Job Details

Working/Functional Title

Youth and Family Health Prog. Instr.

Position Summary

Michigan State University Extension is committed to fostering a welcoming and inclusive organization, which requires all staff to contribute towards a vision for success. Diversity, equity, and inclusion are central to our work, regardless of title or position within the organization. This means that all staff at MSU Extension are dedicated to the following:

• We work together to ensure that programming is delivered to diverse audiences, produces equitable impacts for all participants, and demonstrates partnership and inclusion for all groups.
• We embrace that it is everyone’s job to create a culture that promotes diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging.
• We ensure that every team member is prepared with the skills and resources to contribute to our welcoming and inclusive culture.
• We foster inclusion by recognizing and valuing diverse perspectives, skills, experiences, and work to create equal access to programming for communities.
• We commit to continuous learning for diversity, equity, and cultural competency, in order to achieve inclusive excellence.
• We understand that diversity, equity, and inclusion are essential elements to our work and are vital to the organizational culture and programmatic success of MSU Extension.
• We embrace a culture of understanding, coaching and feedback towards achieving a vision of success for the entire organization and its staff.
• Together we will achieve success and we commit to these goals in our work, continued education, and ongoing efforts.

POSITION SUMMARY

As part of MSU Extension (MSUE) and the Children and Youth Institute (CYI) this position provides leadership and oversight of local programs, clients, and participants, related to MSU Extension’s immunization education program area to provide youth and family immunization education in rural areas.

As a team member of the rural family and youth immunization education project, you will oversee and ensure program/project promotion and expansion activities and assist with data gathering for impact evaluation efforts. You will work in conjunction with your supervisor, youth and family health program instructors, health program instructors, program participants, and community partners to attain both short-term and long-term goals and objectives. Through your supervising educator, you will work in concert with the appropriate MSU Extension Institute and/or work team(s) to ensure alignment of programs with overall goals of work team, Institute, and grantors.

As a team member of the rural family and youth immunization education grant, you will work in collaboration with your supervisor, the CYI Leadership and Healthy Living Supervising Extension Educator, to support the creation of local youth ambassadors. You will be responsible for recruiting individuals to serve as youth ambassadors, and to engage local youth ambassador team members in an education campaign and messaging planning process that will define the young people’s goals and strategies to amplify their voice in increasing immunization, including COVID-19 vaccination education and other childhood immunizations in the communities within their districts.? You will also work in concert with the Child and Family Development team to Implement family immunization education initiatives to support parents and caregivers to help them make informed choices around immunization education. Through this process, you will prepare local youth ambassadors on how to build personal skills to maximize opportunities for public messaging around immunizations, including COVID vaccination education and other childhood immunizations in the communities and districts served. 

In this role, you will develop and implement education initiatives designed to support local 4-H special interest (SPIN) club development and provide family focused programming around education to raise awareness around childhood immunization for families, especially those with young children and teenagers. Examples could be health SPIN clubs, a summer youth health science camp, a regularly scheduled virtual health webinar series, video production SPIN clubs to develop public information campaigns with immunization and vaccination messaging, and/or a webinar focused on expert interviews targeting family education, etc. You will also collaborate with the Health Communications Manager to create youth and family focused content for social media platforms such as TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, and Snapchat that align with educational campaign objectives of increasing immunization rates and supporting participation in communicating with health professionals so families can make informed choices about immunizations.

There will be space available for this position to work from the MSU Extension offices located in Allegan, Barry, or Ottawa County.

This is a full-time, end-dated appointment, renewable annually based upon continued funding. At this time, funding is expected to be available through June 2024.

Characteristic Duties/Responsibilities

• Plan, organize, and carry out programs that focus on immunization educational programming and public outreach.
• Operate somewhat independently, with minimal supervision, ensuring that program delivery follows prescribed guidelines and meets the goals for reaching specific audiences.
• Develop and maintain positive working relationships intra- and inter-organizationally and create and promote positive public relations for MSU Extension and the Children and Youth Institute.
• Create, promote, and represent MSU Extension in activities, meetings, etc. in a manner that reflects collegial connection with the community, the research and knowledge of the University, and the goodwill of MSU Extension.
• Understand and support the Children and Youth Institute’s efforts in diversity, equity, and inclusion, with a special emphasis on reaching diverse populations, including but not limited to race, color, national origin, gender, gender identity, religion, age, height, weight, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, marital status, family status or veteran status, socio-economic class, and other human differences in rural, suburban, and urban communities, and where applicable, increasing programmatic delivery and participation in urban centers.
• Initiate efforts to expand MSU Extension programs to ensure that community needs assessments, program development and recruitment efforts include the engagement of Michigan’s diverse residents across race, gender, socioeconomic class, disabilities, and other differences.
• Ensure that diverse audiences are reached through traditional and newly developed programs.
• Provide information and opportunities for learning through the use of technology, mass media, group meetings, workshops, and individual contacts.
• Collaborate with the appropriate MSU Extension Institute work teams.
• Provide expertise and information to clientele related to immunization education.
• Plan, organize, and implement programs that are relevant to grant deliverables and meet the needs of local residents.
• Work to identify and remove barriers from participation in MSU Extension programs.
• Attend various and related local program meetings or committee meetings, as well as community planning activities, as appropriate.
• Actively participate in a variety of professional development opportunities to attain and retain program knowledge and delivery skills.
• Other duties as may be assigned by supervisor.

Unit Specific Education/Experience/Skills

• Bachelor’s degree and two years of experience in program management and delivery in youth and/or family development, education, public health, community health, communications, human health science, psychology, sociology, interdisciplinary studies, humanities, human development and family studies, social work, or related field.
• Combination of education and specific, relevant experience may be considered in lieu of degree.
• Ability to demonstrate sensitivity, knowledge, and use of appropriate approaches, skills, and techniques, which reflect an understanding and awareness of social, cultural, and economic diversity of the target population served.
• Demonstrated success in program development and delivery to diverse audiences/communities, and proven ability in establishing and working with a diverse network of constituents and community members across race, color, gender, national origin, gender identity, religion, age, height, weight, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, marital status, family status, veteran status, socioeconomic class, and other differences.
• Proficiency in use of technology (e.g., web research, Microsoft Teams, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook for mail/calendaring, distance technology, etc.).
• Effective oral and written communication skills.
• Travel in local and surrounding communities and occasional long-distance travel are required as a regular part of this position.
• Other skills and/or physical abilities required to perform duties of the position.
• Demonstrated drive and initiative, with proven ability to manage multiple responsibilities and tasks simultaneously.
• Experience developing content on social media platforms such as Facebook, TikTok, Instagram and SnapChat.
• Desired background or knowledge in public health principles.

Desired Qualifications

• Demonstrated drive and initiative, with proven ability to manage multiple responsibilities and tasks simultaneously.
• Experience developing content on social media platforms such as Facebook, TikTok, Instagram and SnapChat.
• Desired background or knowledge in public health principles.

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, citizenship, disability or protected veteran status.

Required Application Materials

• Current resume/CV.
• Cover letter.
• Four (4) professional references including two (2) current or previous supervisors.

Together-we-will Statement

Special Instructions

This is a full-time, end-dated appointment, renewable annually based upon continued funding. At this time, funding is expected to be available through June 2024.

Work Hours

Generally 40 hours Monday through Friday, with some nights and weekends needed.

Description of End Date

12 months. This position is a full-time, end-dated appointment renewable annually based on continued funding.