Program Manager-Youth Support Manager 102 views

SkyART is looking for a Program Manager-Youth Support Manager

About:

SkyART’s target populations are typified by their communities, where residents work hard to overcome high rates of poverty, unemployment and crime. Around SkyART Studio it is mostly a Latinx and African American neighbourhood, the most recent census data indicates that 43% of households fall below the poverty line, 20% are unemployed, and 19% have no high school diploma; the Chicago Police Department report shows that 22% of crime complaints were filed in this neighbourhood, and more than 98% of children are eligible for free or subsidized lunch as tracked by the Chicago Board of Education. One-third of this at-risk population are youth under twenty years old, a vibrant group who are eager to express themselves and develop their abilities. Dealing with the real-life impacts associated with such statistics is a challenge that we are honoured to help our young people face.

Founded by an Art Therapist, SkyART uses art to communicate, to connect and to heal. Through interdisciplinary, process-based projects, skill-building workshops and large-scale collaborations, SkyART encourages critical thinking and inspires creative expression for youth ages 4 to 24. Teaching Artists and Therapists work collaboratively with youth participants, in an atmosphere of mutual esteem and shared curiosity, through our dynamic and experimental new methodology. Art Therapy has always been a part of our programs but now, more than ever, we see the need for therapeutic interventions. We believe connecting with our youth through the arts with a trained therapist will play an instrumental role in healing and rebuilding our community.

Location: Chicago, USA

Job Type: Full-time

Benefits:

• Paid time off (PTO) allowance including two weeks’ vacation, five personal days, and five sick days per year
• Twelve paid holidays and one additional day off for your birthday
• Employee retirement account with 3% contribution from SkyART
• Health Insurance benefits with minimal cost paid by employee

Job Description:

The SkyART Youth Support Manager will work manage and train a team of expressive and art therapist, analyze program outcome measure as well as track them, supervise masters level interns and conduct individual and group therapeutic sessions. You will have a keen understanding of the realities of the pandemic, social unrest, and the increasing economic and emotional divides that affect the population we serve. You will have a deep understanding of how this affects our youth and how virtual and IRL therapy can work to address issues of isolation and trauma. You will refer to public health psychosocial guidelines during a pandemic, promoting self-care, artistic expression and inspiration, challenging stigma, securing family connections, monitoring secondary traumatic stress, developing coping and resilience, maintaining relationships, and amplifying hope.

General Program Management

• Create and implement strategies for responsive programming, both at SkyART and virtually
• Manage SkyART Project Impact including recruitment and onboarding consultants and participants
• Cultivating and maintaining a strong, consistent cohort of therapists
• Support the application of SkyART values and core philosophies across programs.
• Maintain relationships with program participants and their families
• Along with SkyART Operations Manager, regularly review contracts, revise schedules, and attend to all other practical details associated with programs
• Implement and oversee best practices for safe and responsible programming, following local and CDC guidelines
• Support marketing and communications with consistent and recent documentation of SkyART programs including photographs, videos and testimonials of students and artwork in studio and school program

Program Management- Schools & Outreach

• Oversee and coordinate therapeutic activities of SkyART School and Community programs
• Negotiate contracts and oversee billing

Program Implementation and Management- Studio

• Work with and supervise therapist to ensure the ongoing vibrancy and growth of the Project Impact program
• Customize and oversee virtual art therapy programs, individual and group sessions delivered by contractual therapists to meet organizational goals and/or objectives for specific populations, such as those in detention facilities, shelters or home environments.
• Assess participants’ needs using innovative art therapy techniques and a variety of materials and interventions
• Conduct art therapy sessions providing guided self-expression experiences to help participants recover from or cope with emotional impairments due to ongoing trauma in their communities, families, etc.
• Use SkyART wellness rubric to analyze or synthesize data to draw conclusions or make recommendations for future art therapy sessions
• Document sessions using SkyART forms
• Establish goals or objectives for art therapy sessions in consultation with Executive Director and Director of Programs
• Recommend or purchase needed art supplies or equipment for sessions
• Conduct in-service workshops on art therapy techniques and/or processes to Teaching Artists, interns, volunteers, staff and community partners

Evaluation-

• Ensuring dissemination, implementation and tracking of established evaluation tools
• Documentation of individual participant needs and goals as appropriate
• Collect, evaluate and report outcome information for Project Impact

Requirements:

• MSW, MA in Art Therapy or Social Service master’s degree required license preferred or on licensure track
• Cultural competency working with individuals from diverse backgrounds
• Detailed-oriented with excellent communication, organizational, interpersonal and writing skills
• A minimum of two years of non-profit, social services, therapeutic environment preferred
• Excellent oral and written communication skills, including the ability to draft and deliver impactful presentations, write persuasive solicitation letters and website content, and prepare well-organized reports
• Significant experience working with youth
• Strong project management, research and organizational capabilities
• Ability to work autonomously and make informed, thoughtful decisions
• Knowledge of art and art history, practicing artists strongly encouraged
• Ability to work within a small collaborative environment and manage multiple priorities simultaneously.
• Relevant leadership experience
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office suite
• Spanish speaking strongly preferred

Interested candidates please apply.