Centro SOL Youth Program: Opportunities In Health For Talent

Centro SOL Youth Program: Opportunities in Health for Talent

In 2014, the Johns Hopkins Centro SOL (Center for Latino/Health and Opportunity for Latinos) established a 5-week paid summer internship program for Spanish-English bilingual high school students in Baltimore that exposes them to careers in healthcare by providing meaningful opportunities to work with faculty in clinical settings serving Latino patients with limited English proficiency. Students are linked to research projects of their interest, and offered advice on college application and funding options, with special emphasis on immigrant children.

The overall goal of the AmeriCorps VISTA project is to expand the Centro SOL Youth program so that it can benefit our youth. An evaluation plan to assess our curriculum will be implemented throughout the school year. Our vision is to awaken an interest in healthcare among low-income Latino youth and offer mentored clinical and research opportunities.

Despite being the fastest growing population in the US, Latinos are underrepresented in medicine. This is a problem because Latino healthcare providers are more likely to provide health care to populations that are medically underserved, and to speak Spanish, which is associated with improved patient outcomes for those with limited-English proficiency. A healthcare workforce that is representative of the community it serves is a critical step to reduce health disparities.

We are looking for a passionate fellow to empower and mentor youth in our program. Further help on this page can be found by clicking here.

Member Duties : Under the mentorship of Kathleen Page program director, Angela Orozco deputy director, and Monica Guerrero Vazquez executive director, the VISTA will support funding opportunities for educational programs, such as those aimed at enhancing the pipeline for underrepresented minorities in the health professions. The VISTA will assist in the writing and preparation of the grant proposals, and in developing an evaluation plan for the existing program and its expansion.

The VISTA will also identify partners who are interested in working together to expand our capacity to provide meaningful opportunities to all the students who apply to our program. The VISTA will coordinate outreach activities, and update the Centro SOL website so that it is easier to navigate and has links to relevant opportunities and programs. He/she will also review and revise our application deadline to allow for ample time to refer students who are not accepted in our program to others.

Program Benefits : Relocation Allowance , Childcare assistance if eligible , Living Allowance , Choice of Education Award or End of Service Stipend , Training .

Terms :

Permits working at another job during off hours , Car recommended , Permits attendance at school during off hours .

Service Areas :

Education , Children/Youth , Health , Community Outreach .

Skills :

Youth Development , Communications , Recruitment , Fund raising/Grant Writing , Teaching/Tutoring , Community Organization , Education .