College Access Mentor

Improve Your Tomorrow; Stockton (CA); On-site; USD 24,000 - 25,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Living allowance

Segal Education Award

Medical benefits

Professional development

Alumni network access

Job summary

Improve Your Tomorrow seeks a College Access Mentor Specialist to build a college-going culture for grades 6–8 at a local Stockton campus. You will deliver mentorship, identity-centered programs, and family engagement to sustain students through high school and into college.

The role is full-time AmeriCorps service, with bi-weekly stipends, paid living allowances, and educational awards. You will log data in Salesforce and coordinate with the program team daily.

Qualifications

• Patience and warmth when engaging middle/high school youth.
• Strong communication and mentorship skills.
• Experience or interest in youth development and education.

Responsibilities

• Deliver 1:1 mentorship sessions focusing on identity, belonging, and college aspirations.
• Facilitate Brotherhood programming and development workshops.
• Maintain consistent presence and relationships with students on campus.

Skills

Patience

Warmth

Youth development

Communication

Education

High school diploma or GED

Tools

G‑Suite

Microsoft Office

Zoom

Salesforce

Job description

Job Details

Location: Stockton, CA 95219
Position Type: Seasonal
Education Level: High School or GED equivalent
Salary Range: $2,176.03 - $2,206.25 per month
Travel Percentage: Up to 25%

Company Overview

Improve Your Tomorrow (IYT) was founded in 2013 with the mission to increase the number of young men of color (YMOC) to attend and graduate from colleges and universities. We envision a world where men of color are overrepresented in higher education, underrepresented in the criminal justice system, and leaders in their communities. By embodying our core values of Character, Service, Teamwork, and Liberation we work to combat academic inequities and build a college-to-community pipeline.

Position Overview

The College Access Mentor Specialist is the primary relationship-builder and college-going culture anchor for students in grades 6–8. As a full-time, single-site leader, this role delivers bi-weekly mentorship, identity-centered programming, open study hall, and family engagement designed to build the Brotherhood foundation that sustains students through high school and into college. The Mentor owns the site culture, leads programming, and is the consistent adult presence students expect to see.

Key Responsibilities

• Mentorship & Student Development
  • Deliver 1:1 mentorship sessions, focused on identity, belonging, brotherhood, confidence, study habits, and college aspiration.
  • Facilitate Brotherhood programming and Member Development Workshops aligned to the assigned site model.
  • Build trusting, consistent relationships with students that support long-term IYT engagement.
• Programming & Academic Support
  • Support open study hall or structured academic support time as directed by the Associate Program Director.
  • Provide targeted transition support for 8th graders entering high school.
• Family Engagement
  • Conduct family touchpoints after mentorship sessions, centering on student strengths and progress.
  • Participate in the planning and execution of the family engagement quarterly touchpoints/moments (Q1 Orientation/Welcome, Q2 Milestone, Q3 Mid-Semester, Q4 Celebration).
• Data & Documentation
  • Log all mentorship sessions, programming attendance, and family touchpoints in Salesforce within 24 hours.
  • Track student engagement trends and surface concerns to the Associate Program Director in a timely manner.
  • Capture and submit regular site content — photos, short videos, student stories, and impactful program moments to the Associate Program Director, with all required consent and release documentation on file.
  • Support the 8th grade pipeline handoff process by ensuring student data, engagement history, and relationship context are transferred to the High School College Advising Mentor Specialist.
• Site Operations & Presence
  • Maintain a consistent, visible, and positive IYT presence on campus every scheduled service day, serving as a reliable adult anchor for students in the program.
  • Support daily site logistics including student sign‑in, space setup for study hall, and coordination with school staff on scheduling and student access.
  • Assist with attendance capture during structured programming days and flag students who were absent or disengaged to the Associate Program Director for follow‑up.
  • Uphold IYT's Brotherhood culture in all interactions with students, school staff, families, and community partners — modeling the values and identity of the program at all times.
  • Notify the Associate Program Director promptly of any school-level concerns, scheduling conflicts, or barriers that affect daily program delivery.
• AmeriCorps Member Development
  • Participate in all IYT-required onboarding, regional training, and professional development sessions covering mentorship delivery, Brotherhood facilitation, trauma-informed practice, family engagement, and Salesforce documentation.
  • Engage in regular coaching and observation cycles with the Associate Program Director to build and refine core mentorship and facilitation competencies.
  • Complete all AmeriCorps service hours, timesheets, and member reporting requirements on time and in accordance with program guidelines.
  • Reflect on student engagement trends, personal growth as a mentor, and areas for skill development through structured check‑ins with the Associate Program Director.
  • Engage with IYT's model as a learning experience with a pathway toward future FTE employment within IYT upon successful completion of the service term.

