Edtech.com's Summary

James Madison University is hiring a Youth Program Specialist (11-Month Position) to support the Sexual Risk Avoidance Education (SRAE) program aimed at reducing risky behaviors among teens in Virginia. The role involves planning, coordinating, and facilitating youth programs such as Project AIM and Teen Outreach Program in schools and community settings, along with supporting community engagement and communication efforts.

Highlights

Plan, coordinate, and implement the Sexual Risk Avoidance Education (SRAE) program funded by the Virginia Department of Health.
Facilitate youth development programs with 6th-8th grade students in schools, after-school programs, and community settings.
Prepare classroom materials, manage student behavior, and ensure program fidelity during facilitation.
Assist with creating materials for social media, newsletters, and community engagement.
Required knowledge of adolescent development, sexuality education, and teen pregnancy prevention best practices.
Proficiency in Microsoft Word and Excel is necessary.
Strong oratory, organizational, administrative, and interpersonal skills required.
Position is full-time, 11-month with a recurring rest period from July 10 to August 9.
Starting pay rate up to $38,000, grant-funded and contingent on continued funding.
Employment contingent on successful criminal background check and work eligibility verification through E-Verify.

Youth Program Specialist (11-Month Position) Full Description

Working Title:Youth Program Specialist (11-Month Position)

State Role Title: Education Support Specialist II

Position Type: Full-time Staff (Classified)

Position Status: Full-Time

FLSA Status: Non-Exempt: Eligible for Overtime

College/Division: College of Health and Behavioral Studies

Department:540940 - Sexual Risk Avoidance Ed FY25

Pay Rate: Maximum Starting

Specify Range or Amount:$38,000

Is this a JMU only position? No

Is this a grant-funded position? Yes. This is a grant-funded position and is contingent upon continued funding.

Is this a Conflict of Interest designated position? No

Beginning Review Date: 07/31/2025

About JMU:

James Madison University is a publicly funded university with a beautiful campus and a supportive community that is committed to preparing students for the future. The university offers excellent comprehensive benefits which include paid vacation, sick, parental, and community service leave in addition to 19 paid holidays a year; affordable health insurance; retirement through the Virginia Retirement System. We also offer a work-life balance and integration program, Balanced Dukes, that is designed to support the overall wellbeing of our employees and a Tuition Waiver Program that allows employees to have tuition waived for undergraduate and graduate level courses taken at JMU.

Visit our Prospective Employee site to learn more about what makes JMU a great place to work: bit.ly/JMUEmployment

General Information:

We seek a Youth Program Specialist to support JMU and the Institute for Innovation in Health and Human Services (IIHHS)’s mission and vision to provide outreach programs to the community and provide quality experiential learning opportunities to JMU students.
The Sexual Risk Avoidance Education (SRAE) program, part of SexEdVA at JMU, is a broadly targeted effort based on the principles of positive youth development and optimal health for the young people of the Shenandoah Valley. The project’s design includes the implementation of positive youth development programs, and the integration of innovative components to reduce risky behaviors among teens in Harrisonburg City and Page County, Virginia.

The programs used with the SRAE program are Wyman's Teen Outreach Program, the Children's Hospital of Los Angeles Project AIM program, and the Teen Speak motivational interviewing program. SexEdVA aims to ensure that young people across Virginia have access to sexual health information that is positive, inclusive, evidence-based, and medically accurate in order to make informed decisions regarding their health. SexEdVA seeks to advance health and education equity by addressing social determinants of health through comprehensive programming for youth and quality training for the adults who work with them. SexEdVA’s mission is to support adolescent sexual health in Virginia communities through training and technical assistance, curriculum development, research, and advocacy. Go to sexedva.org for more information.

This is an 11-month, full-time position with a recurring rest period of July 10th - August 9th.

Duties and Responsibilities:

The successful candidate will be responsible for assisting with the planning, coordination and implementation of the Sexual Risk Avoidance Education (SRAE) program, funded by the Virginia Department of Health. The SRAE program emphasizes principles of positive youth development and optimal health focusing on abstinence as a healthy choice for young people. The program also addresses healthy relationships, parent-child communication, educational and career success, and healthy life skills in order to significantly reduce the number of teen pregnancies in the Harrisonburg City and Page County area of Virginia.

Facilitate Project AIM and the Teen Outreach Program with 6th - 8th grade students in Page County and Harrisonburg City schools, after school programs, and in community settings. Facilitation can take place anywhere between the hours of 7:30 am to 7:30 pm Monday through Friday. The facilitator is responsible for learning curriculum, preparing classroom materials, adhering to youth safety guidelines, collecting attendance and student surveys, managing classroom behavior, and ensuring program fidelity.

Assist SRAE program leadership in developing materials for social media, newsletters, and community engagement events.

Qualifications:

• Knowledge of adolescent development, sexuality education and best practices in delivering teen pregnancy prevention programming.
• Ability to work with youth and facilitate youth programming, engage in public speaking, plan effective education programs, and implement education programs.
• Ability to establish and maintain relationships and engage in outreach.
• Ability to follow oral and written instructions.
• Must possess good oratory, organizational, administrative and interpersonal skills.
• General computer skills, including proficiency in Microsoft Word and Microsoft Excel.

Conditions of Employment:

Employment is contingent upon the successful completion of a criminal background check.

E-Verify Notice: After accepting employment, new hires are required to complete an I-9 form and present documentation of their identity and eligibility to work in the United States. James Madison University uses the E-Verify system to confirm identity and work authorization.

EEO Statement:

James Madison University is committed to creating and supporting a diverse and inclusive work and educational community that is free of all forms of discrimination. This institution does not tolerate discrimination or harassment on the basis of age, color, disability, gender identity or expression, genetic information, national origin, parental status, political affiliation, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation or veteran status.

We promote access, inclusion and diversity for all students, faculty, staff, constituents and programs, believing that these qualities are foundational components of an outstanding education in keeping with our mission. The university is interested in candidates whose experience and qualifications support an ongoing commitment to this core quality.

Anyone having questions concerning discrimination should contact the Office for Equal Opportunity: (540) 568-6991.

Reasonable Accommodation:

If you are an individual with a disability and need assistance searching or applying for jobs please contact us at (540) 568-3597 or jobs@jmu.edu. You may also visit the JMU Human Resource Office, located at 752 Ott Street, Harrisonburg, VA 22807 and we will be happy to assist you.

Original Job Description