AmeriCorps Member New Jersey -1200 hours

Apply to be an AmeriCorps Playworks Coach today to change the lives of kids in your community tomorrow!  https://www.playworks.org/about/careers/americorps/

At Playworks, we believe in the power of play to bring out the best in every kid. We create a place for every kid on the playground to get active, build valuable skills, connect, and have fun. We partner with schools, districts, and after-school programs to provide a service or mix of services, including on-site coaches, professional training for school staff who support recess, and consultative partnerships.

Playworks Coaches are AmeriCorps members. As an AmeriCorps member, you will join nearly 300,000 other members and over one million alumni nationally who have committed their time and talents to strengthen communities. Partnership organizations, like Playworks, engage with AmeriCorps members to improve the communities they serve.

How you’ll make an impact:

• Create a safe and welcoming recess on the playground by being a caring role model to ensure that every kid plays every day.
• Implement a youth leadership program by providing student leadership opportunities at recess and facilitating training for a cohort of students before or after school.
• Lead individual classes to build youth leadership skills, promote cooperation, and introduce new games that kids can play on the playground, including the rules and boundaries.
• Enlist and coach students in interscholastic/developmental sports leagues that might include basketball, volleyball, or soccer.
• Design and implement a community event during the year that engages students’ families at the school site.
• Recruit and coordinate volunteers who will join you at recess to strengthen the school climate.
• Develop a strong school culture by influencing, motivating, and building rapport with faculty, administrators, parents, and volunteers.
• Participate in national days of service and some weekend service projects in the greater community.
• Flex your administrative muscles to organize program schedules, track your hours, and collect and enter important program data.

Essential Qualifications

• Be at least 18 years of age 
• US Citizenship or Permanent Resident status
• High school diploma or equivalent
• Commitment to fulfilling your entire term of service with the ability to serve your scheduled hours consistently- this term of service requires a minimum of 1200 hours over the remaining school year (typically to June), participation in a minimum of one (1) National Days of Service, as well as ongoing required trainings and professional development
• Experience leading or teaching groups of children with the ability to engage and inspire youth
• Must be an organized self-starter exhibiting good judgment with the flexibility to adapt to shifting priorities and demands
• Experience using technology required to input program data and communicate with other team members- we use Salesforce and Google products
• Deep commitment to national and community service as demonstrated through volunteerism or other service work
• Experience interacting with communities and the ability to integrate into an existing school community
• Ongoing access to reliable transportation to and from your assigned school site
• Criminal history background checks are conducted on all AmeriCorps members when an offer is made. Your term of service is always contingent upon satisfactory completion of a background check. The results of state and FBI criminal history background checks and national sexual offender checks through the National Sex Offender Public Registry Website (NSOPW) are considered
• .Successful completion of a Tuberculosis (TB) test and CPR and First Aid certification upon hire

Benefits of being an AmeriCorps member at Playworks:

• A modest monthly living stipend between $3,200 and $3,500 paid out semi-monthly. The contract is contingent upon the award of federal funds.
• Medical health insurance for member at no cost.Access to Dental and Vision insurance at a low cost.Monthly gas and technology allowance.$6,895 Education award that can be used for eligible student loans, tuition, and other education-related expenses after successful completion of your service year. See more information here-www.nationalservice.gov/programs/americorps/alumni/segal-americorps-education-award
• Child care expense reimbursement if you qualify- see www.americorpschildcare.com.
• Enrollment a