Jumpstart Kids is the leading early childhood literacy nonprofit. For more than 30 years, we've trained caring individuals to help preschoolers build the literacy, language, and life skills they need to succeed in kindergarten and beyond. Since our founding in 1993, Jumpstart Kids has supported over 228,000 children and mobilized more than 75,000 volunteers.

Jumpstarter Position Description

ABOUT THE POSITION
Jumpstarters have the unique opportunity to inspire young children to learn, serve in a local community, collaborate with others on a team, and build professional skills. All Jumpstarters receive high quality training in order to implement Jumpstart Kids’ evidence-based program and promote children’s school success. This position serves vulnerable populations, i.e. preschool children.

JUMPSTARTER RESPONSIBILITIES
During their term of service, Jumpstarters serve 35-55 hours over one semester by fulfilling the following responsibilities:
Essential Functions
Overall
• Able to verbally communicate with peers, Jumpstart staff, children, children’s families and classroom teachers, both in person and over virtual settings.
• Able to arrange their own transportation to service site in a timely and reliable fashion.
• Able to use technology effectively to access systems and platforms for electronic documents, communications, and trainings.
 

In the classroom
• Able to interact with preschool-age children at their level and potentially with their families/teachers in a classroom with high activity and noise levels and other varying environmental conditions. Interaction includes being able to move around the classroom to participate in various activities with the children and families/teachers.
• Able to participate fully in Jumpstart programming with preschool-age children and their families/teachers – two times per week for 1.5 to 2 hours each, totaling 3 to 4 hours a week. This classroom includes a variety of activities in a consistent routine that includes reading, small and large group activities, and facilitating other learning-based activities. • Able to see both print and illustrations in order to read children’s books.
• Able to hear children and adults in order to participate in back and forth conversations.
• Able to demonstrate effective reading skills in English in order to implement Jumpstart programming. Includes reading children’s books, song charts, and materials.
• Able to demonstrate effective writing skills in English in order to implement the Jumpstart program. Includes writing children’s names and demonstrating how to write words and letters for children.
 

Outside the classroom
• Able to participate fully in an in-person kick-off training before classroom service begins.
• Able to participate fully in 30-minute weekly team huddles, which include planning, reflection, and/or training other Jumpstarers in a small group to reflect on and plan for weekly classroom activities.
• Able to participate in monthly meetings of approximately two hours.
• Able to complete 0.5 hours weekly of individual planning and preparation for Jumpstart service activities. This includes preparing children’s books for readings, practicing activity facilitation and flow, gathering/creating activity materials, and assembling family/classroom learning kits.
 

QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE
 

Dedication to early childhood education
• Experience working with young children, and/or a desire to learn more about early childhood education
• Strong language and communication skills
• Ability to communicate and collaborate with children’s families
• Willingness to learn about Jumpstart Kids’ program implementation and planning
• Willingness to implement Jumpstart Kids’ research-based curriculum with integrity
 

Commitment to service
• Community service experience and/ or a desire to serve in the community
• Ability to work with people from diverse backgrounds
• Ability to fulfill a community service commitment
• Enthusiastic and positive attitude toward helping others
 

Professionalism
• Ability to work well on a team to collaborate, communicate, and problem solve
• Desire to seek opportunities for self and team growth
• Willingness to receive and provide feedback in an effort to improve quality of one’s service in the program
• Availability, dependability, and willingness to be flexible in different contexts, such as in training, scheduling, in the classroom, with unexpected changes
• Professionalism and good judgment in relating to Jumpstart Kids’ peers, children, partners, and families
 

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS
• Potential to earn a Federal Work-Study award during term of service
• Training in the field of early childhood education
• Unique opportunity to join a national network of individuals serving young children
• Invaluable opportunity to make a difference in the lives of young children

Jumpstart for Young Children, Inc. is an Equal Opportunity Employer that does not discriminate on the basis of actual or perceived race, creed, color, religion, gender identity or expression, national origin, ancestry, citizenship status, age, disability or handicap, sex, marital or parental status, amnesty, political affiliation, veteran status, military service, sexual orientation, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state or local laws.
Consistent with the Americans with Disabilities Act, applicants should reach out to join@jstart.org to request accommodations needed to participate in the application process.