Youth Leadership Coordinator

The mission of the Jewish Council on Urban Affairs (JCUA) is to combat poverty, racism, and antisemitism in partnership with Chicago’s diverse communities. Inspired by Jewish values, we organize a Jewish constituency to collaborate with communities directly impacted by systemic oppression to advance racial and economic justice. Our work includes four central program areas: 1) Issue-based Campaigns and Community Organizing; 2) Youth Organizing and Engagement; 3) Community Development, and 4) Advancing and Elevating Racial Equity. To achieve our mission, JCUA develops and mobilizes a base of individuals and institutions within the Jewish community who become engaged as members, leaders, donors, and participants in campaigns, activities, and programs.

ABOUT ISSUE-BASED CAMPAIGNS & COMMUNITY ORGANIZING

Using a community organizing model, JCUA has built relationships and stood in solidarity with communities directly affected by poverty and discrimination for six decades. In the past, our work has focused on a variety of issues including civil rights, public housing, police brutality, immigration reform, and worker rights — all with a focus on correcting systemic injustice in our city and region. Today, JCUA continues to pursue social and economic justice by mobilizing our members to work as powerful partners with organizations and in coalition on pressing issues in Chicago and Illinois. Our active members comprise an internal leadership core that informs our work, develops organizing campaign strategies, and actively carries out JCUA’s work to win campaigns and bring about systemic change.

ABOUT YOUTH ENGAGEMENT

JCUA has run youth engagement programs for two specific age groups — the Or Tzedek High School Organizing Internship program and the JCUA Organizing Fellowship for Young Adults — as well as our Youth Organizing Caucus for high school students.

JCUA’s Or Tzedek program was redesigned in 2019 to become an academic year long community organizing training program for high school students in the Chicagoland area and to train them on the root causes of social inequality, gain community organizing skills, and strengthen their Jewish identities through hands-on engagement in critical local and statewide social justice issues. Now in its sixth year, the program engages approximately 20 students each year, and has contributed to building JCUA’s power and impact in our campaign work.

Outside of the Or Tzedek program, high school students are organized through the Youth Organizing Caucus, a youth liaison structure to each of JCUA’s committees, a summer leadership intensive internship program, and affinity spaces for Jewish Youth of Color and Queer Youth.

JCUA’s College Organizing Fellowship has been on hiatus since September of 2023. While we have no plans to bring this program back for the 2024-2025 school year, we are looking to have someone fill this position who could be interested in creating a structure to support our organizing work with college students and other young adults in the Chicago area in the future.

ABOUT THE POSITION

JCUA seeks a Youth Organizer to develop programming and support youth participation in JCUA’s organizing work. The person in this role is responsible for all aspects of program development and implementation of the Or Tzedek program, including: recruitment, budgeting, curriculum development and facilitation, collaborating with trainers, and scheduling of dates. In addition, the Youth Organizer will be responsible for supporting youth engagement in JCUA’s work through our Youth Organizing Caucus, the leadership development of youth liaisons, and youth affinity spaces. Or Tzedek programming (along with much of JCUA’s youth programming) takes place on Sunday afternoons and weekday evenings. The person in this position must be able to navigate a flexible schedule that often includes weekend and evening hours.

Although we do not currently have a formal structure to channel college student involvement (see note above about the College Organizing Fellowship being on hiatus), the person in this role will be expected to support the involvement of previously engaged and interested college students and young adults.

JCUA is a small dynamic organization where the staff is highly collaborative and committed to supporting each other’s work and goals. This position will report directly to the Director of Organizing. In addition to oversight and implementation of JCUA’s youth organizing, the person in this role will be a core member of JCUA’s organizing team along with JCUA’s community organizers. As part of the organizing team, they will both help lead and support the issue campaign and base building work carried out by the team. They will be expected to participate in the creation and facilitation of trainings and leadership development initiatives pertaining to JCUA’s membership at large. JCUA works to bring a racial equity framework to all of the organization’s work.

SPECIFIC RESPONSIBILITIES

● Facilitate programming for Jewish high school students on identity and privilege, systemic oppression, intersectionality, community organizing, and local issue campaigns.

● Design and implement new curricula on the above topics (and beyond) to support program and organizational growth. This may include working with fellow staff to develop and facilitate training in racial justice and community organizing concepts & methodology.

