Bilingual Community Organizer, Teach our Children

Organization Description

Under the fiscal sponsorship of Third Sector New England, Teach Our Children (TOC) was founded in January 2006 by two parents and a community organizer. Located in New Haven, Conn., TOC is a parent-led community organization whose mission is to ensure that we as parents are truly involved with education policy and decision-making and rightfully acknowledged as critical participants in the success of our school system.

Through developing members, leaders, and issue campaigns, and engaging in direct action community organizing, TOC facilitates the ownership and participation of low and moderate income New Haven parents in the process of school improvement to bring about positive results in the school district as well as transformative personal growth in parents.

Organization History

• Secured improvements in school policies and procedures regarding suspension, discipline and bullying through a direct action public meeting with the superintendent of schools, meeting with school officials and action at school board meetings
• Successfully amended policy changes that threatened to limit parents’ and the public’s access to schools and ability to participate in school board meetings
• Secured the enforcement of a textbook take-home policy and initiated a campaign to reinstate recess at elementary schools
• Trained as parent leaders in community organizing in order for parents to lead all areas of TOC’s work
• Built membership of over 450 parents through neighborhood and school outreach and one-on-one relational meetings
• Created a board of directors made up of parent leaders
• Raised $150,000 for FY09 from local, regional and national foundations and individual donors

Responsibilities of Bilingual Community Organizer

In July 2008, TOC began an initiative to fully include Spanish-speaking parents in the effort to dramatically improve New Haven’s public school system. After two months of school and neighborhood outreach and house meetings, TOC’s new Spanish-speaking parent leaders identified a serious and urgent need: better access to translation services in NHPS. Through these democratic issue prioritizing sessions, parents initiated their first issue campaign.

The role of the community organizer is to build off of this effort and create the arena for effective education organizing by identifying, training, supporting and challenging low and moderate income Spanish-speaking parents as they build the power of the organization and its members.

Under the supervision of the organizing director, and working out of TOC’s office in New Haven, Conn., the bilingual community organizer is responsible for developing TOC’s three main areas of activity in partnership with Spanish-speaking parent leaders:

• Membership development includes parent leaders and staff conducting school dismissal outreach at elementary and middle schools, conducting door-to-door outreach to low and moderate income parents, and meeting with local organizations. 
• Leadership development includes parent leaders facilitating meetings with members and with funders, acquiring organizing skills through training, and serving on the Leadership Team (Board of Directors).
• Issue campaign development includes parent leaders and staff conducting issue-specific research and communicating with allies, and parent leaders meeting with school officials and garnering press coverage.

Qualifications and Special Requirements

• Dedication to integrity and accountability
• Ability and willingness to work some evenings and weekends
• Bilingual fluency (Spanish and English, both written and oral)
• At least one year of community organizing experience, training, or related community or organizing work
• Significant skills in and commitment to developing the leadership of low and moderate income individuals
• Excellent organizational skills and ability to set and achieve multiple goals

Salary & Benefits

Starting annualized salary of $35,000 including paid vacation and holidays; full health coverage including sick days; paid mileage for work-related travel.

To Apply

Applications by email strongly encouraged. Please send resume, cover letter and list of three references to toc@jobs.tsne.org.

Start date negotiable, between November 1, 2008 and January 1, 2009.

Applications by mail to:
TSNE, NonProfit Center
89 South Street
Boston, MA  02111

Fax: 617.523.2070

Third Sector New England/Teach Our Children is an AA/EOE employer.

Purser, Boston Family BoatBuilding

Organization Description

A fiscally sponsored project of Third Sector New England (TSNE), Boston Family BoatBuilding brings real world experiences and academic skills together to excite students about learning through a year-round schedule of experiential learning opportunities.

In the fall, we offer sailing and students learn how to chart a course and find their location while on the water to practice basic map and compass reading skills. In the winter, we build boats and students learn math by drawing a boat full size on the floor from a scale drawing. This builds critical spatial thinking skills as we use the two-dimensional drawing to create a three-dimensional object. In the spring, our oral history interviews and primary source research provides engaging material for reading and writing assignments. In the summer we build boats with families to continue our effort to provide students and their families with new learning opportunities.

Position Summary

The individual in this position will work closely with Boston Family BoatBuilding’s director on all aspects of fundraising efforts and will have major responsibility for coordinating and implementing the organization’s fundraising effort.

Essential Job Functions

Responsible for all basic tasks related to fundraising for the organization. This work includes, but is not limited to:

• Provide director with regular updates on the progress towards meeting essential job functions/fundraising goals.
• Maintain, update and revise the existing funding source data base with assistance from AGM and director.
• Develop a work plan/proposal submission calendar based on funding source database.
• Draft, review, revise and finalize funding applications and requests.
• Provide an ongoing analysis and updates of the program budget.
• Research new funding sources, both foundations and individuals.
• Provide the timely follow up to funder inquiries and information requests.
• Assist director in communication with existing funders.
• Plan and coordinate periodic updates to the organization’s website.
• Assist director with planning and carrying out year-end activities.

Qualifications

• Requires a minimum of 3 years of experience in fundraising, with documented success
• Good communication skills, both written and oral
• Highly motivated, organized, detail-oriented and able to work independently
• Ability to manage and track activities using Microsoft Office software
• Experience in the Boston Public Schools a plus
• Marketing experience a plus

To Apply

Applications by email strongly encouraged. Please send resume to: BFB@jobs.tsne.org.

Applications by mail to:
TSNE, Attn: Employment Manager
NonProfit Center
89 South Street
Boston, MA  02111

or by Fax to: 617.523.2070

Third Sector New England/Boston Family Boat Building is an AA/EOE employer.