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Nashville After Zone Alliance (NAZA)

Fellowship in Youth Program Quality Assessment (PT)

Nashville After Zone Alliance (NAZA)

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Job Summary

The Nashville After Zone Alliance (NAZA) seeks three (3) NAZA External Assessors Fellows to conduct assessments for Nashville’s nationally recognized, citywide afterschool system. Fellows are trained on and utilize industry-standard assessment tools to assess the quality of programs across defined domains in different locations across the city. The Fellows are integral partners in NAZA’s efforts to support programs in offering youth transformative learning experiences.

This opportunity could be utilized as a master’s degree practicum experience. There is also the possibility of renewal following the first academic year.

Hours:  The Fellowship lasts for the duration of one school year. Fellows work between 100-150 hours over the course of the semester, including pre-service training as described below in “Responsibilities.”  Hours are flexible but must include the 3:30-6:00 p.m. time slots for assessments and observations.

Job Responsibilities

  • Acquire certification as an External Assessor for either Youth Program Quality Assessment (YPQA) or the Social-Emotional Learning Program Quality Assessment (SELPQA) through the Weikart Center by attending the pre-service training listed in the next section:
  • Visit 10-15 assigned sites once per semester for up to 2 hours on the day of assessment and complete an external assessment;
  • Score, record, and post assessments in the data system by the end of each month that assessments are completed.
  • Provide further clarification for scores or incorporate any recommended changes in scores within three business days of the assessment;
  • Lead a YPQA or SELPQA Score Review Meeting with staff from each paired site by the end of April of the spring academic semester to review scores and share observations;
  • Communicate post-scores to paired sites, highlighting areas of growth;
  • Meet with partners regarding post-scores (optional); and
  • Attend a year-end debriefing session on the Fellow experience. 

Expected Time Commitment for Fellows:

Up to 25 Hours in Pre-Service Training

  •  Youth Program Quality Assessment Basics (8-hour paid training)

OR

  • Social Emotional Learning Program Quality Assessment Basics (8-hour paid training)
  • 2-Day External Assessor Training with one hour of homework before Day 1 and Day 2 of training will also be expected.

Up to 20 Hours per week for Fellowship Work

  • Visit 15-20 afterschool program sites per semester to conduct the external assessment (up to 2 hours per site)
  • Record the scores and enter evidence for the external assessment scores of the 5 sites into the Scores Reporter by the end of the spring academic semester (up to 3 hours per site)
  • Communicate post-scores to paired sites, highlight areas of growth
  • Optional time to meet with partners regarding post-scores (up to 1 hour per site)
  • Attend a year-end debriefing session on the Fellow experience (1 hour) 

Qualifications

  • A bachelor’s degree in child and youth studies, education, sociology, human and organizational development, or other related fields is required.
  • A master’s degree (or master’s degree student in child and youth studies, education, sociology, human and organizational development, or other related fields) is highly preferred.
  • Access to reliable transportation is required (mileage to and from assigned locations will be covered under the fellowship as per the Metro rate).
  • A successful candidate will be a self-motivated individual with strong communication skills who works independently and meets deadlines with minimal supervision.
  • A successful candidate will demonstrate an interest in issues related to program quality assessment and/or evaluation.
  • Experience in education or youth development is highly desirable.
  • Experience in working with data sets and comfort with online data systems is highly desirable.
  • Prior positive experience with NAZA external assessments is an advantage.

Additional Information

Benefits

Stipend and Benefits: Fellows are paid a flat rate of $500 for both the PQA Basics Training as well as the 2-Day External Assessment Training paid upon the completion of five (5) External Assessments. Fellows are paid a flat rate of $120 for each completed and recorded External Assessment. External Assessors are also expected to attend monthly check-in meetings with NAZA staff for planning and updates on their progress at a flat rate of $40. Payments to External Assessors will be completed monthly.

Additional benefits associated with this fellowship include:

  • Certification as a Youth Program Quality Assessment External Assessor by the David P. Weikart Center of the Forum for Youth Investment ( www.cypq.org).
  • Networking with youth workers, managers of youth-serving agencies, and other Fellows.
  • Knowledge of best-practice youth program quality indicators.

How to Apply

To apply, please send a resume along with a cover letter outlining your interest and experience to Dr. Ezra Howard, NAZA Data and Evaluation Manager, at ezra.howard@nashville.gov. Interviews will begin on a rolling basis.

Details

  • Date Posted: July 28, 2023
  • Type: Contract / Temp
  • Job Function: Analytics / Evaluation
  • Service Area: Children / Youth