred
k.       Must be willing to use public transportation as necessary; current driver’s license and willingness to drive a personal vehicle and/or a University van preferred
l.         Ability to use Microsoft Office Word, Outlook, & PowerPoint and familiarity with social media preferred.


To apply, please visit the Campus Job Board.

For more information, please contact Sol Logsdon at slogsdon@depaul.edu.


Hiring NOW    for 2019-20!

Graduate Student Positions


The Egan Office of Urban Education and Community Partnerships offers community-based positions for graduate students interested in careers in community work and/or the public or nonprofit sectors. Depending on the length of your graduate program, positions may last for several years giving you an opportunity to become truly immersed in a specific community! Both PhD and Master’s students are welcome to apply. Scholarships and work-study jobs are available. Starting compensation is equivalent to $14 to $16 per hour.

Graduate students engage in and learn from by working directly with people who live and work in under-resourced communities in their efforts toward sustainable, transformative change and equity for all. Among the skills and knowledge students can gain are the following:

Ø  Community-building, organizing & planning…
Ø  Asset-based community development…
Ø  Relationship- and network-building…
Ø  Building & sustaining strong partnerships…
Ø  Supporting grassroots leaders…
Ø  Using community funds of knowledge…
Ø  Restorative practices in communities, schools and as alternatives to incarceration…
Ø  Collaborative leadership, shared decision-making and co-management…
Ø  Coalition-building across group differences...
Ø  Text Box:  

The Egan Office for Urban Education and Community Partnerships     
Program development & event planning
Ø  Accessing & using community profiles and data…
Ø  Participatory action research
Ø  Identifying and acquiring needed resources…
Ø  Power analysis in schools, institutions & communities…
Ø  Impact analysis of policies and practices…
Ø  Addressing bias based on race, gender, sexuality, religion, language, culture, etc. …
Ø  Addressing bias within yourself and others…
Ø  Understanding educational policy & practice in the context of community…








For more information: Lourdes Sullivan: lsulli17@depaul.edu                 Come visit us in the Student Center, Room 306
or online at steans.depaul.edu/egan