Hybrid College Access Coach, Richmond Hill High School bei South Asian Youth Action (SAYA)

College Access Coach, Richmond Hill High School (Part-Time, 10 hrs per week)

South Asian Youth Action (SAYA)

South Asian Youth Action (SAYA) is committed to providing its employees opportunities for growth in a supportive community environment. With a flexible schedule and generous benefits package, SAYA provides its employees a healthy work-life balance in a youth development nonprofit.

SAYA: Belong. Grow. Thrive.

Organization Description

South Asian Youth Action (SAYA) is an inclusive, South Asian-focused 501(c)3 youth development organization. Through our innovative, holistic approach, we work toward educational equity by providing opportunities and resources to less privileged New York City youth, ensuring they are empowered academically, emotionally, and socially to become engaged community members.

Established in 1996, SAYA provides valuable life skills and holistic, impactful programming to underserved New York City youth. As one of the first South Asian organizations created in the United States, SAYA is the only organization of its kind in the NYC metropolitan area providing inclusive and secular comprehensive youth development services while centering our community’s experiences. Today, SAYA provides programming at eleven elementary, middle, and high schools in Queens and Brooklyn, along with our Elmhurst-based community center - serving a growing number of youths across all sites each year.

A key tenet of our work is cultivating vital social and emotional learning (SEL) skills such as belonging, confidence, and self-efficacy through intentionally designed, research-based curricula. Across our organization, services tailored for different age groups include leadership and identity development, academic support that bridges learning gaps, comprehensive college preparation, and activities that nurture creativity and build positive peer connections.

NYC Community Schools Initiative

The NYC Community Schools Initiative is aimed at bridging students, families, and communities with comprehensive social, emotional, and academic support to achieve successful student outcomes. At Richmond Hill High School (RHHS), these desired outcomes include: increased attendance and student engagement; greater connectedness to adults and peers; development of social and emotional skills; greater access to mental health resources; improved academic performance; improved school culture and climate; increased family engagement; and greater collaboration among community partners and school administration.

Reports to: SAYA RHHS Community School Director

Responsibilities:

Post-secondary Support

• Work at the school approximately 10-15 hours/week from September – June (44 weeks)

• Assist students in: researching post-secondary options, navigating college and financial aid applications, exploring trade-school and other options, engaging in outreach with post-secondary institutions

• Track daily student progress using Google Spreadsheet, MS-Excel, & various databases

• Engage in consistent weekly outreach with students and families regarding progress of applications and upcoming workshops, events, and trips

• Plan and facilitate workshops with students, staff, and families centering topics on: navigating post-secondary options, understanding college and financial aid applications, applying for opportunity and specialized programs; building resumes, letter of recommendations, and other topics as assigned and needed

• Attend periodic professional development both in-school and off-site with SAYA, RHHS, and partner organizations

• Build relationships with college representatives and post-secondary institutions

• Support SAYA RHHS post-secondary team in active classroom targeted outreach

• Collaborate with SAYA Center on organization-wide college-based programs and activities

• Help plan and facilitate college trips and other school-wide events related to the college process, including annual College & Career Fair and College & Financial Information nights;

• Attend weekly meetings with supervisor and post-secondary team to review all graduating seniors’ status in the college process and identify issues where students need more support

General Program Support 

• Support in administrative and outreach items regarding general Community School initiatives, including community forums, vision screenings, community resource referrals, and more

• Assist team with day-time and afterschool clubs and events 

• Chaperone trips which may be held during school day, after school, evenings, weekends 

• Support team with photo and video documentation and developing content for social media

• Other duties as needed and assigned by the supervisor

The above is intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by this position. Other functions may be assigned, and management retains the right to add or change

the duties at any time.

 Qualifications:

• At least 1-2 years experience in and familiarity  with nonprofits and NYC public schools required

• High School diploma; current college student or college graduate preferred

• Bilingual highly preferred (Spanish, Punjabi, Arabic)

• Understanding of the obstacles students encounter in applying to and enrolling in college

• Familiarity supporting students with FAFSA, TAP, Opportunity Programs, CUNY, Common App, DREAM Act, other applications and forms for financial aid and scholarships

• Strong organizational, communication, interpersonal, team-building, and time management skills

• Highly flexible and open to feedback, with ability to manage multiple tasks in a fast-paced setting

• Excels with contingency planning, outreach and public speaking skills, and flexibility in addressing changing program needs

• Excellent proficiency in Canva and Google Suite, including Google Spreadsheet, Google Docs, Google Slides, Google Drive, Google Forms, MS-Excel

• Commitment to the frameworks of equitable college access, social justice, social-emotional learning (SEL), positive youth development, and culturally-responsive education (CRE)

• Understanding of issues facing immigrant youth, youth of color, working class, and undocumented youth in the US

• Willingness to support larger SAYA and SAYA RHHS team with various tasks as is needed, must be open to and contribute to supportive team culture across programs

Additional Information

• This position is in-person

• While we value work/life balance, due to the nature of this position, this role will sometimes require work on evenings and weekends. Must be able to work occasional early mornings, evenings, and weekends between September 2025- June 2026.

• Must be available from the hours of 8am-4pm at least 4 days a week during the school year; schedule is subject to change depending on program needs during summer

• Must be available and comfortable traveling with students and/or families from school location to other schools/organizations as needed

• Must be comfortable with periodic commute and occasional transfer of items between school and SAYA central office, and other designated locations as assigned or as is needed

Compensation:

$22-25 an hour

SAYA is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Employer.