Join Us
Girls' LEAP could not exist without an amazing group of people. Join us! To apply for a position or request additional information, please send your resume and cover letter to Girls' LEAP at leapmail@girlsleap.org!
Location: Greater Boston
Hours: 4 - 10 hours/week, Monday-Saturday Mornings/Afternoons/Evenings in 3–4-hour blocks.
Pay: $25/hour
Girls’ LEAP works to disrupt the violence that surrounds girls and gender expansive youth by amplifying their voices, emboldening their courage, and imparting critical life and self-defense skills so they can take on challenges with confidence.
Our programs combine physical skills with social-emotional development, in a unique and synergistic combination. Young people recognize and develop their physical strength by practicing physical self-defense. Experiencing the power in their bodies gives them the confidence to use their voices, set boundaries, create healthy relationships, and develop into leaders.
We enroll groups of 8-20 girls and gender expansive youth (ages 8-18, in age-appropriate groups) at no cost to them in their neighborhood schools and community centers. We aim for a 4:1 ratio, students to staff in each program.
The Lead Teacher teaches Girls’ LEAP Self-Defense programs, collaborating with an inter-generational team comprising college-aged Teaching Assistants and Teen Mentors. Programs typically run weekly for 11 weeks during the school year and 6 weeks during the summer with occasional workshops.
Responsibilities
- Teach the Girls’ LEAP curriculum to 8-20 students, leading the intergenerational teaching team
- Coach the teaching team assigned to each program
- Coordinate with our site sponsor
- Produce weekly reports on the progress of programs and staff
Experience and Qualifications
- A minimum of 3 years’ experience working with youth
- Experience in physical, outdoor, or experiential education, martial arts, dance, theatre, or some other expressive physical medium
- Commitment to Girls’ LEAP values of empowering girls and non-binary youth from a strength-based team approach and fostering a consent culture
- Ability to work with diverse groups of people in a team environment
- Ability to manage conflict effectively
- Bilingual/bicultural candidates strongly encouraged to apply
- Valid MA driver’s license and regular access to reliable vehicle preferred
Teen Mentors build leadership skills by teaching younger and near-aged girls in Girls’ LEAP programs. They also raise community awareness about violence that girls face.
Who can apply?
Teens from Boston who identify as girls, ages 14-18. We especially encourage those who are interested in empowerment, social justice, leadership, or self-defense to apply. Teen Mentors are selected though a rigorous training and application process. Once hired, Teen Mentors will be part-time, paid employees with Girls’ LEAP.
What skills to Teen Mentors build?
- Increased confidence in personal safety
- Increased awareness of higher education opportunities
- Ability to coach and mentor
- Work readiness and confidence in communication and presentation skills
- Professionalism in engagement with peers and supervisors
What's the commitment?
A weekend-long training and 20-25 hours/week for the duration of the program. You must be available each week of the program, typically seven weeks in the summer. Hours are scheduled between 9am and 5pm, Monday through Friday.
Teen Mentors who successfully complete the summer program may be invited to continue their employment into the school year, assisting with Girls' LEAP Programs, Workshops, and outreach events after school, and/or on weekends.
What does a Teen Mentor do?
- Assistant teach in Girls' LEAP Community Programs
- Engage in training and discussion on social justice topics relevant to Boston girls, such as racism, sexism, discrimination, violence, etc. - and what we can do about these issues
- Create content for Girls' LEAP's Instagram, Youtube, etc. about things that matter to you! Learn skills like video and music editing. Write poetry, draw, take pics
- Build personal skills like financial literacy and goal setting, and professional skills like resume writing, and more
Teen Mentor Program Intern
The Teen Mentor Program intern will work one-on-one, and with a team of six teen mentors on weekdays during a specified point in time when programs are occurring. This position helps support Teen Mentors in developing professional skills, engaging with social justice topics relevant to the work of Girls' LEAP, and in creating personal projects such as a video diary, a social media campaign, a blog, a photography project, a slam poem, etc. Applicants should be interested in working with youth, exploring why we tell stories, and why it's important for everyone to hear girls' voices. Students with backgrounds in journalism, creative disciplines, the arts, creating social media, and social justice are encouraged to apply.
