Job Class: Affinity Group Positions

The Brooklyn Bridge Alliance for Youth (BBAY) is a joint powers agreement between the City of Brooklyn Center, Brooklyn Park, Hennepin County, and the school districts of Osseo, Brooklyn Center, Robbinsdale and Anoka-Hennepin, Hennepin Technical College & North Hennepin Community College. 

The BBAY uses a collective impact framework for shared action. This means bringing a broad network of youth and adults together to act. At the BBAY we use all forms of qualitative and quantitative, visual, and other data to reach our mission: The BBAY is a backbone organization that coordinates the efforts of partners to build a system of high-quality, accessible, and fully resourced opportunities that address systemic disparities in graduation, pathways to college and career and youth safety and wellbeing.

In 2022, youth across the community stated that they struggle to have hope for their community, have purpose, and feel self love. Only 46% of them felt that they learned about their identities and cultures in school or programming; and 54% of them did not feel that they learned anything about their identities or cultures at school. We know that positive identity is fundamental to well-being.

The goal of the Identity-Based Affinity Spaces program is to support identity-based safe spaces after school. These groups may already exist, so this position may be for those already leading a group that wish to bring new resources to their group. On the other hand, this position may be used to support new affinity groups. 

Identity-based affinity spaces are created for folks who share a specific identity – such as people of color, women, or LGBTQ folks, and intersections therein – to gather, express themselves authentically, and learn together. In this program facilitators will bring their own expertise, and collaborate with youth who will determine the majority of the content for the group, and explore concepts like identity, intersectionality, oppression, and surface/deep culture so that youth strengthen or build a positive identity, belonging, self-efficacy thus improving their mental health and well-being. 

Positions happen during after-school time between September through June and will be supervised by the Youth and Community Engagement Initiatives Coordinator – YCEIC - at the BBAY. Positions will receive onboarding, training, and resources to support their group. Positions will play a key role in partnering with BBAY to develop an intentional program design unique for their affinity group, honoring that they are the experts in their cultural experience. 

• These positions are grant-funded seasonal positions with funding secured through the end of June 2025.  Funding beyond that time cannot be guaranteed.
• Application Deadline:  This job posting will be open until positions are filled.  If you have interest in this position, it is highly recommended that you apply as soon as possible upon seeing the announcement as the vacancy may close without notice.
   
  
  

• Support the Facilitator by assisting in the meeting agenda and facilitation of a group of up to 25 students.

• Welcome students to the group.

• Set up the classroom for the session and make sure the classroom is clean afterwards.

Affinity Group Co-Facilitator ($21.12-$25.24)

• Co-facilitate the sessions.

• Facilitate sessions for up to 25 students if the facilitator is absent.

• Lead ice-breaker and Reflection Activities.

Affinity Group Facilitator ($24.72-$30.90)

• Main Facilitator.

• Design facilitations for up to 25 students, making sure the YPQ is applied, in partnership with co-facilitators and youth participants.

• Coordinate with the co-facilitator. 

• Responsible for taking and reporting attendance to BBAY staff.

Education

Education

• 1-2 years of experience as a facilitator
• Experience in engaging students in cultural identity development

Affinity Group Facilitator

Education

• Three (3) years of experience as a facilitator, including identity-based affinity groups
• Experience in engaging students in cultural identity development

• Bilingual in one of the languages of the Identity based Affinity group
• Currently employed at the site and/or licensed teacher
• Valid driver's license

• Each Affinity group will have 20-25 student participants. 

• Each Affinity group will have 1-2 facilitators, and may have additional adult volunteers.

• Facilitated collaborative DESIGN: Youth will drive the majority of activities that are supported by adult facilitators and the group’s budget. This includes building consensus with students about their priorities for what they want the Affinity group to be. 

• Create safe and welcoming space to share their stories. (create a group charter: purpose, mission, members, budget).

• Create opportunities for youth to learn who they are: identity building. History, diversity within the affinity (diaspora), traditions, What is at the surface? What is our deep culture? 

• Explore topics related to:

  • Prepare activities that address identity building, history, diversity within the affinity (diaspora), cultural traditions.

  • Intersectionality: intentionally discuss the interconnectedness of different identities and how this shapes their experiences. 

  • Explore how marginalized groups share experiences and find common ground within groups, and across groups. 

  • Explore concepts of privilege, where we hold privilege and discuss how we use our power.  

  • Other topics vital to each cultural identity.

• Coordinate with other affinity facilitators to participate in a year-end Summit: Bringing all the affinity groups together. 

• Partner with BBAY staff to document the unique design of each Affinity group, and collect the evaluation information required for the Minnesota Department of Education. 

• Participate in training to learn how to facilitate focused conversations, build consensus, and various topics related to identity development.  

• Transportation resources are limited; the facilitator will work with BBAY staff and school partners to determine what transportation is available for field trips and summit opportunities. Facilitators may drive students in some circumstances.

• Above all, create safe and welcoming space for youth to share their stories. 

Salary : $16