● Take the lead role in recruitment for the Or Tzedek program to ensure a solid cohort at the start of each academic year program.

● Coordinate with organizing staff to facilitate opportunities for high school students and young adults to play a meaningful role in organizing campaigns.

● Alongside Youth Liaisons, work towards greater high school leadership in JCUA’s committees. Facilitate regular youth liaison meetings and work with youth to lead regular Youth Organizing Caucus meetings and events.

● Lead summer leadership intensive internship program for interested high school students.

● Cultivate relationships with participants to support their engagement and leadership development.

● Build relationships with JCUA’s Congregation Partners and other Jewish and social justice professionals and community members (including but not limited to clergy, educators, organizers, lay leaders, staff at colleges and universities) to recruit for programs and strengthen community engagement with JCUA.

● Assist staff in fundraising and resource development when appropriate; complete funding proposals and applications for JCUA’s youth programs in partnership with JCUA’s Development team.

GENERAL RESPONSIBILITIES

● Serve as an ambassador and public spokesperson for JCUA in Jewish community settings and in the larger community.

● Serve as a resource for framing and promoting our work from a Jewish lens.

● Assist with fundraising and development objectives when needed.

● Assist with JCUA programming when needed/requested.

● Support the efforts of JCUA’s sibling organization, JCUA Votes, according to the election cycle.

● Other duties as assigned.

ESSENTIAL QUALIFICATIONS/SKILLS

● Clear understanding of root causes of social inequality and social justice through a Jewish lens

● Strong desire to work for social justice and connecting it to Jewish values; understanding of root-cause analysis of structural discrimination.

● Experience with formal and informal youth programming & teaching; passion for working with youth.

● Ability to work weekends and evenings as needed (note: much of the youth programming and recruitment takes place on evenings and weekends).

● Basic computer skills, including Google Suite.

● Proficiency using online social media platforms.

● Strong listening, communication, and interpersonal skills, with ability to forge new relationships and foster existing ones.

● Excellent oral and written communication skills, including public speaking and presentation abilities.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS/SKILLS

● Knowledge of Jewish communal life and the Chicago area.

● Strong writer, good communicator, comfortable with public speaking.

● Knowledge of basic community organizing principles and organizing as a method for social change.

● Experience facilitating Racial Justice and Antisemitism training and education.

● Well organized, ability to oversee multiple projects, and comfortable in diverse settings.

● Track record of creative program planning and implementation.

● Regular access to a car and valid driver’s license for transporting program participants, transporting supplies, and general fieldwork.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

● Able to work on a computer, including sitting at a desk, for extended periods of time, with or without reasonable accommodation.

● Able to see or read a computer screen and printed material with or without vision aids.

● Able to speak clearly and in audible tones on the phone and in person and be understood by others.

● Able to hear and understand speech at normal levels in person and on the telephone.

● Able to understand and follow oral and written instructions.

● Able to occasionally lift objects weighing up to 10 pounds.

● Able to stand and walk for extended periods of time for the purposes of door-to-door and cluster canvassing, with or without reasonable accommodations.

BENEFITS

● Salary range is $50-55k, commensurate with experience.

● Medical, dental, and vision coverage.

● Retirement matching program.

● Generous days off including two weeks of paid vacation (with an increase over time), sick leave, and major Jewish holidays. JCUA closes at 1:00 on alternate Fridays in an effort to promote a healthier work/life balance.

● Flex and comp time available to balance evening/weekend scheduling.

● A supportive work environment with people committed to bringing out the best in each other and to advancing positive social change.

● This position is a bargaining unit position at JCUA, represented by SEIU Local 73.

LOCATION

JCUA is located in Ravenswood neighborhood of Chicago. Staff currently work two days in the office per week, with additional days remote optional. This policy is subject to change.

HOW TO APPLY

The Jewish Council on Urban Affairs believes that personnel diversity is an organizational strength, and recognizes and values the intersecting identities that staff members bring to our organization. People of color are strongly encouraged to apply. JCUA is committed to providing equal employment consideration without discrimination on the basis of race, gender, disability, religion, national origin, marital status, sexual orientation, or any other protected status. Candidates should be willing to work within the Jewish community but do not need to be Jewish for this position.

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis beginning the first week of August. To apply, please email resume and cover letter to jobs@jcua.org.