Step Up Youth Services Assistant
Position Overview
The Step Up youth services assistant provides vital support to young people, helping them learn about the Step Up opportunity, begin their participation in the program, complete work readiness training, get matched with summer career opportunities and navigate employer hiring and onboarding processes. This team member serves as a primary point of contact for youth and families who have questions, need to adjust their schedules or update their internship records. They also support the team in a variety of events and initiatives, with a good mix of behind-the-scenes work and face-to-face time with youth. Priority will be given to applications received by December 9.
This is a five-month temporary hybrid position at 40 hours/week. The assistant must be available to work a schedule that allows them to communicate effectively with young people who are primarily in school during these months. Therefore, in the later spring multiple weekday evening hours will be required, as well as a couple of Saturday mornings. This position reports to the vice president of partnerships and internships.
About Step Up
The Step Up Youth Employment Program prepares today’s youth for tomorrow’s careers by recruiting, training and placing up to 1,000 Minneapolis young people (ages 14-21) in paid internships each year with dozens of regional employers, from Fortune 500 companies and small businesses to public agencies and nonprofits. As one of the nation’s leading youth employment programs, Step Up leverages a collective of employer partners spanning 15 industries and multiple sectors. Step Up has provided over 34,000 internships since 2003, yielding a competitive talent pipeline, a stronger economy and millions of dollars in wages for Step Up interns. Step Up is a partnership of the City of Minneapolis, Achieve Twin Cities, the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development and Project for Pride in Living.
The Young People We Serve
Step Up supports historically underrepresented Minneapolis youth who are ready to navigate the professional world. Step Up interns are the leaders of tomorrow, the talent that will power our region and reflect the global fluency of our communities. In 2024, 92 percent of Step Up interns were youth of color, and more than 50 percent were members of immigrant families. Our recent interns were born in over 15 countries and speak more than a dozen unique languages.
Duties and Responsibilities
- Actively promote Step Up in local high schools, delivering recruitment presentation to large and small groups of students.
- Track and respond to youth participant phone calls, emails and texts from participants and families, updating database records as necessary.
- Provide high-quality customer service for all Step Up inquiries.
- Send key program information and reminders to participants and families about Step Up events and deadlines, both as mass emails and in individual correspondence.
- Support with work readiness training and internship placement activities and events.
- Accurately maintain files for all participants in the database and responsibly handle sensitive data.
- Build and audit youth progress lists in the database throughout the cycle.
- Other duties as assigned.
Qualifications and Experience
Required
- 1-2 years professional experience working with populations similar to the young people we serve
- Strong communication and customer service skills.
- Confidence to mingle and ability to engage with young people in informal and formal settings
- An open, positive attitude and commitment to youth, anti-racism and equity in accessing postsecondary career and education opportunities.
- Excellent organizational skills with great attention to detail.
- Ability to independently problem-solve, prioritize and balance multiple projects and tasks
Preferred
- Experience with youth training or development preferred.
- Significant Microsoft Office experience.
- Experience with relational databases preferred, ideally Salesforce
Wage
$21.00 per hour
To Apply
This is a five-month temporary hybrid position at 40 hours/week. Applications are welcomed from a broad range of applicants. Send resume and cover letter to HR@achievetwincities.org. Priority will be given to applications received by December 9. Position open until filled.
Achieve Twin Cities is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer
About Achieve Twin Cities
Achieve Twin Cities rallies community support and delivers best-in-class programs to inspire and equip young people in Minneapolis and Saint Paul for careers, college and life. Our vision is that all young people have full and equitable access to postsecondary education and career opportunities, creating a more just and vibrant community. We direct career and college readiness services in 27 Minneapolis Public Schools and Saint Paul Public Schools high schools; connect students with career exploration opportunities and paid summer internships through the Step Up Youth Employment Program (with the City of Minneapolis); host education-focused community engagement events; and serve as the nonprofit foundation for Minneapolis Public Schools. Learn more at www.achievetwincities.org.
Our Commitment to Equity
Achieve Twin Cities is an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer that is committed to hiring talented individuals who are passionate about our mission and represent the diverse identities of the communities we serve. We acknowledge and honor the fundamental value and dignity of all persons. We do not tolerate discrimination and harassment on the basis of race, color, ethnicity, culture, religion, ability, veteran status, national origin, age, gender, gender expression, sexual orientation, class, or any other applicable legally protected characteristics. We seek to build a staff that is reflective of the students we serve and our values of equity and inclusion to embrace differences, eliminate racism and other forms of bias, and create an inclusive workplace where all employees feel valued, heard and respected.
Applicants’ Rights under Federal Employment Laws