This is a year-round position with opportunities to work during the day and after school

RESPONSIBILITIES

Teaching Assistants (In-person)

Taking accurate attendance
Helping to Manage the classroom both in-person & and virtually
Supporting Teaching Artist’s needs
Giving 10-minute time check to end class timely
Creating knowledge-based trivia (will use lesson plans and in-class teachings)
Capture student progress on video and photo for portfolios
Creation and facilitation of end-of-day reflections
Produce & and create a podcast with Marketing Interns
Communicating regularly with parents and guardians about student progress and inviting them to end-of-session performances.
Supporting the development of student EPK (Electronic Press Kit)
Interviewing students to feature them and their work in WBL EQ magazine, academy newsletter, or Counterbalance blog
Supporting the student onboarding process
Duties as assigned by the Academy Director/Academy Manager or Site Manager.

PROGRAM: Words Beats & Life Academy

REPORTS TO: Academy Director, Academy Manager, and Academy Teaching Artists

PURPOSE: Words Beats & Life (WBL) is building a team of energetic and results-oriented Academy Interns. The Academy Interns will work with the Executive Director, Academy Manager, and teaching artists to strengthen and execute the operating practices of the Words Beats & Life Academy. This is an excellent opportunity for someone who enjoys working semi-autonomously to gain experience in the field of non-profit management, youth development, and communications.

About Words Beats & Life, Inc.

Founded in 2002, Words Beats & Life (WBL) transforms individuals and whole communities through the core elements of hip-hop culture. At the heart of all that we do is the belief that hip-hop can serve as the necessary filter between hope and despair for the youth of the District of Columbia. WBL accomplishes its goals through two main program areas—The Words Beats & Life Academy and The Cipher. The Words Beats & Life Academy is a pre-vocational, arts-based youth development program for youth and young adults. The Cipher is a growing resource for our ever-expanding network of hip-hop-based organizations, which equips organizational leaders with the tools and experiences necessary to build sustainable communities. It is our organization’s larger mission to set a high standard in arts education and presentations for youth and emerging artists.

About the Academy

The Words Beats & Life Academy utilizes hip-hop culture as a vehicle for positive youth development to foster the engagement of a new generation of artists and scholars thereby developing the necessary hard and soft skills to support extended learning, employability, and self-actualization. At WBL, we feel that hip-hop is the ideal means for creative expression to break the cycle of hopelessness because the history and culture are rooted in the community itself. We validate the students by valuing hip-hop culture. Through the development of intergenerational relationships rooted in hip-hop culture, Academy staff work closely with the students as coaches and mentors. These relationships allow the teaching artists to share their talents and skills as a means of increasing the students cognitive, communication, and interpersonal skills. The target age group we work with is 13-22, but we do make exceptions for younger artists. WBL is committed to producing learning journeys through hip-hop that lead Academy students to succeed in our five focus areas: Skill Mastery, Employability, and Post-Secondary Education, Community, and Self Mastery. WBL currently serves 200 students at its three Academy sites in Washington, DC.

If you are ready to make a change and learn new skills, join WBL’s team as an Academy Intern to help us build out our infrastructure for a long-term, sustainable impact in DC.

POSITION QUALIFICATIONS

We are looking for candidates who possess the following skills/experiences:

Working knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite applications
Propensity to learn and use software applications; a basic understanding of database management is a must
Excellent written and oral communication skills
At minimum has completed either their sophomore or junior year of undergraduate studies.
Students earning degrees in Non-Profit Management, Business Administration, or a related field are encouraged to apply.

The ideal candidate for this position is detail-oriented and extremely organized. S/he/They will be able to demonstrate the following qualities:

Is an artist in one or more of the elements taught in the Academy
Excellent ability to work proactively and take initiative.
Strong work ethic and sense of responsibility
Eagerness to learn and committed to sharing strengths
Ability to recognize opportunities to strengthen the way the organization operates; generate ideas and create systems to address those needs
Ability to follow through on multiple projects/deadlines with minimal oversight
Creativity, resourcefulness, and a sense of humor

Knowledge of hip-hop culture, strong social justice analysis and previous experience in a non-profit setting are all pluses but are not requirements to apply.

POSITION BENEFITS

Academy Interns will gain valuable experiences and skills including:

An understanding of non-profit management and back-end procedures
An understanding of budgeting and responsible financial management
Leadership, communication, and project management skills
Upon successful completion of your internship, the Academy Director will be happy to provide valuable, personalized recommendations for you in the future.

HOURS & COMMITMENT

This is an evening position with hours between 3 pm-7 pm Monday through Friday with occasional Saturday responsibilities.

Day-to-day activities will include the following:

Supplies Inventory Management for class
Preparing students for an interview in WBL Podcast
In Class Teaching Assistants
Special Event Management
Sending Calendar Invites to students, teachers, and parents
Class evaluation
Student Enrollment
Daily Attendance Tracking
Drivers License a Major Plus
Serving Snacks
Portfolio Management (https://www.portfoliobox.net)

Words Beats & Life

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