We're Hiring: Community Development VISTA

Friends of the Rail Park (FRP)– the organization dedicated to bringing the Rail Park to life– is on a mission to build bold, transformative, and inclusive public space that connects Philadelphia’s residents and visitors to the city and each other. Phase One of the Rail Park is currently open to the public and located between Philadelphia’s Chinatown and Callowhill neighborhoods.

Our work will be guided by a multi-year, resident-led development planning process called the Equitable Development Agenda. This process will leverage an estimated $200 million investment in the Rail Park for public good. Not only will the investment yield public access to world-class park space, it will also seed resources for economic, cultural, environmental, and health benefits in adjacent neighborhoods. The FRP team collaborates to create dynamic, inclusive opportunities for community engagement. In addition to ongoing engagement and public events, our public-facing engagement will have three primary pillars:

• A tour program in which locals are trained to provide tours of the Rail Park’s past, present, and future.
• A volunteer program which creates a sense of community ownership and provides meaningful opportunities for people to invest in the future of the park for themselves and their neighbors.
• Community Engagement and Partnerships Committee which is a resident-led committee that partners to develop and carry out engagement opportunities

The Rail Park is a once-in-a-generation opportunity for Philadelphia to collectively design and activate a world class park that will increase connectivity, celebrate local cultures, and provide much needed green space. The PHENND VISTA Fellow will join the FRP team in pursuing equitable development strategies for increasing community wellbeing and mitigating harm.

MEMBER DUTIES:

The Fellow supports our community engagement and inclusive planning goals, necessary for achieving the 3-Mile Vision. It is crucial that Friends of the Rail Park maintain an active connection with adjacent neighborhoods and we will do so largely through the aforementioned community engagement pillars.

The Fellow will help expand our capacity to engage with communities, bring in public feedback, and spread awareness. They will help to connect the equitable development planning process with our on-the-ground engagement activities. This will include coordinating and streamlining operations for the above pillars, assisting in the development of work plans and strategies for our community engagement, and planning and participating in FRP-hosted engagement events. The Fellow’s responsibilities will include: creating work plans, planning and facilitating meetings, communication and coordination with staff and engaged persons, and program evaluation.

Mandarin and Spanish proficiency are a plus. This is a full-time position and the Fellow will be expected to maintain a hybrid work schedule.

BENEFITS:

See AmeriCorps website: https://americorps.gov/members-volunteers/vista/benefits

APPLICATION DIRECTIONS:

Please do not contact Friends of the Rail Park regarding this position. Apply directly through AmeriCorps portal: https://my.americorps.gov/mp/listing/viewListing.do?fromSearch=true&id=122102

ABOUT FRIENDS OF THE RAIL PARK

Friends of the Rail Park is the 501c3 organization on a mission to build bold, transformative and inclusive public space that connects Philadelphia’s residents and visitors to the city and each other. For more information, please visit therailpark.org

Friends of the Rail Park is an Equal Opportunity Employer and having a diverse staff is a fundamental principle, where employment and promotional opportunities are based upon individual capabilities and qualifications without regard to race, color, religion, gender, pregnancy, sexual orientation/affectional preference, age, national origin, marital status, citizenship, disability, veteran status or any other protected characteristic as established under law.