Refugee and Asylee Mentoring Program Coordina na Journey's End Refugee Services, Inc.

Journey’s End Refugee Services, Inc.

2495 Main Street, Suite 530, Buffalo, NY 14214

Position Title: Refugee and Asylee Mentoring Program Coordinator (RAMP)

Supervisor: Senior Manager of Youth Programs 

Status: Full-time (35 hrs), hourly, non-exempt, $21-22/hour

Organizational Description:

Journey's End Refugee Services, Inc. is an equal opportunity employer and seeks to employ the best-qualified personnel without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, citizenship, age, sex, or marital status, or any other reason prohibited by law.

Journey’s End Refugee Services, Inc. is a refugee resettlement and immigration services

provider for the Western New York Region. Journey’s End works to assist newly arriving

refugees to learn English, find gainful employment and avoid dependency on social services.

Project Description:

The Refugee and Asylee Mentoring Program (RAMP) is a mentoring program designed to help refugee youth learn and adapt to American culture, while also maintaining and embracing their own heritage by matching them with adult mentors from their local community. Journey’s End will recruit, train, and provide refugee teenagers ages 15 – 17 and young adults ages 18-24 with mentors who have the skills to help them reach their full potential as young adults and ease their social and economic integration into our community. Through programs, workshops, and activities specifically designed by Journey’s End for refugee youth, RAMP addresses both the social needs and the barriers to adjusting to a new culture that refugee youth typically face. Journey’s End provides a comprehensive program which incorporates several youth development principles such as: feeling connected, safe and welcomed; enjoying multiple caring relationships with peers and adults; participating in their communities; receiving the opportunities and supports to achieve high standards of learning resulting in higher expectations of themselves; developing and enhancing their physical, cognitive, emotional and social skills with experiential learning opportunities; and being exposed to positive social norms that facilitate engagement and reduce risk-taking behaviors.

Job Description:

The Refugee and Asylee Mentoring Program Manager will be responsible for the implementation of the Refugee Mentoring Program through weekly programming, outreach, volunteer onboarding, and data tracking.  

The Refugee and Asylee Mentoring Program Manager must exemplify Journey’s End’s core values in their work. These values include intercultural responsiveness, integrity, person-centered, empowerment, and exemplary service.

Primary Responsibilities: 

• Manage the overall implementation of the Refugee and Asylee Mentoring Program at Journey’s End and Lafayette International High School 
• Assist with implementation of all promotional and educational efforts related to the program, 
• At request of Senior Program Manager , attend outreach events and speaking opportunities 
• Responsible for recruitment of participants ages 15-24 for both JERS and Lafayette programs, including parent meetings for all participants under 18 years of age, and intake meetings with all new participants
• Enrolls all new program participants, ensuring that required paperwork is complete
• Design program materials and group activities for JERS programming and Lafayette after school programming
• Oversee weekly mentoring program meetings and organize field trips and group events 
• Oversee weekly after-school programming at Lafayette 
• Provide one on one support to clients, including regular check ins, transitional support services, and referrals to additional services and service providers
• Collaborate with Volunteer Coordinator to recruit and screen volunteer mentors, then onboard mentors and match mentor pairs
• Coordinate mentoring activities, while checking in regularly with mentors and offering ongoing support, including supplemental resources and guidance 
• Create and maintain volunteer and client files
• Responsible for all data tracking required for grant reporting 
• Assist with program evaluation, acquiring participant feedback and documenting development of the mentor program 
• Assist with hosting community education events as outlined in the grant contract 
• Other duties as required.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in social work, international relations, education, or other related field. 
• Experience working in the non-profit field is highly desired, especially a demonstrated success in program management, and/or working with volunteers
• Experience in managing budgets; data collection; and overseeing mandated reporting for grants 
• Attention to detail, deadlines, and follow-through is essential
• Strong collaborative and verbal and written communication skills 
• Strong computer skills, including Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook; and experience developing marketing materials using Canva, Publisher or other publishing program)
• Some evening and weekend hours required
• Access to reliable transportation 
• Ability to lift 25 lbs
• Bilingual skills preferred, but not necessary
• Experience working with youth, refugees, or vulnerable populations a plus