Community Economic Development Association of Michigan (CEDAM)

    Position Title: Community Support Liaison

    Host Site: Communities First, Inc.

    Position Type: Full time, 40 hours/week

    Site Supervisor: Essence Wilson

    Dates of Service: September 9, 2024 – August 15, 2025

    Stipend: $26,000

    CEDAM’s AmeriCorps Information: CEDAM’s AmeriCorps program connects local and statewide agencies to meet neighbors’ critical needs. Members create community, build capacity and serve neighbors across Michigan. Our AmeriCorps program advances equity for Michiganders in two key ways 1. Cultivating the next generation of leaders in the community economic development field and 2. Supporting economic inclusion for Michiganders.

    Organizational Information:

    Communities First, Inc. is a nonprofit community development corporation that was founded in 2010 and serves Flint, Saginaw and Detroit, Michigan as well as Gary, Indiana. The organization has four major programs: affordable housing, economic development, arts and culture outreach and environmental education. We primarily serve low to moderate income families, those with disabilities, families facing homelessness and seniors. Additionally, we work with small businesses and residents to increase economic opportunity and create additional employment opportunities for workers. Our AmeriCorps member will serve out of our Flint/Genesee County location and must be able to spend 40 hours/week at this site. Member may occasionally travel with CFI staff to our other Michigan locations. To learn more about us visit: https://www.communitiesfirstinc.org/ and https://communitiesfirst.us/

    Role and Responsibilities:

    The AmeriCorps member will help build capacity by assisting with the development of new resources and documenting processes, contacts and opportunities to serve our low to moderate income clients. The member will also lead volunteer management for the agency. The member will:

    • Create a diverse volunteer recruitment plan. This may include but isn’t limited to phone banking, utilizing listservs/email lists, attending community events, and creating social media content to educate community of volunteer opportunities.
    • Train and/or lead volunteers with projects as needed. Link volunteers to opportunities based on programming needs. This includes, but isn’t limited to finding repeat volunteers to provide workshops and tutoring, episodic volunteers for one day projects, etc..
    • Identify ways new and current partners can assist in volunteer recruitment, programs;
    • Collaborate with staff to identify client resource needs and propose resources to address those needs;
    • Support existing programs and expand capacity through identification of funders, partnerships and/or volunteers;
    • Create and implement a standard process for internal staff to assist clients with accessing social service benefits;
    • Develop a dynamic repository of community resources to refer clients to;
    • Develop flowcharts of external processes to help proactively inform staff and clients;
    • Research and be aware of new community resources, programs and activities for staff to refer clients to
    • Identify gaps and opportunities within current organizational programming and make suggestions for improvement
    • Support the creation of evaluation tools and analysis of data to improve current programming
    • Create and sustain efforts to address food insecurity through established and proposed Little Free Pantry sponsored by CFI
    • Create and sustain efforts to offer recreation and social outlets through CFI’s recreation, environmental and cultural awareness programs
    • Create and sustain efforts with programming
    • Participate in CEDAM AmeriCorps monthly meetings, trainings, events, data collection, reporting and additional items as needed.
    • Participate in AmeriCorps & Michigan’s AmeriCorps events and trainings.

    Preferred Qualifications:

    • Willingness and interest in working with a diverse population while modeling patience, kindness, flexibility, respect and maintaining privacy to those we’re assisting in the community;
    • Ability to utilize person-centered thinking and active listening skills to assess the needs, situation, strengths, and barriers of individuals and families seeking assistance and will provide appropriate resources and/or referrals in-person, by phone or electronically;
    • Attention to detail and organization required to assist individuals;
    • Customer service focus and patience to follow-up with individuals to assess outcomes and provide additional resources, when necessary;
    • Strong written and oral communication skills.

    Minimum Qualifications:

    • Be at least 18 years of age. Applicants must have HS diploma, GED or working toward the completion of one.
    • U.S. citizen, U.S. national or lawful permanent resident of the U.S.
    • Pass the following National Service Criminal History Checks: State of Michigan background check, State of residency (if not Michigan), FBI Fingerprinting, and State & National Sex Offender Registry
    • Moderate to proficient computer skills and the ability to learn new software quickly.

    Compensation:

    Members will receive a living allowance of $26,000 distributed in even increments, bi-weekly. Members will receive student loan forbearance for qualified loans, health care package, childcare assistance upon eligibility, and continual professional development. Upon successful completion of service an education award in the amount of $7,395 will be issued. Members will serve 1,700 hours for the term = 40 hours/week. CEDAM’s AmeriCorps Program is an equal opportunity employer. Reasonable accommodations will be made for interview/service as needed. All interested candidates must be available to spend 40 hours in training the week of September 9.

    %FOOTER_POWERED_BY%breezy