Teaching Assistants Intern
This internship is tailored to suit the goals of students interested in pursuing careers in social work, youth advocacy, counseling, and education. A background in theatre, sports, or movement arts, and/or second language skills is a plus. Interns work directly with youth under the supervision of Girls' Leap staff in Girls' LEAP Programs, and may also work closely with our Teen Mentor Program. Interns must attend the weekend-long training offered in January, June, and September. Please email Program Director regarding open positions for this internship.
Curriculum Development Intern
Are you a student with a passion for anti-oppression work and inspiring others? Do you have an interest in public health, violence prevention, trauma-informed service, and research? This internship is tailored based on student interests to expand and/or revamp Girls' LEAP Programs and Workshops. Interns may choose to focus on updating the trauma-informed elements of our existing volunteer training curriculum, the Teen Dating Violence elements of our community programs curriculum, training for Boston Police volunteering with LEAP, and a new workshop curriculum for LEAP parents. This internship is under the supervision of Girls' LEAP's Program Director.
Outreach, Social Media and Marketing Intern
Do you love spreading the word about awesome organizations? Do you love meeting people and attending community events? Is graphic design your jam? Students with an interest in community outreach, creating intersectional feminist media, amplifying the voices of youth of color, social-media management, and/or graphic design or web design are encouraged to apply!
Girls' LEAP could not exist without an amazing group of volunteers who help support our work. Join us!
Teaching Assistants Volunteer Program
The Teaching Assistants Program is a personal and professional development opportunity to volunteer as a mentor in Girls' LEAP programs.
Teaching Assistants attend an 18 hour training (offered three times/year in late June, mid-September, and late January) before assistant teaching in at least one LEAP Program per semester. Teaching Assistants attend weekly peer meetings as part of community or campus-based "Chapters" for ongoing training and review, as well as reflection and discussion on social justice issues such as self-care, race, gender, and violence (about 3 - 4.5 hours per week total.)
Teaching Assistants also have the opportunity to organize and/or participate in community outreach and awareness events, and are invited to come together about once a month for optional meet-ups, special self-defense trainings, and fun activities.
University-based Teaching Assistants currently join us from Lesley, Northeastern, Simmons, Boston University, Harvard, Bunker Hill Community College, and MIT. Community-based Teaching Women hail from Dorchester, Roxbury, Medford, Somerville, Cambridge, Malden, and Chelsea!
We encourage any college student or community member 18+ who identifies as a woman and is interested in empowerment, leadership, or self-defense to apply - and we especially encourage women of color and Spanish-speakers. University or college-based Teaching Assistants may be eligible for service-learning, practicum, or work-study credit.
Volunteer Professional Skills
Are you a feminist web designer looking for a portfolio project? An arts or media instructor with an interest in social justice issues? A photographer or graphic designer expanding your portfolio? A techie who wants to give back to your community? An office looking for a volunteer holiday project?
If this sounds like you - or you have another amazing skill set and would like to donate your time and talent to making Girls LEAP even more awesome - we would love to hear from you!
Hosting a LEAP program
We look to our program partners to provide a setting and support for the girls in the program. Specifically, our partners provide:
- Space for the training
- A two hour time block for each class
- 10 – 25 students who are interested in participating
- A sponsor who will recruit participants, encourage program attendance, and interface with parents/guardians, and an adult who can be on site during the program time to help with any emergency or logistical issues
Our partners depend on us to provide:
- A fully-trained intergenerational teaching team
- All supplies for the program, including strike shields
- Communication materials they can use to recruit participants, including printable posters, letters to parents, brochures, and social media graphics
If you are interested in hosting a program, we’d love to talk with you. Please email us at leapmail@girlsleap.org!
Girls' LEAP is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees.