Youth Initiatives Coordinator

Reports to: Manager of Youth Initiatives
Salary: 50-60K
The National Institute for Reproductive Health (NIRH) builds power at the state and local level to change public policy, galvanize public support, and normalize women’s decisions about abortion and contraception. Using a partnership model, we provide state and local advocates with strategic guidance, hands-on support, and funding to create national change from the ground up. We are a force multiplier – we form strategic partnerships with a wide range of organizations to directly impact the reproductive health and lives of women across the country. Since 2008, NIRH has provided direct grants and hands-on support to more than 150 organizations in 39 states, including in 56 localities, across the country. In 2018, NIRH’s partnerships and its work in New York State and City span 23 states, including 13 localities.
The National Institute for Reproductive Health Action Fund, with associated PAC’s and IEC, conducts nonpartisan advocacy and electoral engagement to advance reproductive health, rights and justice in states and cities across the country.
Program Overview
TORCH® is a nationally recognized peer education program for Black and Brown youth in New York City that combines sexual and reproductive health/rights/justice education with leadership and youth organizing training. Operating through a Reproductive Justice framework, the program incorporates youth-driven initiatives and fosters strong community partnerships to support the next generation of the sexual and reproductive justice movement through education, organizing, and community care and support.
After a rigorous training program provided by staff and interns, TORCH® peer leaders share their knowledge with other young people by facilitating workshops around New York City on topics such as healthy adolescent relationships, contraception, abortion, identity and orientation, self-image and self-esteem, reproductive justice, pleasure and more. Through the Leadership and Community Action initiative TORCH® peer leaders learn the basics of community organizing and put their skills to action by developing a campaign of their choosing to work on throughout the year. Additionally, TORCH® staff present regularly at national conferences on the necessity of representation, intersectional feminism and reproductive justice in comprehensive sexuality education (CSE) specifically when working with young people of marginalized identities and experiences.
Position: TORCH seeks to hire a dynamic Youth Initiatives Coordinator with extensive experience in developing and implementing youth programs, youth organizing and services that support the livelihood of Black and Brown youth in NYC.
Primary Responsibilities:
The Youth Initiatives Coordinator will work closely with the Manager of Youth Initiatives to support the development, supervision and implementation of the TORCH program, as described below: .

  1. Outreach and scheduling of TORCH workshops and services in the community.

TORCH peer leaders have built a reputation for keeping it real, delivering culturally relevant sex education and being amazing leaders in their communities. Youth Initiatives Coordinator will support this important work by building and strengthening our relationships in the community with schools, community based organizations, after school programs, young people etc. They will schedule a minimum of 20 youth led workshops throughout the school year, so that our peer leaders can continue to shine and share this important work with other young people.

  1. Development and Supervision of Leadership and Community Action Project

The Leadership and Community Action Project was successfully piloted in 2017. Through this project, youth participants learn the fundamentals of community organizing and campaign building, as well as work on deepening their understanding of the reproductive justice movement that encompasses all justice issues. Youth Initiatives Coordinator will supervise and facilitate the completion of this project throughout the school year and will work directly with youth participants in building their campaigns and organizing around issues that matter most to them.

  1. Curriculum Design, Development and Training

Youth Initiatives Coordinator will work collaboratively with TORCH staff on curriculum revisions, new curriculum design and development. Additionally, they will co-lead with Manager of Youth Initiatives, the training of newer staff, interns and peer leaders.

  1. Supervision of program staff and interns

Youth Initiatives Coordinator will provide general support and supervision to program staff, per diem staff and interns.

  1. General Administrative Support

Youth Initiatives Coordinator will work closely with Manager of Youth Initiatives in ensuring that all necessary documentation, i.e invoices, receipts, sign-in sheets, agendas etc.  is collected and organized. They will support in program report writing, evaluation and other administrative tasks as needed.
Desired Skills and Experience

  • Experience developing and facilitating sexual and reproductive health/rights/justice and leadership workshops/ trainings to Black and Brown youth, preferably in NYC or other cities comparable in size, demographics and facing similar disparities.
  • Experience supervising and supporting Black and Brown staff through an equity, anti-oppressive lens.
  • Alignment with TORCH’s mission and a strong commitment to the Movement for Black Lives, intersectional-queer feminism, political education and social justice, including but not limited to:
    • Reproductive justice
    • Transformative/Restorative Justice and accountability
    • Black queer liberation and the motivation to organize young people around these issues as well as others affecting them and their communities.
  • Commitment to openness, transparency and accountability.
  • Compassionate, is self-motivated, and detail oriented.
  • Has excellent organizational skills manages time effectively and has the ability to multi-task.

To Apply:
Please email your resume and a thoughtful cover letter to [email protected]  with “Youth Initiatives Coordinator” in the subject line. No phone calls please.
The National Institute for Reproductive Health is an equal opportunity employer. NIRH strives to build and support an equitable work community that attracts, develops, and retains exceptional people. As a member of the reproductive freedom movement, NIRH aims to foster leadership and raise the voices of historically marginalized people, including but not limited to Black people and people of color, indigenous/native peoples, LGBTQ and gender non-conforming people, disabled/differently abled people, and low income people. We strongly encourage candidates of these and other diverse backgrounds to apply.