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Title: Teaching Artist
Status: Part time, variable
Compensation: $65/hr for actual teaching hours
$40/hr meetings and trainings Reports to: Education Manager

Overview
Youth in Focus’ mission is to prepare the next generation of creative thinkers to meet the emerging needs of a global society, by amplifying teen voice through photography and arts education.

We believe all youth should have equitable access to quality arts education. We provide after-school, summer, and partner programs for teens aged 13-19 furthest from education justice defined as youth of color, youth facing poverty/housing insecurity, those for whom English is not their first language, and LGBTQ+ youth. We focus on Social & Emotional Learning, 21st century skills, and technical photography and digital media skills, to ensure students have the tools and confidence they need to succeed in education, life, and career. We offer pay-what-you-can tuition and free bus passes to make our programs accessible to all.

At Youth in Focus we value art as a powerful medium of change to create a healthy, vibrant, more equitable and just society for all. Through this work, we aim to confront and dismantle systemic oppression in all of its forms.

As we look to our future, Youth in Focus is committed to serving even more students furthest from education justice and continuing our work to become an anti-racist organization. Our supportive and inclusive community provides a sense of belonging and safety for youth, fostering positive connections between youth and caring adults.

We’re looking to add someone to the team who is excited to be a part of our mission and growth! We value talents as much as skills, lived experience as much as education, and if you see yourself in this role given our preferred qualifications, we strongly encourage you to apply.

YIF Program Goals
1. Safe and Supportive Environment: Create a place for youth to learn and grow where everyone feels valued and has a sense of belonging. Reinforce and model positive relationships with caring adult teachers and mentors.
2. Equitable Access to Arts Education: Forge pathways and eliminate opportunity gaps for those students furthest from educational justice.
3. 21st Century Skills: Teach creativity, collaboration, communication, critical thinking, perseverance, and growth mindset so youth are prepared to succeed and thrive in education, life, and / or career. Ensure students can name the skills they have developed and readily understand how to transfer them to other areas of their life.
4. Planning and Leadership: Involve youth voice in planning, co-creating, and facilitating activities.
5. Empathy and Tolerance: Through art and photography, inclusive dialogue, and exposure to others from diverse backgrounds, cultivate empathy and tolerance amongst youth participants to foster a healthy, vibrant, and more equitable society.

Responsibilities
Teaching Artists are responsible for creating and teaching engaging, adaptive and culturally relevant syllabi and lessons for a highly diverse student body.
● Plan and facilitate interactive, creative photography classes
● Craft opportunities for students to practice and name 21st Century skills
● Create a supportive, inclusive and safe environment for youth
● Lead critique and constructive discussions surrounding student work
● Hands on demonstrations in a variety of photographic disciplines
● Lesson planning that coincides with our quarterly goals and expectations
● Present diverse reference materials to illustrate lessons and ideas
● Technical Support/Troubleshooting of equipment including: cameras, software,
computers, etc
● Facilitation of group activities that encourage bonding, friendship, teamwork and
collaboration.

Preferred Qualifications/Skills:
● Experience teaching, specifically with youth
● Practicing commercial and/or fine art photographer
● Advanced Digital and/or Darkroom photography skills
● Advanced understanding of Lightroom/Photoshop
● Ability to explain and illustrate technical and artistic concepts to youth
● Proficiency with Social Emotional Learning (SEL) and Trauma Informed Care
● Comfortable with teenage youth, able to develop mutual trust with a diverse student
body
● *First aid/CPR certification

Teaching opportunities beginning in January 2023
This position requires in-person work with staff and students at the Youth in Focus office and at our partner organizations. In order to keep our communities safe we are continuing to ask all staff and students to mask at our Youth in Focus office.

Teaching Opportunities May Include:
● Weekly In-Person Partner programs, 1-2 hours per week (1-2 hours session), dates and times variable
● Bi-weekly after school programs, 5 hours per week (2.5 hours/session; M/W or T/TH 4:30-7:00pm)
TAs are paid the teacher rate ($65/hr) for actual teaching hours (we do not pay additional hours for preparation and planning, as that has been factored into the teaching rate). We also pay the meeting rate ($40/hr) for mandatory training sessions and approved meetings. In addition, TAs are reimbursed mileage for off-site programs and meetings if over 5 miles one-way. TAs are not reimbursed for mileage or travel time to the Youth in Focus office.

TO APPLY
Please submit a resume and answer the following two questions (as a pdf file) to taraf@youthinfocus.org, with the email subject “Teaching Artist”. Finalists will be asked for references.

Please answer the following questions as part of your application:
1) Which of our values resonates with you and how would you work to uphold this value in the classroom?
2) How will your professional and/or lived experience contribute to Youth in Focus’ commitment to creating a supportive and inclusive environment for youth furthest from education justice?

The deadline for application is January 15th, 2023 or until the position is filled. We will contact you if you are invited to an initial conversation; we cannot commit to responding to inquiries regarding the status of your application.

Because this position works directly with youth, candidates must successfully pass a criminal history background check (free of convictions of crimes against children and vulnerable adults. Other convictions may not preclude you from employment.)

Youth in Focus is an equal opportunity employer that values a diverse workplace and an inclusive culture. We encourage applications from all qualified individuals including people of color, women, persons with disabilities, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer individuals.

https://youthinfocus.org/teachingartist-opportunities

Opportunity Website

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