About Improve Your Tomorrow (IYT)
The mission of IYT is to increase the number of young men of color to attend and graduate from community colleges and universities. We envision a nation in which young men of color are overrepresented in higher education, underrepresented in the criminal justice system, and are leaders in their communities.
IYT is a national organization operating across multiple states and regions, partnering with schools and communities to build Brotherhood, college-going culture, and structured pathways from 6th grade through college completion. We believe that a college degree is a pathway to opportunity - and that every brother deserves a team of committed adults in their corner.
About AmeriCorps
AmeriCorps is a federal agency that engages individuals in paid community service with nonprofits, schools, and public agencies to meet pressing local needs. In return for their term of service, members receive a living allowance and may earn an education award upon completion.
Position Overview
As the Mentorship Program Lead Fellow, you will support Improve Your Tomorrow’s (IYT) Jr. Mentor Fellowship by providing regional coordination, program support, and fellowship implementation across California regions.
This role prioritizes the Jr. Mentor Fellowship Program, ensuring high-quality implementation, strong member experience, and alignment with IYT’s national standards. Mentorship Program Lead Fellows will serve as regional fellowship representatives and liaisons to IYT’s Shared Services team, while also supporting college access initiatives, training, data quality, events, and summer programming.
This is a service-focused role that blends coordination, curriculum development, training support, and systems accountability.
Title: Mentorship Program Lead Fellow
Term: November 2026 through June 11, 2027
Slot Type and Hours per week: 900-hour Half -Time at 40 hours per week
Benefits
The Mentorship Program Lead Fellow will serve as an AmeriCorps member within the Mentor Fellowship Program at IYT. This is a service position and not a traditional employment role. As an AmeriCorps member, the individual will commit to complete a term of service, receive a bi-weekly stipend, medical benefits, loan deferment (if eligible), professional development, career advising, access to Alumni Network and much more! Upon the successful completion of the service term, College Access Mentors receive a monetary educational award. Please see more details for your region below.
- Earn an Education Award upon completion of program requirements
- Earn up to $3,697.50 Segal Education Award from the AmeriCorps National Service Trust
- This educational award can be applied towards qualified student loans and college expenses.
- Term of service will count towards Public Student Loan Forgiveness
- Eligible for Student Loan Forbearance and Interest Accrual Payment (for all loans that qualify)
- Eligible for Health and Child Care Benefits
- Access to IYT Alumni Network
- Participate in Wellness workshops designed to support mental health, wellness, and personal empowerment
- Professional development and training through IYT and AmeriCorps
- Pathway to future full time employment within IYT
Living Stipend Amounts
Sacramento/Central Valley
- $992.81 (Pre-tax) Bi-weekly stipend for 40 hours per week
Bay Area
- $1,323.53 (Pre-tax) Bi-weekly stipend for 40 hours per week
Stipend and education award amounts are estimates (before taxes), contingent on service hours completed, and disbursed in bi-weekly installments. Amounts vary by region based on cost of living and funding. All amounts are finalized through the individual Member Service Agreement.
Responsibilities:
The Mentorship Program Lead Fellow will:
- Serve as the regional lead and primary point of contact for the Jr. Mentor Fellowship Program, ensuring strong implementation, engagement, and completion across assigned California regions
- Support the launch, onboarding, and ongoing coordination of the Jr. Mentor Fellowship, including scheduling, event logistics, and required service components
- Co-create and support development of Jr. Mentor Fellowship curriculum, including content outlines, facilitation plans, and slide decks, in partnership with the Shared Services team
- Support College Access Program launches and mid-year program trainings, including preparation of materials, coordination support, and facilitation assistance as needed
- Coordinate and support college tours, including logistics, communication, and on-the-ground support in collaboration with regional teams.
- Assist with planning and execution of summer programming initiatives, including fellowship activities, college exposure experiences, and leadership development programming
- Coordinate and support college and career workshops, including career exploration, postsecondary planning, and leadership development sessions.
- Support family engagement efforts, including family orientations, information sessions, and fellowship-related family events.
- Support data accuracy, data entry, and quality control for assigned regions, including fellowship participation, attendance tracking, and milestone completion
- Partner with Shared Services to identify data gaps, reporting needs, and improvement opportunities, and support regional teams in meeting documentation expectations
- Serve as the Jr. Mentor Fellowship representative and liaison between regional program teams and Shared Services departments, ensuring clear communication, alignment, and follow-through
- Coordinate and support regional and cross-regional events, including trainings, workshops, and special initiatives tied to college access and completion
- Participate in AmeriCorps service requirements, trainings, and reflections, and support continuous improvement efforts across program.
