Go Edgewater Outreach Ambassador Job Announcement

About the Program

Do you have a passion for encouraging people to bike, walk and use public transportation? Are you an invested member of the Edgewater community? The City of Chicago Department of Transportation has launched a project called Go Edgewater, an educational campaign to help Edgewater residents walk, bike, and use transit more often. Go Edgewater wishes to hire two temporary outreach ambassadors to conduct community outreach and administrative tasks for the program.

Go Edgewater is one of five similar programs being implemented in Chicago neighborhoods between 2013 and 2016. The program piloted in 2013 with Go Bronzeville and continued in 2014 with Go Pilsen. This summer Go Edgewater will launch simultaneously with Go Albany Park. The goals of the program are to:

• Reduce drive-¬alone trips of residents
• Increase trips made by foot, bicycle, transit, and carpool
• Increase the use of bike share, particularly at stations within Edgewater
• Foster a sense of community around walking and biking activities
• Support local businesses and existing community efforts

Duties and Responsibilities

Successful candidates will invite Edgewater residents to participate in the program, respond to questions about transportation in the neighborhood, assemble and deliver information packet orders, and identify other opportunities for outreach and partnership. The Active Transportation Alliance (Active Trans), a non-profit advocacy group, is part of the project management team and will supervise these employees.

Ideal candidates are self-starters who are community focused and have a desire to help their fellow Edgewater neighbors bike, walk and use transit more often. Candidates should be approachable, reliable, and work well in a team as well as independently. Ambassadors will work 40 hours per week (including some weekends and evenings) both indoors and outdoors (in any weather) from June to September 2015. Approximately 60% of time will be spent on office tasks and 40% on outreach and events.

The Go Edgewater Outreach Ambassadors will have these duties:

• Assemble packets of transportation materials at the Active Trans office (in River North), including organizing orders, data entry, and other administrative and promotional tasks.
• Deliver packets to Edgewater households from the Active Trans office by foot, bike, and/or transit.
• Appear at street festivals, fairs, and other public events to promote and explain the Go Edgewater program, invite residents to participate, answer questions about transportation options, and distribute materials (such as maps and brochures).
• Lead and/or staff events, workshops, and presentations in formal and informal settings.
• Work with and schedule tabling opportunities for Go Edgewater with community groups, aldermanic staff, police officers, business associations, volunteers, sponsors, and other organizations and agencies.
• While on duty, wear a Go Edgewater uniform (t-shirt provided by the program) and a bicycling helmet when bicycling to and from events and while delivering packets.
• Represent the City of Chicago and the Go Edgewater program in a positive, responsible, professional manner.
• Work sites will include the Active Trans office, street festivals, public parks, community organizations, and other public events in Edgewater.

Ambassador Qualifications

Candidates must possess the following qualifications:

• Be a resident of Edgewater
• Be able to comfortably speak with the public and communicate effectively with all types of people
• Work well in an unstructured and informal environment, with limited supervision
• Work well in a team and foster team spirit
• Be punctual and reliable
• Be able to solve problems, think creatively, and self-motivate
• Have experience with public outreach initiatives
• Be enthusiastic about transportation options and helping members of the public
• Have familiarity with, and personal experience using, transportation options that serve Edgewater, including walking, bicycling, transit, bike-share and car-share
• Have experience bicycling in urban traffic, own a bicycle in good working condition and an approved bicycling helmet which must be worn while on the job
• Have bicycle mechanic skills (desirable)
• Be proficient in Spanish or some other language spoken in the community, in additional to English (desirable)
• Be proficient with Microsoft Office applications and basic data entry and email
• Be able to lift up to 35 pounds, and able to work outdoors all day and in any weather

Basic Details

• Start Date: May 26, 2015
• Duration: May 26, 2015 – October 9, 2015
• Compensation: $14 per hour
• Hours vary based on project timeline: Full time (40 hours/week including weekends) for June through September; Part time (20 hours/week) in May and October

Applications

Please send a resume and cover letter by Monday, April 20 to Maggie@activetrans.org. Please include the words “Go Edgewater Ambassador” in the subject line. Only applications with both a resume and cover letter will be considered. Electronic submissions only; no mailed or faxed submissions will be considered. No phone calls, please.