Program Administrator for Education Program in Honduras

  Honduras

Cofradia

Length of Position: one year +
Durations of Program: 7-12 months, 1-2 years and over 2 years
Typical Duration of Program: 7-12 months
Dates: June 1, 2008 - June 30, 2009

Description: BECA is seeking a Program Administrator for the 2008-2009 school year.

San Jeronimo Bilingual School (SJBS) is a community-managed non-profit school that aims to change the Honduran status quo. SJBS serves 185 socioeconomically diverse students in Cofradía, Cortés. A group of parents, the Asociación de Padres Proeducación founded SJBS in 2004 and they are responsible for the on-going administration and maintenance of the school.

BECA is SJBS's U.S. non-profit partner. BECA supports SJBS by recruiting and training a qualified group of service-minded volunteer teachers. BECA's presence allows the school to keep costs very low and provide a significant number of scholarships (no fewer than 25% of the school population at any time) to students from very low income families.

Our model is built on partnership between Hondurans committed to high quality, progressive education and foreigners interested in a truly authentic cultural immersion. This partnership results in affordable and free bilingual education for our students and authentic cultural immersion for our volunteers.

There are no handouts in our model. Families whose children receive scholarships contribute towards their childs education through completion of a monthly service requirement. This service not only enables them to feel a sense of pride in their contribution to their childs education, it also offers opportunity to gain practical skills. Everything we do is about education.

As a result of their experiences, our volunteers return home prepared to better serve the needs of our country's rapidly growing Latino population - in the classroom and elsewhere. This experience is best suited to individuals who are comfortable with significant independence and responsibility.

The Program Administrator is an in-country team member who leads BECAs volunteer-driven education program. He/she will be a creative and flexible person with proven management experience whose responsibilities will include:

Information Management
The Program Administrator facilitates the daily interactions of the BECA team. He/she manages the team budget and pays all bills related to room, board, visa renewals, as well as other program costs. He/she is also responsible for tracking important pedagogical and administrative information in a manner that will allow subsequent years teams to transition into their positions without difficulty.

Local Liaison
The Program Administrator serves as liaison between BECA and the local community most specifically the Asociación de Padres Proeducación (our Honduran partner organization).

Scholarship Program Administration
The Program Administrator directs the Scholarship Program at the school. He/she is responsible for promoting the scholarship program. He/she will review applications and interview potential/current scholarship families in March/April to fill new spaces/assess current recipients need prior to the next school year. Based on these interviews he/she will make recommendations regarding which children should receive the available scholarships. He/she seeks to empower scholarship students families to actively participate in the school by facilitating their involvement. He/she monitors the behavior and academic performance of children receiving financial assistance in order to ensure they remain eligible.

Visitors Program Administration
The Program Administrator coordinates logistics of visits of student and community groups who undertake short-term service projects with us. He/she also coordinates special BECA programs such as Libros Y Familias.

Daily School Involvement
The Program Administrator works in collaboration with the School Director and Secretary to maintain effective discipline strategies at the school, but is not directly involved with the schools administration or financial management.

BECA Volunteer Support:
The Program Administrator serves as a support figure for BECAs volunteer teaching team. He/she checks in with each teacher regularly to provide moral and psychological support; in doing so he/she strives to ensure teacher lesson plans are in line with BECAs curriculum and Honduran educational standards.

The Program Administrator is responsible for facilitating teachers professional development. This includes planning and implementing the initial Volunteer Orientation in August, the annual trip to the Discovery School Conference in Tegucigalpa and ongoing opportunities throughout the year.

In addition, the Program Administrator may serve as a substitute teacher in instances of illness and support team members in the classroom in other ways.

Development Support
The Program Administrator supports the board of directors in development activities. He/she will reach out to potential donors with board members guidance, research grant opportunities, and assist with grant applications/reporting.

He/she will submit brief monthly reports that highlight school and community activities to assist the board in tracking BECAs growth and progress and he/she will provide information for newsletters targeted to donors and friends.

Highlights: This person has an amazing opportunity to facilitate the collaboration of a service-minded group of individuals in their collaborations with a motivated and inspirational local Honduran group. Seeing our students succeed in the classroom, getting to know our students' families, living life like all of your Honduran neighbors... the highlight of this job is the "genuine" experience of living and working in community with your Honduran colleagues and the rest of the BECA team.

Qualifications: Experience/Skills needed:
- Strong interpersonal and cross-cultural skills (with experience living in a Latin American country)
- Advanced level of Spanish (preferably fluent)
- Ability to manage a team with minimal supervision/support as well as to manage multiple tasks simultaneously
- Proven fundraising experience preferred
- Experience coordinating academic programs and supervising teachers desirable
- Familiarity with Microsoft Office, especially Excel

Minimum Education: Bachelors

Cost in US$: 0

Salary / Pay: A monthly stipend, and accommodation and food are provided. Our volunteers share homes (two people to each bedroom) close to the center of Cofradia and about a fifteen minute walk from the school. The house is situated in an elevated part of Cofradia and has a picturesque view of the Merendon mountains from the airy back terrace (as well as an internet connection - both much appreciated amenities in a hot Latin American pueblo) ! Most of the time there is running water and a modern flush toilet. Occasionally there is no actual running water. When this happens, we use the water that is collected outside the house in a large cement trough called a "pila." This water is used to flush the toilet, shower and wash dishes and clothes. Electricity is relatively reliable, but can go out without warning for several hours at a time - especially during the rainy season. Lunch is prepared at school for the volunteers on school days.

Experience Required: yes

We are looking for a creative and flexible person with proven management experience.

Typical Volunteer: Service-minded, flexible, creative, compassionate, works and lives well with others, interested in learning about new cultures.

Age Range: 22+ (our volunteers have ranged in age from 22 - 50)

This Program is open to American, Australian, Canadian, European, Kiwi, South African and World Wide Participants. This Program is also open to Couples and Individuals

Participants Travel to Honduras Independently

Typically Participants Work Independently Or in Groups of 11

Application Process Involves:

• In-Person Interview when Feasible
• Letters of Reference
• Other
• Phone Interview
• Resume
• Transcript
• Written Application

Post Services Include:

• Alumni Network
• Exit DebriefingAbroad
• Job and Internship Network

Bilingual Education for Central America's Mission Statement: BECA (Bilingual Education for Central America), is a U.S. registered 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation. BECA promotes cultural exchange and affordable bilingual education. Our volunteer driven bilingual school model creates an environment in which Central American students learn from dedicated volunteer teachers and the volunteers learn from the community in which they are immersed.

Year Founded: 2001