FIA FAMILY ORGANIZER
Family Organizer Job Description
Are you an educational advocate who is passionate about increasing access, quality and equity in Contra Costa County public education? Are you passionate about building Black and Brown parent power to ensure that historically underserved students have access to a high-quality public education? Do you believe that the people closest to the problem of quality education should have a seat at the table when it comes to policy and decision making? If this sounds like you, we encourage you to read on and join us as the inaugural Parent Organizer for an innovative new coalition of public charter schools.
About our OrganizationThe Contra Costa County Charter Coalition (5C) is an inclusive and growing coalition of high quality charter schools throughout Contra Costa County (CCC), including Aspire Public Schools – Richmond, Caliber Beta Academy, Making Waves Academy, Richmond College Prep, Rocketship Public Schools, and Voices College-Bound Academies that collectively serve more than 5,000 students.
Building on three years of collaborative efforts, charter school executive leaders have formally united to launch 5C, a new 501c3 organization that channels the inherent power of CCC charter school communities. Our families are united in a shared interest of high quality public schools, and we believe in their potential to champion equitable access to high quality schools. The priorities of 5C are to support successful charter renewals (starting in 2023) and to increase the influence of the CCC charter school community.
Together, we commit to these outcomes:
- Developing a cross-school council of charter family leaders who advocate collectively for public education quality, equity and access
- Building influential relationships with key elected officials, community leaders and education decision makers
- Increasing voter education and registration among the families and staff of our school communities
- Amplifying a holistic narrative about public charter schools in CCC through information campaigns
About You
The organizer will embody cultural humility to effectively collaborate with a team of ethnically and racially diverse colleagues and board members. They will understand institutional and structural racism, and other forms of oppression, and their impacts on historically underserved and underrepresented communities. In addition, the ideal candidate will manifest deep curiosity and have an openness to learning.
Core Responsibilities
As our inaugural Parent Organizer you will you will support the 5C’s Executive Director to
drive family organizing, advocacy campaigns and power building within the 5C’s Coalition. Specifically, you will:
- Organize parent leaders from our member schools to develop a Family Leadership Council (FLC) in collaboration with school site family engagement staff.
- Work with charter schools to build site-based family engagement and power, including supporting the establishment of a network of engaged parents at each school site for collective actions.
- Train and develop parent leaders to develop and lead campaigns and engage coalition members in 1-2 advocacy campaigns per year that increase quality, equity and access in CCC public education (including voter education, voter registration, and GOTV).
- Support individual charter school partners in their charter renewal
The essential daily functions of the FLC Education Organizer include:
- Recruit, train and lead a core set of parent/community leaders to develop school-based parent-led organizing teams to empower parents, youth and teachers to act in the public arena to promote and defend their interests and values.
- Build the capacity of parents to understand the State and local educational landscape, key decision makers, and power of community, through a relational model of community organizing.
- Recruit, mobilize, and retain a network of parents and community stakeholders that build advocacy and engagement to transform our local communities.
- Complete 15 -20 one-on-one relational meetings every week with current and future parent leaders and other important stakeholders that build organizing capacity and engagement.
- Work closely with the 5C’s team to remain informed on the local education politics landscape and develop coordinated grasstops – grassroots strategies.
- Foster relationships and develop champions with community-based organizations, faith leaders, elected officials, civic and community leaders that lead to elevating parent organizing.
- Create and maintain outreach records, communication systems, databases, and project work plans.
- Perform other duties as required to support the work of the organization as a whole
Required Qualifications
- Belief in and experience with high quality charter schools and school choice
- Experience in charter school advocacy or other relevant grassroots organizing
- Demonstrated ability to build strong relationships with diverse stakeholders and communities
- Eagerness to learn and engage in community organizing
- Strong strategic thinking skills and an ability to analyze policies and institutions
- Understanding the Contra Costa County community context; ideally live in CCC or the East Bay
- Ability to write and speak clearly and persuasively, including speaking in small and large group settings
- Highly-organized project manager; able to manage multiple priorities
- A valid driver’s license and reliable, insured vehicle (needed to fulfill job requirements)
- Proof of eligibility to work in the United States
- Bilingual in English and Spanish (prefered, not required)