Instructional Designer; Volunteer – PromisePlay Educational Game App

Instructional Designer (Volunteer – Promise Play Educational Game App)

The role is a volunteer, unpaid position at Mentor A Promise (MAP) and is fully remote.

Mentor A Promise is a nonprofit that supports children and youth ages 5–18 experiencing housing instability in New York City. Through mentorship, academic enrichment, social‑emotional learning (SEL), literacy development, and creative expression, MAP creates safe, consistent, and empowering spaces where young people can thrive.

Promise Play is MAP’s educational game initiative that brings together educators, designers, and storytellers to create trauma‑informed, culturally responsive learning experiences for children navigating unstable housing. The project transforms play into a pathway for emotional healing, learning, and belonging through interactive digital storytelling and SEL‑based design.

You’ll collaborate with educators, game designers, and youth partners to design meaningful, accessible learning experiences that inspire connection, creativity, and resilience for children experiencing homelessness. This volunteer role is ideal for an instructional designer passionate about child‑centered learning, equity, and creative digital education.

• Collaborate with the Project Manager, Game Designer/Story Developer, and Educational Content Specialist to design and document learning outcomes, game mechanics, and narrative structures aligned with SEL and academic goals.
• Develop curriculum frameworks, storyboards, and scripts that translate educational objectives into playful, engaging experiences.
• Apply trauma‑informed and culturally responsive design principles to all content and interactions.
• Ensure inclusive, low‑barrier user experiences for learners in transient or unstable environments.
• Evaluate and iterate on learning design through prototype testing and educator/child feedback.
• Support development of teacher/facilitator guides and family engagement materials extending the game’s learning beyond the app.
• Check and respond to emails daily, ensuring all responses are completed within 48 hours.
• Take responsibility for performance improvement by integrating feedback from testing and iterative design reviews.

• Experience in instructional design, curriculum development, or learning‑experience design.
• Knowledge of social‑emotional learning (SEL), child development, and trauma‑informed education.
• Experience designing game‑based or interactive digital learning preferred.
• Strong collaboration skills and comfort working on cross‑functional creative teams.
• Excellent communication, organization, and storytelling abilities.
• Familiarity with inclusive and accessible learning design practices.

• Volunteer role requiring approximately 5 hours per week.
• Minimum 6‑month commitment preferred.
• Fully remote position with weekly virtual team meetings.

• Opportunity to design meaningful, equity‑centered instructional content for children experiencing housing instability.
• Hands‑on experience applying instructional design in a nonprofit and educational‑technology context.
• Collaboration with educators, developers, and creative professionals through Promise Play.
• Professional development, mentorship, and leadership growth opportunities.
• Letters of recommendation and professional references upon successful completion.

Please send your resume, Linked In profile, and a brief statement of interest to hr with the subject line Instructional Designer (Promise Play).

You may also apply directly here: (Use the "Apply for this Job" box below)./

Design with purpose — help build a digital world where play, empathy, and imagination guide every child toward learning, healing, and hope.