Position: Facilitator (specifically for Roots, ages 5-8)

Terms of Employment: 

• Your employment with Liberated Kids is at will. 

• Dates August 12 - May 16 (40 weeks), Calendar Here

• First 4 months of employment will be the “Deschooling & Orientation Period*.”

  • The facilitator will take active steps to orient themselves to the culture, systems and inner workings of the Liberated Kids community before being an active member in the decision-making processes. Dependent on the prior experience of the facilitator, the facilitator will deschool, which may include readings, listening to podcasts, discussions, reflections, etc. Facilitator and “Facilitator Development Team” will collaborate to plan out the 8 flex-hours.

Hours: 32-40 hours per week

• General work hours are 8:30 am - 4:30 pm, Monday thru Thursday. The actual hours will be agreed upon by employee and employer.

• For Full-Time 40-hour employees, 8 hours per week are flex-hours for planning, meeting, reflections, facilitator development, online offerings, etc. 

• All overtime hours need prior written approval (i.e. handwritten, text, email, etc.) from the Executive Director or the Board of Directors. 

Wages: Dependent on Experience  - $22-$26 / hr

Location: We plan to be at Arroyo Viejo Recreation Center in Oakland for 3 days per week, and 1 day at Joaquin Miller Regional Park. (subject to change)

Roles & Responsibilities:

Create and nurture respectful, trustful relationships with the kids, the other facilitator(s), and parents/caregivers (including communication with parents/caregivers outside of work hours). Focus on connecting with kids before correcting kids.

• Be present. Observe kids be kids and provide help when kids ask you to help them. (Also, step in when there is a clear safety hazard or harm is being caused). Maximum support with minimal interference.

• Plan and facilitate offerings based on your interest, interest of the children, relevance to our community and/or recommendations of parents/caregivers.

• Model your own ongoing curiosity, learning, playfulness, intersectional justice-lens, critical thinking and respectful relationship-building. 

• Throughout the day, maintain communication with the other facilitators present verbally and via walkie-talkie.

• Support kids’ socio-emotional development through various ways depending on the situation and the child: listening, offering tools, mediating, offering suggestions, etc. 

• Document kids’ activities and learning to share with the community and for portfolio creation.

• Facilitate Checkpoint, Spawn and Change-up meetings. 

• Know and understand the BIG agreement at Liberated Kids. Stay updated on any new agreements by checking the Community Mastery Board. 

• Be engaged in continual reflection and development as a facilitator. Be open to give and receive constructive feedback.

• Support setting up the space, and cleaning/organizing the space.

• Be comfortable in outdoor and indoor spaces. 

• Provide support and guidance to the high school interns and parent volunteer facilitators.

• Engage in weekly reflective processes with the other facilitators. 

• Occasionally facilitate parent/caregiver meetings. 

• Participate in regular meetings such as Visioning Team meetings (monthly), Community Meetings (monthly), and meetings with partner organizations, when applicable. 

Desired Qualities/Experience:

• Alignment with our Norms and Values

• Understanding of self-directed education and/or familiarity with Agile Learning Centers

• Commitment to lifelong learning, specifically pertaining to self-directed education and intersectional anti-oppression

• Ability to communicate effectively and consistently in person and via technology, and work collaboratively as part of a team

• Reliability, consistency, and flexibility

• Enthusiastic about building community with children and parents/caregivers, and building relationships that are genuine, respectful, curious and rooted in trust and partnership

• Creative, energetic, mindful, reflective, talented, justice-oriented, and grounded

• Experience working with children of differing needs

We will try our best to respect and take care of Ourselves, our Community (each other),
our Surroundings, and Mother Earth and all her Beings.

We strongly encourage BIPOC, QT, Spanish-speaking and neurospicy candidates to inquire.

If you are interested, please email: liberatedkidsoakland@gmail.com and complete our application as soon as possible. 

We encourage applications to be in by June 24, 2024.