Welcome New JA Education Leaders!
To the Equipped for Mission Guide.
Embedded Files
This guide is the starting point to equip you to accelerate JA's mission. Here, you'll find resources for the first three months of your 18-month onboarding journey with JA.
OUR PURPOSE: Junior Achievement's purpose is to inspire and prepare young people to succeed in a global economy.
OUR VISION: Build thriving communities by providing youth access to high-impact learning opportunities through a network of engaged partners.
You'll dive into the JA mindsets, JA know-how, role-specific skills and community understanding that helps you accelerate JA's mission.
At the end of this journey we want you to:
See JA's impact in your community.
Feel confident and capable in your role.
Be ready to do your job each day.
Know that you're part of something bigger.
Feeling confident, connected and inspired by JA's mission can take time. Here's what your progress will look like during each stage of the 18-month journey.
I am equipped with core JA know-how, the basics about my community and the tools I need to get started.
With support, I successfully engage in the most important tasks in my role.
I feel a sense of belonging and pride that JA creates a positive impact for young people.
I am equipped with knowledge about the steps needed to consistently create a positive impact.
I am growing in my ability to complete most of my responsibilities independently. I am building relationships.
I feel supported by my team and know I am part of something bigger than me.
I see the big picture of JA’s work and I understand how JA creates impact in my community.
I have strong relationships with core partners. I consistently demonstrate success and know where to turn to continue improving.
I feel empowered to work with my colleagues to increase our Area’s impact.
As a JA educational leader you have lots to do! But at its essence your role is to serve young people, engage volunteers and educators in order to help your community thrive. So, that's how we've organized this guide! In each section, you'll find resources to use on your own and prompts to help you explore your JA Area and discover resources from JA USA.
Equipped to Serve Young People.
What's the big idea?
Great JA Learning Experiences that empower young people don’t happen by accident. Junior Achievement works with national and field experts to design evaluate, distribute, and scale learning experiences that create powerful results.
Over time Junior Achievement has developed and refined practices and standards that help us get great results time after time. We like to think of it as the anatomy of great Learning Experience. As a JA education leader you
4 things to do on your own as you get started...
_JA MINDSETS_
Learning Experience Standards support JA's commitment to meaningful, equitable, and consistent learning experiences that create a positive long-term impact for young people. Check out how they work at this link and join us for the monthly JA Learning Experience Implementation Standards Webinar for New Associates by finding the next session here.
_JA KNOW-HOW_
Learning Experience Program Briefs provide the basics about each learning Experience including curriculum outlines, and learning goals. [Add capstone links? Other programs?]
_JA KNOW HOW_
Designed to help new Program Managers get started on the “first day on the job”, the program provides critical, foundational program, education, and volunteer information. [Add link]
_JA MINDSETS_
Mindsets are important to all of us at JA. We believe that students need skills, knowledge AND mindsets to help them create their own futures. We believe the same thing about JA education leaders, that's why we want to equip JA staff with opportunities to notice and grow the JA Mindsets in their work. [link to upload or to a landing page about JA Mindsets]
4 things to help you engage with your JA Area...
_COMMUNITY
Visiting JA learning experiences is one of the best ways to understand your role. Using this checklist during a visit to a JA program, connect with a JA Area colleague to learn about how the JA mindsets, JA Learning Experiences, and Pathways all come together to create exceptional learning experiences for students. [develop, link to upload]
_JA KNOW-HOW_
While the JA network is unified in its approach to impact, each JA Area, in order to match the strengths and needs of its community, has its own recipe for success. Get to know your JA Area's uniqueness by learning from your JA colleagues. [develop, link to upload]
_JA MINDSETS_
Using scenarios of typical challenges JA education staff face, you'll get a chance to have proactive conversations about using the JA Mindsets to overcome barriers that might stand in you way. [finalize, link to upload]
_COMMUNITY
At JA, we're committed to growth. Growth of our students and growth of our team. That's why when we think of equipping our team with skills to advance the mission we start with strengths and then discuss the ways you want to grow. Start by considering the belonging and equity skillset. [link to skills ladder - one section]
2 things to connect you with the JA Network...
_JA KNOW-HOW_
The JA network is full of talented and hardworking people who willingly share their experience with JA staff from all over the country. Pick ONE forum linked to your core role and join it on a regular basis to meet the JA network and find inspiration and resources. [link]
_JA KNOW-HOW_
Resources, tools, best practices, and field experts; you can connect with them all, each week, during the Wednesday Webinar hosted by the Education Team at JA USA. [link]
Equipped to Engage Volunteers and Educators.
What's the big idea?
Volunteers and educators are one of the most important factors in the success of JA's mission. JA education leaders guide volunteers and educators through a process that we call the JA Volunteer lifecycle.
4 things to do on your own as you get started...
_JA KNOW-HOW_
In this guide you'll walk through the JA lifecycle from the point of view of a volunteer and see the roles that you and your colleagues play in each phase of the lifecycle. [link to upload]
_JA MINDSET_
Practicing the JA mindset of empathy means imagining that you're walking in another person's shows. Refine your empathy and understanding of the of the volunteer experience by volunteering!
[link to upload of skils ladder. one section]
COMMUNITY
JA's programs have the distinction of helping many schools to meet state and/or federal requirements. This is a testament to the rigo of the program. Take time to study how/where JA's programming fits into. [links]
_JA MINDSET_
Engaging directly with a volunteer builds your Empathy Mindset. Interview or shadow a volunteer to learn about the steps they take to prepare, what they appreciate and what needs improvement. This is also an excellent opportunity for relationship building. [no additional instruction sheet provided at this time - maybe future]
2 things to help you engage with your JA Area...
COMMUNITY
JA changes communities. So, how do we want our community to change? Interview a senior JA leader to discuss the economic and educational forces at work in your community. [no additional instruction sheet provided at this time - maybe future]
_JA KNOW-HOW_
At JA we're all responsible for engaging our community to advance with our mission. Connect with your colleagues in other education areas, and in development and marketing to learn how your work overlaps and how you can support one another. [no additional instruction sheet provided at this time - maybe future]
_JA KNOW-HOW_
Educators play such an important role in making JA work for students. Schedule time to watch and educator in action using JA's content, or ask for a quick interview to learn more about what they appreciate about JA's presence with their students. [no additional instruction sheet provided at this time - maybe future]
_JA KNOW-HOW_
We like to say that JA is a "relationship business." To effectively advance JA's mission we each need to be equipped with the skills to build and sustain relationship. Use this guide with a JA colleague to consider your strengths and how you want to grow.
[link to upload of skills document]
2 things to connect you with the JA Network...
_JA KNOW-HOW_
No need to start from scratch. JA USA provides you with LOTS of ready to use and customizable resources for volunteer and educator engagement. Preview them here.
_JA KNOW-HOW_
Effective organizations use systems to ensure consistency, quality and results. JA uses several systems that will help you advance the mission. Review each system and then connect with a colleague to know how you'll use them.
BCRM, BizApps, D2L - JA's Learning Platform [add links]
Equipped and Organized
Navigate your way through JA by bookmarking our quick links from this site.
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