Commonwealth Corps Service Position Description

Peer Health Exchange Commonwealth Corps Health Educator

The mission of the Commonwealth Corps service internship program is to engage Massachusetts residents of all ages and backgrounds in service to strengthen communities, address unmet community needs, and increase volunteerism.

Commonwealth Corps members with Peer Health Exchange (PHE) will serve 10.5 months in a full-time capacity. What they have in common is a desire to put their talents and ideas to use in the service of their communities and the Commonwealth.

The mission of PHE is to empower young people with the knowledge, skills, and resources to make healthy decisions, especially with regard to their mental health, sexual health, and substance use. Peer Health Exchange develops culturally affirming, inclusive health curriculum and trains college volunteers to deliver it in partner high schools in , Lynn, Malden, and Chelsea, providing to many young people who would not receive it otherwise. PHE seeks three Commonwealth Corps members who will teach health education workshops; in addition, each member will have their own project focus, such as supporting the development of a youth advisory board (YAB) or coordinating delivery of an out-of-school time (OST) program.

Responsibilities: Essential • Complete a minimum of 1,500 hours of service, serving through June 27, 2020 • Attend all required Commonwealth Corps trainings and service events held by MSA (minimum of 6 total, post orientation) and PHE, including a new member orientation on August 15 & 16, 2019 • Participate in a minimum of 1 hour of MSA-related activities each week (in person or virtually) • Meet weekly with other members of the Boston Program Team to plan, evaluate, and participate in program initiatives, including volunteer management and support, program delivery and assessment, and team-building activities • Deliver PHE workshops 2-3 times a week to young people during the school day in one of our partner high schools (average class size of 26 students) or after school in one of our community-based partner agencies (average class size of 12 young people) • Lead additional project, with support of the Boston Program Team, in areas such as: o YAB: Recruit, develop/lead trainings for, and manage a biweekly youth advisory board for up to 10 young people o OST: Recruit and coordinate with partner organizations to facilitate OST programming based on PHE’s curriculum Marginal • Attend and/or lead occasional PHE volunteer trainings on select weekday evenings and weekends • Represent PHE at community events, such as health fairs, volunteer recruitment initiatives, and other events with community partners and high schools

Qualifications: Required • Massachusetts residency and legal authorization to work in the • 18 years of age or older • Experience with or interest in volunteerism and community engagement • Ability to balance service commitment with other family/work/school/community commitments in a sustainable way • 2 to 3 years’ experience working with young people in a volunteer or professional capacity Preferred • Experience or interest in health education or public health • Familiarity with youth leadership development, trauma-informed, and harm reduction approaches • Knowledge of the Boston Public School system • Experience with the Microsoft Office suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook)

Member Benefits: • Stipend of $750 or every other week while in service, up to $15,750 or minus taxes and withholdings; • Health insurance (individual coverage only); • Completion award of up to $2,500 upon successful completion of service, minus taxes and withholdings; • Training and other professional development opportunities; • Limited reimbursement for travel to Corps-wide MSA-sponsored activities; • Limited travel reimbursement from their host site for certain service-related travel away from their usual service location, according to that agency's policies; • The opportunity for at least 10 days of planned absences (may include holidays); and • Opportunity to join with others with a common sense of purpose as part of the Commonwealth Corps service internship program. Please note that receipt of these stipends/benefits may impact an individual’s eligibility for certain public benefits.

Term of Service: • Position Start Date: August 15, 2019 • Position End Date: June 27, 2020 • Service commitment will average 38-40 hours per week, typically between the hours of 8am-4pm. Hours may change to 11am-7pm one to two days a week depending on program schedule.

Application Instructions: • Please submit your resume and cover letter telling us why you are interested in joining our team by June 14th via PHE's website. If you have specific interest in the YAB or OST roles, please indicate that in your cover letter.

Accepted members will be required to undergo a criminal offender and sexual offender background check.

Peer Health Exchange will recruit and select persons in all positions to ensure a diverse and inclusive climate without regard to race, religion, sex, , age, veteran status, color, political affiliation, creed, national origin, marital status, or any other status as protected by federal, state, and local laws. Peer Health Exchange welcomes applications from individuals with disabilities and will make reasonable accommodations for interviews and for service upon request.