Mini-Newcomer Youth Academy Peer Mentor

Mini-NYSA is a four-day program focusing on preparing newcomer youth to succeed at their grade level in the New York City public school system. Up to 45 students ages 5 - 21 will participate in English Language Arts classes, social emotional learning, and a variety of extracurricular clubs. There will be a field trip on the final day. 

Peer Mentors support the students' academic and social emotional growth during the Academy. Peer Mentors will be placed with one class of students for the duration of the Academy, supporting Lead Teachers to ensure productive & enriching lessons, and serving as positive role models for youth. 

From Tuesday to Friday, all Peer Mentors work the full day (8:00am to 4:00pm) to support students in both classes and trips. All Peer Mentors must be available for training and for the entire duration of the program. No exceptions. 

Major Responsibilities: 

• Complete all staff training prior to the start of the program, as well as all program meetings and staff development activities thereafter 

• Act as a positive role model for students; model appropriate student behavior and academic engagement with the Academy students at all times 

• Uphold and promote policies and practices necessary to create a linguistically supportive, culturally responsive, trauma-informed learning environment. 

• Assist teachers and staff with classroom management, including various classroom activities, tutor students individually or in small groups at the direction of the teacher 

• Assist in supervision of daily student meals and student arrival/dismissal 

• Attend the field trip on Friday and assist teachers and staff in student supervision 

• Support students in navigating cultural differences during the school day to ensure they feel included and confident. 

• Complete post-NYSA all staff evaluation 

• Other tasks as assigned by Classroom Teachers and IRC staff 

Qualifications: 

• Minimum age: 17+ and must be at least a rising high school senior 

• Undergraduate students, Graduate students, or recent graduates, preferred 

• Residing in or near New York City with ability to travel to and from the site every day 

• Experience or strong interest in working with refugee and immigrant communities 

• Experience working with children and/or peers, preference for those with education experience 

• Punctuality, excellent time management skills, and a flexible schedule 

• Outstanding intercultural and interpersonal communication skills with demonstrated ability to work effectively with people from other cultural backgrounds 

• Ability to maintain confidentiality regarding client information 

• Excellent organizational and leadership skills 

• Strong attention to detail and ability to work with minimal supervision 

• Knowledge of classroom procedures; health and safety precautions a plus. 

• Fluency in written and spoken English required. Second language proficiency in relevant language highly desirable (preference for speakers of Ukrainian, Russian and Spanish) 

• All offers are contingent on successfully passing background and criminal history checks as required by federal and state law or by IRC policy. 

Learning Objectives: 

• Support and assist teachers and staff with various classroom management activities and academic lessons on a daily basis, helping students strengthen the skills needed for the NYC school system. 

• Understand trauma-informed education and programming 

• Help supervise and assist teachers and staff with afternoon activities and field trips on Fridays 

• Act as a positive role model for newcomer youth 

• Understand and practice methods to help students resolve conflicts and build peaceful, inclusive relationships within the classroom and beyond. 

• Adapt to the needs of a diverse, multilingual student population and apply flexible problem-solving in fast-paced, interdisciplinary settings. 

• Develop skills in and practice translation and interpretation 

This is an unpaid opportunity. Applicants are encouraged to seek out scholarships or additional funding opportunities. 

Reports to: Youth Partnership and Academic Coordinator and Youth Partnership and Academic Specialist 

Position Term:Orientation: 30-minute virtual orientation on the week of February 3rd 

Training: 2-hour training on the week of February 10^th, as per the availability of interns 

Program Dates: February 18-21^st, 8am-4pm (30 minute lunch break)

Timeline: 

Interviews and hiring occur on a rolling basis. Outreach to candidates will be within two weeks of application submission. All applications are due at 11:59pm on January 31st, 2025.