Youth Ambassadors (YAs) are high school or college students who share their voice to improve services for students with disabilities in Pennsylvania. This is a leadership role where you’ll:
• Build your skills in self-advocacy, teamwork, and
communication
• Connect with OVR staff, statewide leadership, schools, and
community partners
• Help make services better for other students with disabilities
• Get involved in real projects while being paid for your time
Education, Experience, & Skills
- Current OVR customers in their final two years of high school or currently enrolled in college
- Strong interest in leadership, advocacy, or helping others
- Willingness to learn new skills and try new activities
- Comfortable working with both youth and adults in meetings and events
Personal Behaviors:
- Positive attitude and willingness to learn
- Communicates respectfully with others
- Reliable and follows through on commitments
- Works well as part of a team
- Open to new experiences and ideas
Key Duties and Responsibilities:
- Share personal perspectives as a student with a disability, serving as a representative voice for youth with vision loss
- Communicate personal experiences through trainings, webinars, and discussions with VisionCorps Board Members
- Engage with VisionCorps staff and community partners through job shadowing opportunities to build workplace knowledge and foundational job skills
- Participate in youth-focused meetings with local agencies, as well as conferences, workshops, and other professional development events
- Develop and compile youth-friendly resources to support work readiness and leadership skills (e.g., mock interviews, résumé development, LinkedIn networking)
- Serve as a mentor to younger individuals navigating vision loss through the VisionCorps STEP program
- Actively participate in monthly virtual Youth Ambassador Network meetings
- Support awareness and advocacy initiatives by contributing to youth-friendly marketing content (e.g., social media ideas, testimonials)
- Participate in local, state, or federal advocacy efforts related to vision loss and share youth perspectives when appropriate
- Perform other duties as assigned
Physical Demands:
- Ability to sit for extended periods (in a vehicle or at a desk)
- Ability to travel independently and safely
Work Environment:
- School setting (high school or college)
- Office environment
- Job shadow locations
- Virtual/remote settings
Other Special Working Conditions:
- Employees that become disabled as defined under the Americans with Disabilities Act must be able to perform the essential job functions (as listed) either unaided or with the assistance of a reasonable accommodation to be determined by management on a case-by-case basis