The Braille Institute is seeking Youth Programs Specialists for their Los Angeles (90029) location.

Who is Braille Institute?

Braille Institute is a non-profit organization whose mission is to positively transform the lives of those with vision loss. We offer a broad range of free programs, classes and services serving thousands of students of all ages, helping to demonstrate that vision rehabilitation is a beginning, not an end.

We serve the community from seven centers, and hundreds of community outreach locations throughout Southern California, and lead popular national programs like Braille Challenge and Cane Quest. Our staff and volunteers understand losing your vision can be scary, but we believe it is not the end of independence but a new way of living.

About the role:
Responsible for leading and coordinating programs that support youth with visual impairments, including designing semester curriculum and lesson plans; coordinating with special guests and community members to bring variety to program content; and creating calendars, agendas, and registration forms for advertising and recruitment.

• Organize day-to-day logistics and event coordination for in-person programming.
• Collaborate closely with Youth Team to create content for shared programs (virtual youth programs, parent workshops, large-scale special events).
• Establish and maintain active communication with program stakeholders (i.e. parents, teachers of the visually impaired, orientation and mobility specialists, school administrators, school districts, local agencies, vision networks, etc.).
• Conduct outreach and recruitment efforts through relationship building, workshops, and presentations to develop a strong presence within the community.
• Maintain precise records for call logs, attendance, and program reports.
• Meet with students and their families to evaluate students’ abilities and interest in programs to best meet their needs and connect them with relevant resources.
• Oversee Youth Assistants, including training, providing general work direction, and reviewing work assignments to ensure program goals are achieved.
• Collaborate with internal teams, such as National Programs, Library Services, and Marketing, for program content, events, and social media.
• Performs other duties as assigned. As the organization continues to evolve, duties or tasks may change without impacting the overall Job Description.

Knowledge and Education:

Bachelor’s degree preferred or at least five or more years of direct experience working with youth. A degree in a related field, such as psychology, social work, human development, education, etc., is preferred but not required.

Skills and Abilities:

Communication skills:

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to prepare and deliver presentations both to internal teams and external stakeholders.
• Can interact comfortably with diverse populations and professionally represent the organization.
• Spanish-speaking skills are required.

Teamwork and leadership skills:

• Experience with collaborating within a team.
• Ability to manage projects from start to finish, whether individually or collectively.
• Demonstrated success in a leadership role.

General skills:

• Strong organizational skills with attention to detail.
• Ability to think critically and prioritize work to adjust to multiple project timelines.
• Willingness to learn about eye conditions and adaptive technology to better serve students and families.
• Independent, collaborative, and solutions-oriented attitude.
• High proficiency in computer applications, including Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.

Experience:

• At least two years of experience working with youth, either in a school or extracurricular setting, is desired or comparable experience. (volunteer work or internship applies)

Certifications/licenses:

• A valid driver's license is required.
• First aid/CPR certificate is highly desired.

Work Environment: The position works in classroom environment and in the field.