Student Engagement Support Member

CYC started Corps for a Change in 2015 to increase preventative programming within the organization, with a focus on providing one-on-one support to middle and high school students. Corps for a Change is an Ameri Corps program that supports students by addressing barriers to learning and helping students increase a sense of belonging at school and in their community. The Corps for a Change program places caring, service driven members in schools to support students, helping them navigate academic and non-academic needs, with an emphasis on connecting students to mental health resources.

In 2024, Corps for a Change became a part of the Youth Mental Health Corps.

Because Student Engagement Support members are in schools full-time, they are providing consistent, weekly, check-ins with students. Members commit to a term of service and receive rigorous training plus ongoing supervision throughout the year.

The Student Engagement Support member is placed at one middle or high school to provide individualized support to a caseload of 20-40 students who exhibit a lack of school engagement or need additional resources and support. The member works one-on-one with students to improve school engagement and help support a path toward academic success.

Engagement support members receive ample training and support throughout their service.

Members will have the opportunity to take college courses through Aurora Community College toward earning Behavioral Health Assistant credentials. The Behavioral Health courses are fully-funded, and cover topics like psychiatric care, mental health crisis and intervention, therapeutic communication skills, case management, clinical documentation, and social welfare. This credential is Medicaid/Medicare recognized credential which means that members could leave their term of service with potential opportunities for employment at community clinics, school-based clinics, and more.

• Conduct one-on-one meetings with 20-40 caseload students to support them in being more engaged and successful in school. This includes reviewing-Build strong relationships with caseload students.
• Provide tutoring or tutoring resources to students as needed.
• Address challenges to learning by connecting students with in-school and local community service supports.
• Help individuals and families navigate and connect to mental health resources.
• Develop education and training materials on mental health issues.
• Conduct community outreach and workshops.
• Help schools and organizations establish norms and practices to support programs and policies around healthy social media use.
• Collaborate with school staff, students, families, and CYC staff.
• Provide school-wide engagement /attendance supports.
• Engage parents/guardians.
• Track all students’ progress within CYC’s database, school databases, and other spreadsheets.

• Health Coverage
• Training
• Education award upon successful completion of service
• Stipend.

• Permits attendance at school during off hours,
• Permits working at another job during off hours.

• Education.

• General Skills
• Communications
• Teaching/Tutoring
• Education
• Youth Development
• Counseling.

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