Service location(s)
Service will be based out of Improve Your Tomorrow offices and school sites across the Sacramento, Central Valley, and Bay Area regions. Regular travel is required for this position
Qualifications
Qualifications
- Must be a U.S. citizen, U.S. national, or legal permanent resident
- Must be 17 years or older (no upper age limit) with parental or legal guardian consent if under 18
- High school diploma or GED; enrollment in or completion of a college degree program preferred
- Patience, warmth, and genuine enthusiasm for working with middle or high school-age youth.
- Commitment to the mission of Improve Your Tomorrow.
- Tutoring, mentorship, or youth development experience preferred
- Bilingual in Spanish preferred
- Related Bachelor’s degree from an accredited university preferred
- Previous data collection and analysis experience preferred
- Must be available weekends and evenings for events (minimum twice a month)
- Ability to manage multiple tasks and project simultaneously
- Strong communication 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
- Ability to self-motivate to achieve results
- High proficiency with Microsoft 365 (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook), Google Workspace (Docs, Sheets, Slides, Drive), and Zoom for virtual collaboration
- A multi-tasker with a solid ability to work under pressure
- Ability to prioritize work, meet deadlines, and produce quality results
- Commitment to educational equity and college access for young people, particularly young men of color
- Strong organizational, coordination, and time-management skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities across regions
- Ability to work collaboratively with regional teams and centralized/shared services departments
- Strong written and verbal communication skills, including professional email and meeting communication
- Comfort supporting program implementation, logistics, and event coordination
- Ability to support curriculum development, including contributing to content, facilitation plans, and slide decks
- Comfort working with data systems, tracking tools, or spreadsheets to support data accuracy and program quality
- Ability to follow established systems, timelines, and expectations while supporting consistency and fidelity
- Willingness to travel regionally within California as needed
- Ability to meet AmeriCorps eligibility and service requirements
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience in youth development, college access, mentoring, or leadership programs.
- Prior AmeriCorps, service-year, or national service experience.
- Experience supporting or facilitating trainings, workshops, or group sessions.
- Familiarity with Salesforce or similar program data systems.
- Experience coordinating events such as college tours, family events, or workshops.
- Experience working in a shared-services, regional support, or multi-site organization.
- Comfort working in fast-paced, evolving program environments.
Schedule Requirements:
- Weekly commitment of 40 hours minimum per week
- Must be available to serve Monday through Fridays at a minimum of 40 hours between the hours of 8:30 am and 5:00 pm, based on site needs
- Participate in mandatory monthly Friday professional development trainings
- Available for weekend and evening activities as required, including one to two Saturdays per month that are required for college tours, teambuilders, IYT signature events
Note: This is not an hourly job, but a 10-month AmeriCorps program.
Additional Requirements:
- Enrollment in the program is contingent on the results of a National Service Criminal History Check. Members must submit to a criminal background check that includes: FBI fingerprinting, National Sex Offender Registry, and state criminal background check. Clearance from background checks is required for service, with all expenses covered by IYT
- All incoming mentors must attend Mentor Fellow Orientation
- Mileage and hotel accommodations are provided by request.
Performance Reviews
Performance reviews are intended to be a mutual exchange of information that informs the program’s service delivery and helps the member successfully complete the term of service.
Member's performance of primary service responsibilities, in addition to bi-weekly timesheets, participation and attendance data entry, fellowship milestone and completion tracking, and Shared Services documentation submissions, will be reviewed. Reviews will also evaluate member’s skill factors including knowledge of service, quality of service, initiative, teamwork/cooperation, problem solving, planning and organizing, written and verbal communication, attention to safety, attendance/punctuality, leadership skills, and consistency and reliability.
At minimum, Members will receive a performance review at the end of their service term. The end-of-term evaluation will address, at a minimum, the following factors:
- Whether the member has completed the required number of hours;
- Whether the member has satisfactorily completed assignments; and;
- Whether the member has met other performance criteria that were clearly communicated at the beginning of the term of service.
Key Collaborations and Service Conditions
The Mentorship Program Lead Fellow will collaborate closely with regional program teams, the Jr. Mentor Fellowship team, and IYT’s Shared Services departments to support consistent program implementation and communication across regions. Service will be performed in both office and school-based settings and will involve a mix of computer-based work, in-person coordination, and on-site program support. This position requires regular travel between locations to support programming, trainings, and events.
Equipment used
The position will require the use of computers, phones, office supplies, and educational materials. If the member requires assistance with computer needs, IYT can provide support upon request to ensure all necessary equipment is available for effective service delivery.
Equal Opportunity Employer IYT provides equal employment and service opportunities to all employees and AmeriCorps members and applicants for employment and AmeriCorps and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment and AmeriCorps service, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation and training. If you require accommodations during the application process, please contact hr@improveyourtomorrow.org to request assistance. We will work with you to provide reasonable accommodations.