The Northside Achievement Zone (NAZ) is a bold and innovative collaborative effort to close the achievement gap in the geographic “Zone” of North Minneapolis. The purpose of our work is to end multigenerational poverty in our community, using education as a lever. We use a data-driven, evidence-based, achievement-focused model in which both children and their families move through a “cradle-to-career” ecosystem that provides comprehensive support. NAZ is a leading initiative in the national Promise Neighborhoods and cradle to college/career movement. As NAZ learns what works with families in North Minneapolis to address complex issues related to urban poverty, strategies are being set up for replication and informing the regional, state, and national field.

Position Purpose

The Family Achievement Coach partners with families in North Minneapolis to illuminate a path to college and leverage support along the way. The Family Achievement Coach builds trusting relationships, inspires a deep commitment from parents and students (called “NAZ Scholars”), and solidifies the belief that NAZ scholars will graduate from college. The Family Achievement Coach will work with parents or scholars to set achievement goals, encourage behaviors that support academic outcomes, and connect them with promising and proven strategies to support success. Family Achievement Coaches are accessible to parents and scholars by being located within the community. The location of the Family Achievement Coach determines their focus area. *Focus Areas: Early Childhood, Kindergarten-8th grade, High-School, Housing, and Career & Finance.

Primary Responsibilities

Recruitment and Support:

• Follow NAZ recruitment strategies and recruitment targets to reach, encourage, and sustain family enrollment and involvement in NAZ.
• Support NAZ primary participants in setting and reaching their achievement goals, and connecting with the supports (caseworkers, teachers, academic interventions, counselors, etc.) to achieve goals.
• Help families access and align family wrap around resources from NAZ partners to support family success plans.
• Develop and track the success plans of families in NAZ LINK to encourage, support, and facilitate progress on goals.
• Support parent’s ability to move themselves and children through an education/career pipeline represented through NAZ LINK.
• Support family involvement in NAZ-developed parent education curriculum.

Skills and Abilities

• Ability to learn and grow through a professional development plan process and succeed within a results-oriented culture.
• A devotion and ability to build close relationships with scholars and their families, and the ability to motivate them through positive interviewing, feedback and reinforcement.
• Knowledge or willingness to learn about the cultural and internal barriers to family success in raising college ready children.
• Communicate both verbally and in writing with families goal-setting.
• Communication skills that allow for interaction with various people on a regular basis.
• Knowledge of or willingness to learn MotivationalInterviewing as a tool when communicating with families in an effort to build relationships and empower families.
• Confidently use communication skills to build relationships with families through multiple modes of communication (ie. via phone, email, in-person, virtual, etc.)
• Ability to use personal experience of living in poverty as a tool for helping others build success. Ability to build meaningful relationships with families who may be experiencing a crisis.
• Uphold a strong belief that children growing up in North Minneapolis are destined to be successful in their own meaningful way.

Partner and Staff Collaboration

• • Work within a team at an assigned EC/anchor school or organization to develop and implement the NAZ family support process on location.
  • Work with other staff at NAZ in a coordinated team approach.

Requirements
Minimum Requirements

• Displays a positive attitude and works to promote high morale within the department. organization, and NAZ ecosystem.
• Experience and proficiency with technology and the use of data management systems. Previous knowledge of SalesForce, Google Workspace, ZOOM, and MAC OS is preferred, but not required.
• High school diploma or equivalent AND a minimum of two (2) years experience in community organizing or a related field, or a combination of experience and training.
• Maintains and keeps up to date, all contact, referrals, case-noting conversations, and goal progress for families.

Focus Areas

Early Childhood, K-12 grades, Family Support

Preferred Experience

• North Minneapolis residents or knowledge of North Minneapolis.
• Ability to connect and work with scholars within a school setting, to set goals and encourage academic achievement.

Working Conditions and Physical Efforts

• This is a hybrid role, the individual will complete a portion of their work onsite at in school/partner settings in North Minneapolis, MN 55411 as well as remote work.
• This position requires frequent walking, sitting, standing and use of stairs.
• Work is normally performed in an office setting, there is a requirement to participate in community and site led events occasionally.
• Regular operation of normal office machines, use of computers and telephones.
• Occasional evenings and weekends are required.
• May require travel throughout North Minneapolis and surrounding areas. Access to reliable transportation with proof of insurance and valid driver’s license