AmeriCorps Youth Literacy Specialist

Position Summary

Ameri Corps - Youth Literacy Specialist

May 26th 2026 - August 1st 2026

300 Hours Contract - Minimum of 35 hours/week

Compensation:
Living Allowance Total: $3,900 ($780.00 every 2 weeks over 10 weeks) + Education Award: $1,565.08*

Closing Date:
Open until filled

Ameri Corps is a national service program that takes a different approach to improve lives and fostering civic engagement. Ameri Corps Members commit their time to address critical community needs. In Dubuque, Ameri Corps Members serve at the intersection of education and mental health to help youth understand their emotions, reactions, and relationships through social-emotional learning to improve academic, career, and social success.

City of Dubuque Ameri Corps Members implement key skill-building program to have the following impacts:

• Youth experience programs promoting healthy lifestyles resulting in decreased youth risk-related behaviors.
• Youth development skills to build meaningful and healthy relationships while experiencing being valued and respected.
• Providing every young person with the opportunity to grow up safely and access their best possible future.

The Ameri Corps Summer Youth Literacy Specialist at Carnegie-Stout Public Library plays a crucial role in supporting academic and social-emotional learning for youths in grades pre-K through 12 in the Dubuque community. This position is designed to help young people build meaningful connections within their community while participating in constructive activities that promote personal growth and well-being. It also provides engaging literacy programs throughout the summer to support academic continuity and reduce the risk of learning loss.

• Education Award received upon successful completion of their term of service.
• Living Allowance
• Childcare coverage, if the member qualifies
• Student loan forbearance and interest payments for eligible loans

• Program Development and Implementation:
  • Collaborate with the Youth Services Manager and library staff to plan and provide fun and engaging literacy-based and social-emotional-based library programs for youth and families during the Summer.
  • 6–8 literacy-based and social-emotional programs throughout June
    - July, averaging 2 programs per week
  • Develop and implement engaging 30-minute story times to underserved K-5 students, including preschool classes, DCSD Summer Academy, and other summer youth programs. Use of puppets, dancing, and general silliness is encouraged.
  • 1–2 sessions per week
  • Engage middle & high school students in summer enrichment programs through the Teen Zone.
  • Facilitate weekly activities for 8–10 weeks, ensuring a minimum of 1 session per week.
  • Plan and present entertaining and educational outreach initiatives to youth and families in the greater Dubuque community using colored paper, fabric, yarn, and other crafting materials.
  • 4–6 community outreach events between June and August, each lasting 30–90 minutes
  • Manage the implementation of the Summer Reading Program for community youth.
  • 8 weeks, ensuring weekly progress tracking and a minimum of 2 promotional touchpoints per week
  • Carry out developmental activities that promote personal skill-building in areas such as self‑awareness, self‑management, social‑awareness, relationship skills, personal responsibility, goal‑directed behavior, decision‑making, confidence, and optimistic thinking.
  • 100% of youth programs, with at least 15 minutes per session
• Impact Assessment and Documentation:
  • Document and maintain records of the impact on area youth who participate in programs through weekly data‑reporting processes.
  • Data collected:
    Total number of students, number of literacy programs delivered, total attendance across programs, number of books logged through Summer Reading, percentage of participants attending multiple sessions, participant satisfaction feedback collection through brief surveys, documentation of literacy‑based and SEL components embedded in 100% of programs.
  • Collect data and feedback to evaluate program effectiveness and identify areas for improvement.
  • Personal Skills Development Outcomes
• Training and Skill Development:
  • Complete comprehensive…