Entry-Level Positions for Aspiring Youth Development Professionals
Entry-level positions in youth development programs at educational nonprofits include "coordinator, advisor, and instructor roles," and volunteering offers valuable experience to help undergraduates explore career paths and "get an understanding of where you would like to go."
Youth Development, Nonprofit Sector, Entry-Level Positions, Career Exploration, Volunteer Experience
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Lidia Alfaro Chavez
Project Director III, Upward Bound
Education Non-Profit
UCLA, 2014
Pepperdine University, MA Social Entrepreneurship & Change, 2017
Anthropology, Sociology
Nonprofit, Foundations & Grantmaking
Operations and Project Management
Scholarship Recipient, Pell Grant Recipient, Greek Life Member, First Generation College Student
Video Highlights
1. Entry-level roles in youth development programs at nonprofits include coordinator, advisor, and instructor positions.
2. Internships and volunteer work offer valuable experience and insights into the field.
3. Exploring various organizations and projects helps students understand different work environments and career paths within youth development.
Transcript
What entry-level positions are there in this field that an undergraduate college student might consider?
In youth development programs and the nonprofit or educational nonprofit sector, several roles can help prepare you. I started as a mentor intern, then became a volunteer project coordinator, and later a project assistant. Entry-level roles include area coordinator and advisor.
My particular grant has advisors, coordinators, and instructors who are mostly entry-level. An undergraduate student might try these roles to gain experience, especially if they are considering this field. They might want an introductory understanding of what life and work-life balance could be like in this industry.
These kinds of jobs are definitely available. I recommend looking into them and even volunteering. As an undergraduate, I volunteered to get a feel for different environments and positions within various organizations and projects. This was beneficial for understanding where I wanted my career to go.