Program Director, California Youth Leadership Corps

The Community Learning Partnership is a national network of community change studies certificate and degree programs – based at community colleges and public four-year universities. These dynamic programs partner with social justice organizations and community leaders to prepare low-income students and students of color to become community organizers and young leaders who can effect transformative change with and for their local communities. 

In 2021, CLP collaborated with its California state partners to launch the California Youth Leadership Corps (CYLC), a statewide partnership focused on expanding learn-and-earn community change career pathways at selected community colleges. CYLC is designed to serve historically marginalized youth – particularly young people of color, young people living in poverty, Opportunity Youth and immigrant youth. CYLC offers young people pathways to postsecondary educational pathways; fellowship stipends of up to $10,000; scholarships of up to $5,000; and community change careers. 

Through partnerships with community colleges and community-based organizations, CYLC-CLP works to expand community change career pathways in the areas of leadership and social change, public and community health, clean energy planning and development, community planning and economic development, community leadership, environmental justice, community-based immigration legal services, and related fields.

Key Responsibilities

The CYLC Program Director will collaborate with the Executive Director and the CYLC Team to advance CYLC’s mission and goals. The CYLC Program Director will oversee a group of CYLC partnerships with community college teams and community-based training partners/organizations and have responsibility for carrying out day-to-day operations in support of CLP-CYLC’s mission and goals, working under the direction of the CLP-CYLC Executive Director and with the CYLC Team. Responsibilities include the following:

Responsibilities related to expanding and sustaining the CYLC Statewide initiative:

• Work closely with the Executive Director and other CYLC Program staff to oversee, manage, and support the development and expansion of CYLC community change learn-and-earn community change career pathways in California.
• Work closely with the Executive Director and CYLC Program staff to create a plan for CYLC expansion and sustainability. 
• Support CYLC community college teams in developing and managing key components of CYLC career pathway program: academic programming, student recruitment, robust academic and social-emotional supports, student fellowships, program management and evaluation, mentoring, leadership development/enrichment activities, and career services.
• Conduct visits to CYLC programs; maintain collegial relationships with CYLC teams and community partners.
• Under the direction of the Executive Director, review and execute contracts, MOUs, agreements, and program budget.
• Work closely with the Executive Director to develop funding proposals to secure public and private funding for expansion and sustainability; write grant reports.  

Responsibilities related to supporting partner programs to build their capacity:

• Identify training and technical assistance needs of CYLC programs. Co-lead statewide trainings for CYLC programs with other CYLC team members. 
• Provide ongoing Technical Assistance to CYLC programs, including both community college partners and community-based organization partners. 
• Identify resources needed by CYLC programs and manage a distribution list providing educational materials and resources. 
• Develop deep knowledge and understanding of community organizing and issue campaigns engaging marginalized communities; develop strong relationships with community organizers, advocates, nonprofit leaders, and coalitions to identify community needs.
• Work with Executive Director, CYLC program staff, and consultants to develop community organizing and advocacy curriculum models, toolkits for new CYLC sites, and trainings designed to support CYLC sites in building out their community change career pathways.
• Work with Executive Director and other CYLC program staff and consultants to organize meetings, convenings, trainings, leadership development and enrichment activities and events for CYLC programs.

Responsibilities related to collaborating with other CLP staff, Board and network:

• Collaborate with Communications Manager to design, draft, and review content related to CYLC programs, including capturing student stories on CYLC microsite, program toolkits and promotional materials, content for social media channels, videos, media kits, blogs, newsletters, and other communication tools. 
• Collaborate with CLP national staff to further develop program management, data collection and evaluation tools, and processes for uplifting impact of CYLC.
• Make presentations about CYLC to CLP board members, funding partners, and partner organizations, and other interested parties.
• Attend CLP board meetings and participate in CLP Network working groups and convenings.
• Attend regional and national conferences and partner convenings to share best practices of the CYLC model.  
• Collaborate with the CLP network and staff to build CYLC student and alumni network. 
• Respond to requests for information in a timely manner. 
• Perform other tasks as assigned.

Desired Qualifications and Competencies

• At least 5 – 8 years of experience in nonprofit advocacy, community organizing, civic engagement, or other comparable/related experience, including experience leading comparable initiatives in or with community colleges or four-year public institutions.
• A passion for community organizing, advocacy, and movement building. 
• Knowledge of social justice issues and the organizing landscape in Southern California.
• A commitment or understanding of how to develop community change career pathways in a community college or community-based setting is preferred, but not required. 
• Experience in designing, planning, or managing impactful educational programs, leadership development, and work-based learning opportunities for marginalized youth and young adults in a college or community-based setting.
• A Bachelor’s degree, preferably in political science, social sciences, Ethnic Studies, or a related field.
• A demonstrated track record in working with marginalized youth and young adults, particularly youth of color, immigrant youth, Opportunity Youth, young people living in poverty, and youth who have been impacted by the criminal legal system.
• A steadfast commitment to improving the lives of marginalized immigrant communities. 
• Knowledge of immigration and language justice issues is strongly preferred, but not required.
• Bilingual: fluency in a language other than English is a plus, including languages spoken by indigenous immigrant communities from México and Central America, as well as other refugee and immigrant populations in need of affordable, community-based immigration legal services and language interpretation. 
• Knowledge and ability to work cooperatively with a variety of constituencies. 
• Strong interpersonal skills, as well as verbal and written communication skills.
• Team player with the ability to work both independently and in close collaboration with others.
• Attention to detail, organized, and able to meet deadlines with simultaneous projects.
• Strong leadership and a commitment to CYLC’s mission and values is a must. 
• A strategic thinker and creative problem solver.
• Must reside in Southern California.