At Youth Leadership Initiative (YLI), we’re passionate about transforming systems for young people so that they can reach their full potential and become catalysts for change. We believe young people, when equipped with confidence, self-worth, leadership and social-emotional skills, can effectively tackle the inequities directly impacting them, their family and their communities. YLI is seeking a Part-Time Program Associate to support the Afterschool Leadership Program.

The Program Associate is a key staff member of the Youth Leadership Initiative (YLI) and as such, supports the mission, strategic direction, and goals of the organization. While the Program Associate has the responsibilities identified below, this is not a comprehensive listing of all duties. The Program Associate reports directly to the Program Manager.

Key Responsibilities

This part-time position is focused primarily on co-leading youth programming and supporting core program logistics in partnership with the Program Manager and Youth Mentor team. Administrative, outreach, and evaluation support will be shared and scaled based on capacity.

• Program Support and Coordination

  • Co-design and co-facilitate weekly programming that reflects YLI’s mission of building youth power, centering youth voice, and nurturing leadership development among Black, Indigenous, and Youth of Color

  • Attend and support logistics of overnight, weekend retreats in October, February, and May

  • Support culturally relevant, trauma-informed, and engaging activities that affirms youth identities and foster their socioemotional learning, advocacy skills, and community-building practices

  • Ensure youth have access to necessary program supplies, including purchasing and preparing weekly meals and snacks that are mindful of dietary needs and cultural preferences

  • Design program materials and visuals aligned with YLI’s brand as needed

  • Accurately track program attendance and youth participation using Sprockets’ CitySpan database

  • Coordinate and troubleshoot weekly transportation for youth, including communicating with volunteer drivers and setting up ride-shares

• Community Outreach & Social Media

  • Support youth recruitment through outreach efforts at schools and community events, including email communication, tabling, and presentations

  • Manage social media channels (Instagram, Facebook) through regular published content

  • Maintain weekly communication with youth participants and families through social media, emails, and phone calls

• Event Logistics & Administration

  • Collaborate with the Program Manager and Youth Mentor team to plan and execute events and field trips

  • Support logistical needs for events, including venue coordination, transportation, supplies, and food, as needed

  • Provide administrative support for documentation, permissions, and reports as needed

• Internal Communication

  • Communicate key updates, scheduling needs, and program information to team members

Ideal Candidate

The ideal Program Associate candidate is an empathetic, organized, hands-on leader. The candidate is a collaborator, team builder and effective communicator. Previous youth and leadership development experience are crucial. While no one candidate will have all the criteria below, the ideal candidate will possess many of the following professional and personal abilities and attributes:

• Experience supporting people and program in a complex, intense and fast-moving environment

• Cross cultural competence skills and experience working with diverse communities

• Ability to take initiative, manage time and be planful

• Conflict resolution and problem-solving skills

• Ability to assess situations for safety and risk

• Ability to discern, prioritize and organize competing tasks

• Mentoring skills

• Awareness of experiential learning and reflection techniques

• Strong written and verbal communication skills

• Ability to motivate and inspire others

• Ability to work independently as well as collaboratively in a team setting

• Reliable access to car

• Comfortable traveling for community events and outreach

• Embodies core values that are centered on equity with demonstrated experience and competencies in the principles and practices of diversity, equity, inclusion and justice.

• Familiar with Canva (design) and Bloomerang (data entry)

• Available for the following times:

  • Once a month on Saturday

  • Tuesday and Thursday evenings

  • Weekend overnights: October 15th-17th, February TBD, and May TBD

Education and Experience Requirements

• 1+ years of experience in youth development, community engagement, and/or nonprofit work

Compensation and Benefits

The expected pay for this role is $20-$22 per hour. The salary for the Program Associate is based on the 2024 MN Council of Nonprofits Salary Survey ranges for Twin Cities area youth development programs and organization size.

This is a part-time nonexempt position with approximately 20 hours a week and hybrid. YLI does not have an office which means the Program Associate can work remotely, but must participate and attend youth program activities and retreats.

We value staff wellness and prioritize staff development. Benefits we offer are:

• Flexible, family-friendly work schedule that is open to creative and emergent processes.

• Full office closings in the last two weeks in December and one full week in the spring and summer.

• YLI follows an inclusive calendar of holidays that is not limited by the standard federal holidays.

• Health insurance benefits: Staff residing in Minnesota are eligible to elect health and dental insurance.

• On-the-job training and professional development resources with a minimum of $1,000.

• We are a Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program qualified employer.

How to Apply

If you are a passionate and experienced leader who is committed to helping young people reach their full potential, we encourage you to apply for the Program Associate position at YLI. We are looking for a leader who can help us achieve our mission of developing the next generation of leaders who reflect the diversity of the community to contribute their talents to create a thriving, inclusive, just and multicultural world.

Interested applicants are requested to submit a resume, cover letter, and three professional references to Haley Vien at haley@yli-mn.org by 5:00 PM on Friday, June 26th, 2026. Please use the following email subject: Application for YLI Program Associate Position.

Youth Leadership Initiative is an equal opportunity employer and proudly values diversity, equity, and inclusion. We encourage candidates of all backgrounds to apply. Veterans, women, persons of color, members of the LGBTQ+ community, individuals with disabilities (seen or unseen), people of any age or family status are strongly encouraged to apply. We encourage you to apply even if you feel like you don't fit 100% of the technical requirements.