Overview
Director of Education & Mentorship-Volunteer Board Position Jobs in Columbus, OH at Neighborhood Athletics LLC
Neighborhood Athletics Director of Education & Mentorship — Volunteer Board Position
Organization: Neighborhood Athletics
Location: Columbus, Ohio
Position Type: Volunteer, Unpaid Board Leadership Role
Time Commitment: Approximately 2–4 hours per week, including meetings
Reports To: Board President/Executive Director and Board of Directors
Board Term: As established by Neighborhood Athletics’ bylaws
Website: https://www.neighborhoodathletics.org
About Neighborhood Athletics
Neighborhood Athletics is a Columbus-based nonprofit organization established to support young people through athletics, education, mentorship, wellness , and community engagement. We serve youth ages 6-18, with a focus on children and families from under-resourced communities.
Through soccer, basketball, academic support, mentoring, leadership development, wellness activities, and life-skills programming, Neighborhood Athletics helps young people grow into confident, responsible, healthy, and successful individuals.
Our Mission
Neighborhood Athletics’ mission is to empower youth through sports, education, mentorship, and positive community engagement. We provide safe, structured, and inclusive opportunities that help young people develop academically, physically, socially, and emotionally.
Our Vision
Our vision is to build stronger communities where every young person regardless of background, income, or circumstance has access to quality athletic programs, educational support, trusted mentors, and opportunities to reach their full potential.
Position Summary
The Director of Education & Mentorship is a volunteer member of the Neighborhood Athletics Board of Directors who provides leadership, governance, and strategic oversight for the organization’s educational and mentorship initiatives.
This individual will help ensure that Neighborhood Athletics’ tutoring, academic enrichment, mentoring, leadership development, and life-skills programs are mission-aligned, youth-centered, measurable, and responsive to the needs of participants and families.
As a board member, the Director of Education & Mentorship provides strategic guidance and oversight. The position may support program planning and volunteer coordination when appropriate, but it is not intended to replace paid staff or manage all daily program operations.
Key Responsibilities
Board Governance and Leadership
- Attend and actively participate in regular Board of Directors meetings.
- Fulfill the legal and ethical duties of care, loyalty, and obedience required of nonprofit board members.
- Support the organization’s mission, vision, strategic plan, policies, and long-term sustainability.
- Review organizational reports, policies, budgets, and major decisions related to education and mentorship.
- Maintain confidentiality regarding youth, families, volunteers, staff, donors, and organizational matters.
- Disclose potential conflicts of interest and comply with Neighborhood Athletics’ bylaws, policies, and board agreements.
- Participate in board orientation, training, annual evaluations, and strategic planning.
- Serve on relevant committees and provide updates to the Board of Directors.
Education Program Oversight
- Provide strategic guidance for tutoring, homework assistance, literacy, academic enrichment, college and career readiness, and life-skills programming.
- Help establish goals, learning outcomes, attendance expectations, and methods for evaluating educational progress.
- Review education program plans and recommend improvements based on youth and family needs.
- Help ensure programs are age-appropriate, inclusive, culturally responsive, and accessible to youth ages 6-18.
- Support the development and review of educational curricula, lesson plans, resources, and program standards.
- Encourage alignment between athletic participation, academic achievement, personal responsibility, and leadership development.
- Help identify educational resources, technology, supplies, and learning opportunities for participating youth.
Mentorship Program Oversight
- Help develop a structured mentorship model with clear goals, boundaries, expectations, and youth-safety standards.
- Support the recruitment, screening, orientation, training, and retention of qualified volunteer mentors.
- Help create mentor and mentee guidelines, matching procedures, communication standards, and progress-tracking systems.
- Encourage positive, consistent, and developmentally appropriate relationships between mentors and youth.
- Help ensure mentors understand mandatory reporting responsibilities, confidentiality requirements, professional boundaries, and youth-protection policies.
- Recommend training in areas such as trauma-informed engagement, cultural awareness, mental wellness, conflict resolution, and positive youth development.
- Help evaluate mentorship outcomes and recommend adjustments when needed.
Partnerships and Community Engagement
- Help establish relationships with schools, colleges, libraries, tutoring organizations, youth-serving nonprofits, mental-health providers, and community partners.
- Represent Neighborhood Athletics at appropriate education, youth-development, and community meetings.
- Identify guest speakers, tutors, educators, mentors, workshop facilitators, and other program resources.
- Support collaboration with parents and caregivers to strengthen youth participation and academic progress.
- Help create pathways for youth to access scholarships, internships, career exploration, and postsecondary opportunities.
Program Evaluation and Reporting
- Help develop measurable education and mentorship outcomes.
- Monitor information such as enrollment, attendance, tutoring participation, mentor engagement, academic progress, youth feedback, and parent satisfaction.
