AmeriCorps Summer Youth Creativity Specialist

Position Summary

AmeriCorps - Youth Literacy Specialist

• April 13th, 2026 - July 25th, 2026
• April 27th, 2026 - August 8th, 2026

300 Hours Contract - Minimum of 23 hours/week

Compensation: Living Allowance Total: $3,900 ($520.00 every 2 weeks over 15 weeks) + Education Award: $1,565.08*

Closing Date: Open until filled

AmeriCorps is a national service program that takes a different approach to improve lives and foster civic engagement. AmeriCorps Members commit their time to address critical community needs.  In Dubuque, AmeriCorps Members serve at the intersection of education and mental health to help youth understand their emotions, reactions, and relationships through social-emotional learning to improve academic, career, and social success. City of Dubuque AmeriCorps Members implement a key skill-building program to have the following impacts:

1. Youth experience programs promoting healthy lifestyles resulting in decreased youth risk-related behaviors. 
2. Youth development skills to build meaningful and healthy relationships while experiencing being valued and respected.
3. Providing every young person with the opportunity to grow up safely and access their best possible future.

The AmeriCorps Summer Youth Creativity Specialist serves Bluff Strokes Art Center under the guidance and supervision of the Executive Director. This position's goal is to provide Dubuque's youth with community connections, healthy opportunities, and engaging high-quality art activities focused on Arts & Culture. This vital role involves creating partnerships to reach more youth, including those who have been historically excluded, developing and implementing programs, and evaluating their impact. The Summer Youth Creativity Specialist focuses on helping youth find their unique, creative expression, helping them navigate their personal development meaningfully through art. This position will support the implementation of programming for youth, build relationships with disadvantaged youth and their families, create community with other youth and adult art makers, and create sustainable support systems within the community.

Benefits:

• Education Award received upon successful completion of their term of service.
• Living Allowance
• Student loan forbearance and interest payments for eligible loans

Physical Requirements: 

• Walk and carry materials up and downsteps.
• Stand and walk for extended periods oftime.
• Lift 30 pounds.
• Bend,squatand kneel.

Desired Skills/Qualifications:

• Exhibit experience and/or interest to become competent in working with at-risk youth, teenaged youth, and communities facing barriers.
• Strongart,organizational,and logistical coordinator skills. Clear andtimelycommunicateorwithteachers,studentsyouth, and families.
• Willingness to learn and grow, particularly in building confidence in group leadership.
• Applicant must have reliable transportation. 
• Applicant must be creative, energetic, dependable and a self-starterwith attention to detail.

Eligibility Criteria:

• Must have a high school diploma or equivalent OR agree to obtain one while under service to the AmeriCorps Program
• Be 17 years or older at the start of service (no upper age limit).
• Pass a national service criminal history check prior to first day of service due to reoccurring access to vulnerable populations.
• Hold one of the following citizenship statuses: US citizen, US national, or Lawful Permanent Resident.

Service Schedule 

The Youth Creativity Specialist’s scheduled hours may fluctuate based on art center programming schedules.  Typical schedule: Mon - Friday: Serve flexibly between the hours of 9 am - 8 pm, with three to four days/week served during the 8 am - 5 pm timeframe, with one day from 4 pm to 8 pm; one Saturday per month from 9 am-1 pm.  Opportunities for weekend hours or special events may become available during the year. Member will serve 23 hrs per week at a minimum.

Example schedule for illustrative purposes:

• Monday: noon–4pm (3 weeks per month)
• Tuesday: 4pm-8pm
• Wednesday: 1:30pm-5:30pm
• Thursday: noon–4pm
• Friday: noon-4pm
• Saturday: 9am-1pm (1 week per month)
• Sunday: Off

Sick leave, personal leave, and holiday leave is allowed, but such time off does not count towards the required number of hours needed to successfully complete the term of service. There are additional benefits offered if the member has a compelling personal circumstance.

Disaster Deployments: Member who opt-in to be engaged in disaster deployment/activities will need to ensure availability for the term of the disaster deployments, generally 2-4 weeks.  Make plans for pets, family members, other employment and responsibilities that need regular attention.

Evaluations and Alternative Service

AmeriCorps Members are required by the program to complete Self-Evaluations. 

Mid-Term Evaluations:  At the member’s halfway point during their term of service, the member will complete a self-evaluation and their Site Supervisor will complete an evaluation on the member through America Learns. The member and site supervisor will meet, with or without Program Staff, to discuss the evaluations in-depth. These evaluations must be submitted to the AmeriCorps Program.

End-Term Evaluations:  Upon the completion of their AmeriCorps Contract, all members will complete an End-Term Evaluation through America Learns. The End-Term Evaluation must be completed, signed, and submitted to the AmeriCorps Program within 30 days of the member’s final date of service. Non-submission of this document within the 30-day timeframe will lead to the member being exited for cause (see section 9 of the Member Service Agreement) and will forfeit the member’s right to the Education Award.

Members may engage in other allowable activities that are not specifically outlined in the position description, but that support the AmeriCorps program design, and which will help the Program meet its goals. Under no circumstances will members be asked to perform prohibited activities. Volunteers recruited and/or managed by AmeriCorps members will not participate in prohibited activities as outlined in the approved grant applicant.

*AmeriCorps member will receive education award in the form of an electronic payment through my.americorpgs.gov upon the successful completion of their AmeriCorps Contract. Education award may be used to pay educational costs at eligible post-secondary educational institutions or qualified student loans. Members who are 55+ years of age can transfer award to child or grandchild under specific conditions. 

Note: AmeriCorps Members are compensated through the national AmeriCorps program and are not considered employees of the City of Dubuque.