Education Success VISTA

Job Title

Education Success VISTA

Position Type

Full-Time VISTA position – One Year Term

Reports To

Instructional Services Manager

Supervises

N/A

Eligible for: 

Paid time off (vacation, sick, personal leave, holiday) based on personnel policies.

Type of Position: 

___    Full-time

___    Part-time

___    Contractor

_X_     VISTA

___    AmeriCorps

Position Status:

___    Non-Exempt (overtime must be approved in advance)

___Exempt

_X_ Living Wage Designation

Hours:

40 hours per week

(1.0 FTE) or unless otherwise specified in individual personnel file; occasional night and/or weekend work.

Organization 

Youth Conservation Corps (YCC) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that mentors and empowers young adults ages 16-24 years to succeed through education and training in life skills, career pathways, and environmental stewardship.

Job Summary

Under the supervision of the Instructional Services Manager, the Education Success VISTA member will strengthen YCC’s educational capacity by building sustainable, data-informed systems for academic assessment, remediation, and instructional support. The member will develop tools to identify literacy and numeracy gaps, design structured remediation pathways, and improve progress monitoring practices. They will also create staff training resources, reporting systems, and external partnerships that will increase continuous improvement and long-term program sustainability. These efforts will improve academic outcomes and credential attainment, and expand pathways to education and employment, helping participants achieve economic stability and break the cycle of poverty beyond the service term.

Primary Responsibilities

• Develop and implement data-driven education systems to assess, monitor, and improve participant literacy and numeracy outcomes.
• Analyze educational assessment data to identify trends, baseline levels, skill gaps, and opportunities to improve measurable skill gains.
• Design and standardize assessment and reporting tools, including data dashboards, tracking templates, and progress monitoring systems for instructional staff.
• Identify key literacy and numeracy gaps and develop actionable, data-informed recommendations to support participant advancement.
• Research and integrate evidence-based instructional strategies and alternative education models to enhance program effectiveness.
• Establish centralized systems for organizing assessment data, instructional resources, and reporting materials to support program sustainability and accessibility.
• Design and implement a multi-tiered academic remediation framework that supports individualized and differentiated instruction.
• Develop individualized learning pathway templates aligned with diploma/GED attainment, credential goals, and measurable benchmarks.
• Create implementation tools and protocols (e.g., guides, checklists, instructional routines) to ensure consistency and fidelity across staff.
• Build and maintain progress monitoring systems to track participant outcomes and inform instructional adjustments.
• Develop and deliver staff training and professional development on assessment practices, data use, and instructional best practices.
• Integrate data collection and reporting systems into program operations to support continuous improvement and decision-making.
• Produce regular reports and trend analyses to inform leadership, program planning, and strategy.
• Cultivate and manage partnerships with community organizations (e.g., tutoring providers, libraries, colleges) to expand academic support resources for participants.
• Participate in staff development opportunities to enhance teaching strategies and methods.
• Additional administrative support activities as assigned. 
• Performs special projects and other related duties as assigned.

Essential Functions

• Strong organizational skills
• Strong attention to detail and ability to plan ahead and meet strict timelines
• Ability to work under pressure
• Strong administrative skills
• Self- motivated and ability to work independently
• Interpersonal skills with strong written and verbal communication
• Positive, collaborative team player
• Solid skills in Microsoft Office 

Organizational Relationships

Supervised by:  Instructional Services Manager

Supervises: N/A

Internal:  All departmental personnel that are employed by YCC.

External:  Members, Department of Labor, IL YouthBuild Coalition, YouthBuild USA, AmeriCorps VISTA, general public, job centers, employment centers, regulatory and licensing agencies, county, state and federal representatives and all organizations that interact with YCC.

Professional Background and Qualifications

Education

A minimum of associate degree in sociology, psychology, education or related field or associated life experiences. 

Experience

• A minimum of two years working with youth (16 -24 years old) preferred.
• Successful completion of criminal background checks, including but not limited to fingerprinting, National Sex Offender Public Website (NSOPW) and state police background check.

Skills and Capabilities

• Ability to read, write and communicate effectively in English
• Ability to manage multiple competing priorities
• Ability to work cooperatively within a multi-program, multi-grant funded environment
• Ability to communicate clearly and professionally, both orally and in writing 
• Ability to work independently, maintaining strong attention to detail and managing workload
• Strong skills in Microsoft Office platform 
• Ability to work with others and contribute to a culture of teamwork.

Physical Abilities

• Ability to lift and/or move at least 10 pounds using proper body mechanics
• Visual acuity to read a computer screen and other documents
• Ability to utilize a telephone and respond to callers

Additional Duties

• Develop an understanding of YouthBuild and AmeriCorps programs and philosophy and be able to effectively communicate that to potential members and their families.
• Participate in recruitment activities and assist in answering questions regarding the YCC programs.
• Actively participate in organization and program staff meetings. 
• Establish collaborative relationships with members of the program staff team to ensure that employment documentation needs are met.
• Maintain confidentiality of member information as it relates to the program. 
• Demonstrate respect for all members.

Youth Conservation Corps does not discriminate in employment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy and gender identity), national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, membership in an employee organization, retaliation, parental status, military service, or other non-merit factor.