Schedule

Full‑time AmeriCorps service term (school year), Monday‑Friday, 8:30am‑5pm; some weekends, evenings, and organization‑wide events will be required.

Location

Field-based — This position works out of an assigned local school campus.

Pay Rate

This is an AmeriCorps stipend position funded through the California Men's Service Challenge (CMSC). Living allowance is provided as a bi‑weekly stipend, with amounts varying by region and service term. Below is a summary of typical stipend values. (Complete stipend details are available in the Member Service Agreement.)

• Sacramento, CA
  • Cohort 1 (August 24th, 2026 – June 11th, 2027) – $30,005 for a 1,700‑hour service term.
  • Cohort 1 (assumed alternate program) – $21,180 for a 1,200‑hour service term.
  • Cohort 2 (November 2nd, 2026 – June 11th, 2027) – $15,885 for a 900‑hour service term.
• Bay Area, CA
  • Cohort 1 (August 24th, 2026 – June 11th, 2027) – $40,000 for a 1,700‑hour service term (pending).
  • Cohort 1 (assumed alternate program) – $28,235 for a 1,200‑hour service term.
  • Cohort 2 (November 2nd, 2026 – June 11th, 2027) – $21,176.25 for a 900‑hour service term.

Educational awards upon completion of service terms: 1,700 hours $7,395.00; 1,200 hours $5,176.50; 900 hours $3,697.50. Living allowances are estimates (before taxes) and disbursed in bi‑weekly installments. Amounts vary by region based on cost of living and funding. Educational awards are taxable and contingent on service hours and service year completed.

Benefits

• Living allowance (as listed above)
• Segal Education Award upon successful completion of the service term. This award can be applied toward qualified student loans and college expenses. Contingent on the number of years served.
• Medical benefits (if eligible)
• Student loan deferment (if eligible)
• Professional development & career advising
• Access to IYT Alumni Network
• Wellness and mental health workshops
• Professional development and training through IYT and AmeriCorps
• Guaranteed admissions (for former IYT students)
• Pathway to future full-time employment within IYT

Term of Service

The AmeriCorps Member, College Access Mentor Position at IYT serves youth during the 2026-2027 school year with service terms beginning August 2026 and ending on June 11th, 2027.

Qualifications – Must Haves

• Commitment to the mission, vision, and values of IYT.
• Ability to self‑motivate to achieve results.
• A multi‑tasker with a solid ability to work under pressure.
• Ability to prioritize work, meet deadlines, and produce quality results.
• Excellent communication and management skills that can both inspire and push others to accomplish their goals.
• Ability to operate with an appropriate, responsible level of transparency and vulnerability, engendering confidence and trust.
• Must meet all AmeriCorps eligibility requirements (U.S. citizenship or lawful permanent resident status; background check).

Experience – Required

• Patience, warmth, and genuine enthusiasm for working with middle or high school‑age youth.

Experience – Preferred

• Tutoring, mentorship, or youth development experience.
• Bilingual in Spanish.

Education

• High school diploma or GED is required.
• Enrollment in or completion of a college degree program preferred.

Computer Skills

• G‑Suite
• Microsoft Suite
• Zoom
• Salesforce