At United Way of Salt Lake, we care passionately about the success of children. When challenges arise in our schools and communities, we rally and bring people together to transform current systems so our children can reach for the stars.
To make this happen, we need your help! We are looking for passionate, like-minded individuals to join our Grassroots Leadership team to ensure that families and community voices can lead the charge in transforming our communities. To do this, we meet families where they are, and organize opportunities for them to have a seat at the table and take the lead.
Joining our Grassroots Leadership team, you will serve as a Grassroots Leadership Organizer. This is a paid fellowship—a training and practice program lasting from July 2019 - June 2020. We aim to find aspiring community organizers who live, breathe, and intimately know the neighborhoods and communities of South Salt Lake and Kearns. If you are committed to your community and are willing to go the extra-mile to drive social change, this is the opportunity for you!
- Come up with out-of-the-box ideas to get parents more involved in what’s happening at their schools and in their children’s education
- Reach and recruit parents at schools, community centers, faith communities, and other gathering sites in our neighborhoods to participate in leadership opportunities
- Plan and run events to improve family participation and community leadership
- Interpret for parents from your language community
- Design and translate fliers to promote events and initiatives
- Make phone calls to parents and other groups, to build relationships and to recruit them to your initiatives
- Keep a log and record your interactions with parents in the community
- Attend partner and community meetings, and help by taking notes, preparing agendas, and participate in discussions
- Perform public presentations
- Grow as a person, as a professional, and as a leader in your language community
- You intimately understand the unique struggles of parents and families from migrant backgrounds and you are emotionally invested in improving their lives
- When you witness a problem in your community, you tend to take the lead and do something about it
- You are no stranger to potlucks, meetings, or events - you enjoy organizing them
- You love meeting new people, making them feel at home, and building rich relationships
- You know the value of paying attention to the little details such as remembering people’s names, and following up with people
- You are aware and grounded in your own experience when sharing with others, able to connect your own personal story into why the work is important
- You are organized, accountable for your work, keep your own calendar, show up on time and ready to help
- You actively seek feedback, reflect on your work, and want to develop your craft as a community organizer
WHAT WE REQUIRE
- You speak fluently both English and either one of the following languages: Spanish, Arabic, Somali, Swahili, Nepali, or any other languages spoken by migrant communities in Utah
- You have some experience in organizing events, meetings, or initiatives
- You can write professional emails, and use computers to log information
- You make this fellowship a priority for the 12 month duration
- A paid fellowship at $15 per hour, around 15 hours a week, for 12 months (ends in June 2020)
- Flexibility in terms of when you work, as long as you maintain 15 hours a week, and are available at times and days of the week when parents are available to meet
- Trainings in community organizing, meeting facilitation, event planning, deep canvassing, and leadership development
- Thoughtful and consistent coaching and mentoring