- Review program results while protecting confidential student and family information.
- Assist with preparing board reports, impact summaries, grant narratives, and funder updates.
- Use program data and participant feedback to recommend improvements.
- Help ensure that information is collected ethically, securely, and consistently.
Fundraising and Resource Development
- Support fundraising efforts that strengthen Neighborhood Athletics’ education and mentorship programs.
- Help identify grant opportunities, sponsors, donors, and in-kind contributions.
- Provide program information, outcomes, and stories for grant proposals and fundraising materials.
- Introduce the organization to potential community partners and supporters when appropriate.
- Participate in board-approved fundraising activities and organizational events.
Expected Time Commitment
The Director of Education & Mentorship should expect to volunteer approximately 2–4 hours per week. The schedule may vary based on board meetings, committee assignments, program activities, special events, and organizational needs.
The commitment may include:
- Attending scheduled board and committee meetings.
- Reviewing reports, policies, and program materials.
- Communicating with organizational leadership and committee members.
- Supporting education and mentorship planning.
- Attending occasional youth programs, partner meetings, training sessions, or community events.
- Completing agreed-upon assignments by established deadlines.
Most planning and administrative responsibilities may be completed remotely, although occasional in-person participation in Columbus, Ohio, will be expected.
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience in education, teaching, tutoring, school administration, counseling, mentoring, youth development, social work, psychology, workforce development, or a related area.
- Experience working with children, teenagers, families, schools, or community-based organizations.
- Knowledge of academic-support strategies, mentoring practices, positive youth development, or social-emotional learning.
- Understanding of the challenges affecting youth from under-resourced and culturally diverse communities.
- Strong communication, collaboration, organization, and problem-solving abilities.
- Ability to provide strategic leadership while respecting the difference between board governance and staff operations.
- Commitment to youth safety, educational equity, inclusion, and community service.
- Ability to maintain confidentiality and exercise sound judgment.
- Willingness to support fundraising, partnerships, and organizational development.
- Previous nonprofit board experience is helpful but not required.
Additional Requirements
- Must support the mission, vision, values, and policies of Neighborhood Athletics.
- Must complete required board orientation and sign all applicable governance documents.
- Must comply with the organization’s conflict-of-interest, confidentiality, code-of-conduct, ethics, and youth-protection policies.
- Must successfully complete a background check before having direct or unsupervised contact with youth.
- Must complete required youth-safety, mandated-reporting, and other organizational training.
- Must demonstrate reliability, professionalism, cultural sensitivity, and respect for youth and families.
- Must avoid using the board position for personal, political, or financial benefit.
Desired Personal Qualities
The ideal candidate will be:
- Passionate about education, mentorship, athletics, and youth development.
- Dependable, ethical, collaborative, and community-minded.
- Comfortable working with people from different cultures and backgrounds.
- Able to listen carefully to young people, families, educators, and community partners.
- Focused on practical solutions and measurable results.
- Willing to contribute ideas, professional knowledge, relationships, and time.
- Committed to helping every young person feel supported, valued, and capable of succeeding.
Compensation and Volunteer Status
This is an unpaid volunteer board position. The individual serving in this role is not an employee of Neighborhood Athletics and will not receive wages, salary, employee benefits, or guaranteed future employment.
Reasonable, necessary, and preapproved expenses incurred while completing authorized board responsibilities may be eligible for reimbursement in accordance with Neighborhood Athletics’ policies and available resources.
Equal Opportunity and Inclusion
Neighborhood Athletics is committed to creating an inclusive environment for youth, families, volunteers, staff, and board members. Qualified individuals will be considered without discrimination based on race, color, ethnicity, national origin, religion, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, disability, veteran status, or any other status protected by applicable law.
Commitment to Youth Safety
The safety and well-being of young people are central to every Neighborhood Athletics program. The Director of Education & Mentorship must model appropriate conduct, maintain professional boundaries, follow reporting procedures, and help ensure that all educational and mentorship activities are conducted in safe, supervised, and supportive environments.
How to Express Interest
Interested candidates should submit a résumé and a brief statement explaining:
- Their interest in Neighborhood Athletics.
- Their relevant education, mentorship, or youth-development experience.
- What they hope to contribute as a board member.
- Their ability to commit approximately 2–4 volunteer hours per week.
Neighborhood Athletics welcomes candidates who believe in using education, mentorship, athletics, and community support to help young people build successful futures.
Equal Opportunity Employer – AAP/M/F/V/D/SO
Expected hours: 4.0 per week
Work Location: Hybrid remote in Columbus, OH 43223
Title: Director of Education & Mentorship-Volunteer Board Position
Company: Neighborhood Athletics LLC
Location: Columbus, OH
Category:
