The mission of the Education Justice Project’s Language Partners is to create a model ESL-in-prison program that fosters individual empowerment through a reciprocal learning community. This entails increasing the learner’s ability to communicate with others, enriching the student’s connections with family members, encouraging both students and instructors to further their educational pursuits, and as a matter of social justice challenging cultural barriers and social stereotypes.

The Language Partner coordinator will promote the above mission by acting as a liaison between the on-site administrator, campus administrators, teaching partners, and resource partners. The position reports to the Academic Director. The ideal Language Partners coordinator is familiar with principles of language acquisition and language teaching.  Clearance at the prison is required.

Responsibilities

The Language Partner Coordinator works between 5-10 hours per week to fulfill the following tasks:

• Organize Language Partner meetings on campus and at DCC.
• Plan DCC schedule and ensure that all onsite sessions are staffed.
• Maintain Language Partners records and archives, including meeting notes.
• Monitor/Oversee Language Partners spending in coordination with EJP.
• Publicize, recruit, and oversee the application process for Resource and Teaching Partners.
• Maintain regular communication with LP members and keep EJP community informed about Language Partner activities.
• Within LP develop ideas for growth, provide material, pedagogical, and emotional support to resource partners and teaching partners as needed
• Oversee regular evaluation opportunities for Teaching Partners, Resource Partners, and Learning Partners
• Encourage Language Partner participation in EJP events and otherwise participate as appropriate in the wider EJP community.
• Facilitate academic career development opportunities for teaching partners and resource partners.
• Attend and participate in EJP On-Site Team Meetings and other meetings as required ex officio.
• Serve as Language Partners liaison with EJP’s on-site coordinator at DCC.

In addition, all EJP coordinators are asked to regularly evaluate their performance with respect to the following. Resources are available to support in these areas.

1. Communication

- sharing information, concerns, announcements, and more with EJP students, members of their program, EJP Director of Academic Programs, members of the public, and relevant others. Communication can be challenging in the prison environment, and EJP encourages coordinators to experiment with ways of sharing and hearing from others.

2. Monitoring

- ongoing assessment of the program and making fixes as problems arise. This includes collecting information to learn how things are going within the program and making use of that information to make changes to the program as required.

3. Nurturing

- guiding, mentoring, and supporting EJP members in the program. This includes identifying people in particular need of nurturing or mentoring and developing a nurturing culture within the program.

4. Decision-making

- exercising leadership and taking initiative. It could include making bold decisions regarding programming or operations, and to developing themselves as leaders (e.g. through workshops or readings).

Requirements

Required

• In possession of or making progress towards a Masters or PhD
• Proven ability to plan and schedule events
• Exhibit strong interpersonal and online communication skills.
• Demonstrate flexibility working in a prison environment.
• Maintain a working knowledge of software for basic business contexts, including Google applications (Calendar), Microsoft Office (Word and Excel), social media applications, and Moodle learning platform.
• Theoretical and practical knowledge language acquisition.
• Be capable of obtaining clearance from the Department of Corrections.
• Demonstrate an active commitment to social justice.
  

Preferred

• Previous experience in coordinating staff or volunteers.
• Have language teaching and teacher supervising experience.
• Familiarity with issues related to incarceration, criminal justice, and related matters.

This position requires between 5 – 10 hours/week and is compensated at a rate of $31/hour. Some of this time is spent on general coordinator duties, such as attending monthly coordinator meetings and other EJP events.

All applications are welcome. However, because EJP aims to create a supportive learning environment for our incarcerated students, we especially encourage applications from individuals whose backgrounds align with those of our students. This includes members of racial minority groups, first-generation degree holders, and individuals from low socioeconomic status backgrounds. Please note that the EJP classrooms are on the second floor of the prison and that there is no elevator.

If you have questions about the position or the application process, please contact LP@educationjustice.net.