POSITION SUMMARY
Provides direction for the program and staff and implements school-age enrichment program curriculum. Provides a quality experience to children and parents that focuses on youth development, including the YMCA core values: honesty, respect, responsibility, caring, and faith. Responsible for ensuring the safety and well-being of children and leading age-appropriate activities and appropriately monitoring children’s behavior in care.
ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS
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Site Management: Serve as the designated Texas Childcare Licensing Site Director, ensuring compliance with all YMCA Houston and state regulations and standards. Oversee the daily operations of the afterschool program, ensuring a safe, nurturing, and stimulating environment for all children. Maintains the program site and equipment, assists with the set-up and breakdown of activity centers and cleaning of the program area.
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Supervision and Safety: Ensure the safety and security of all children and staff at the site. Maintain accurate records, including attendance, incident reports, and compliance documentation. Monitor the children’s activities to ensure they engage in safe and age-appropriate behaviors. Monitor site staff adherence to policies and redirect as needed. Conduct regular headcounts and maintain accurate attendance records. Respond appropriately and promptly to emergencies and incidents, following established YMCA policies.
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Behavior Management: Implement positive behavior management techniques to promote a respectful and inclusive environment. Address behavioral issues in a calm and constructive manner, following established guidelines.
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Program & Policy Compliance: Conduct regular safety drills and inspections to ensure compliance with licensing requirements and organizational policies. Ensure required postings are on display. Follow all organizational policies and procedures, including those related to health and safety, child protection, and confidentiality. Maintain a clean and organized environment, adhering to sanitation and safety standards. Report any concerns or issues to Program Director in a timely manner.
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Program Planning and Implementation: Oversee the implementation of age-appropriate activities, including structured and unstructured activities as outlined in YMCA approved curriculum. Encourage and facilitate positive social interactions among children. Adapt activities to meet the diverse needs and interests of all children. Evaluate program effectiveness and make adjustments as necessary.
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Parent and Community Engagement: Communicate regularly with parents regarding their child’s progress, behavior, and any concerns. Address parent inquiries and concerns promptly and professionally. Follow all organizational policies and procedures, including those related to health and safety, child protection, and confidentiality. Maintain a clean and organized environment, adhering to sanitation and safety standards. Report any concerns or issues to Program Director in a timely manner
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Administrative Duties: Maintain accurate enrollment and attendance records, including sign-in sheets and daily rosters.
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Program Growth and Retention: Develop and implement strategies to promote program growth and increase enrollment. Create and execute retention plans to ensure high levels of participant satisfaction and continuity. Monitor and analyze enrollment trends and feedback to identify areas for improvement and opportunities for expansion.
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Program Quality: Plan and implements lesson/activity plans curriculum that includes both formal and informal play within the center and outdoors in adherence to Y program model, curriculum and quality standards.
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Program Evaluation: Lead Youth Program Quality (YPQ) intervention process. Use continuous program monitors to evaluate youth participation and the effectiveness of program and makes adjustments to program as needed.
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Child Abuse Prevention: Reports suspicious and inappropriate behaviors and policy violations. Follows mandated abuse and incident reporting requirements. Ensures youth are properly signed in and signed out, ensures only authorized adults are allowed in the facility, etc. Adheres to policies related to boundaries with each child. Ensures unused rooms and closets remain locked; routinely monitors high-risk locations (bathrooms), etc.
YMCA COMPETENCIES (YOUTH DEVELOPMENT LEADER)
Collaboration: Creates sustainable relationships within the Y and with other organizations in service to the community
Communication & Influence: Listens and expresses self effectively and in a way that engages, inspires, and builds commitment to the Y’s cause
Developing Self & Others: Develops self and supports others (e.g., staff, volunteers, members, program participants), both formally and informally, to achieve their highest potential
Functional Expertise: Executes superior technical skills for the role
Inclusion: Values all people for their unique talents, and takes an active role in promoting practices that support diversity, inclusion, and global work, as well as cultural competence
Program/Project Management: Ensures program or project goals are met and intended impact occurs
QUALIFICATIONS
- At least 21 years of age.
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High school diploma or general education degree (GED). Minimum of 70 clock hours of training in child or youth development, recreational leadership or management. Two (2) college courses are equivalent to 100 clock hours. Minimum Standard #744.1017.
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At least 1 year experience working with youth at a licensed facility, church, school or equivalent.
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CPR, First Aid, AED certifications and Child Abuse prevention trainings.
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Ability to plan, organize, and implement age-appropriate/developmentally appropriate program activities
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Previous experience with diverse populations.
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Previous experience supervising others preferred.
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Current record of tuberculosis examination and/or current local health department regulations, examinations, and/or immunization as required by the local or State Department of Health.
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Pass a local/state background and FBI fingerprinting check.
To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE
High school diploma or general education degree (GED) with demonstrated interested in the welfare of children; prior childcare or baby-sitting experience is preferred.
LANGUAGE SKILLS
Ability to read and comprehend simple instructions, short correspondence, and memos. Ability to write simple correspondence. Ability to effectively present information in one-on-one and small group situations to customers, clients, and other employees of the organization.
MATHEMATICAL SKILLS
Ability to add and subtract two digit numbers and to multiply and divide with 10's and 100's. Ability to perform these operations using units of American money and weight measurement, volume, and distance.
REASONING ABILITY
Ability to apply common sense understanding to carry out simple one- or two-step instructions. Ability to deal with standardized situations with only occasional or no variables.
PHYSICAL DEMANDS
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
While performing the essential and marginal functions the employee may be required to maintain physical condition necessary for adequate physical performance including light to moderate lifting (up to 25 lbs with occasional lifting of up to 50 lbs.); bending, stooping, kneeling, crawling, climbing; standing, walking, pushing, pulling, reaching, balancing, and crouching; use of hands and fingers, handle or feel; reach; speak and hear, use close and distant vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perceptions, and ability to adjust focus; must utilize auditory, sensory abilities constantly on the job site.
WORK ENVIRONMENT
The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
Work is performed in a primarily indoor environment during the AfterSchool; some exposure to outdoor environment occur; this may include exposure to weather conditions such as heat or cold during summer or winter events. Exposure to noise, cleaning supplies, laundry detergent, sweat, spills and messes within the facility.
Some physical requirements of a day camp position could be endurance including prolonged standing, some bending, stooping, walking long distances, hiking, getting into the pool, climbing, and stretching; requires eye-hand coordination and manual dexterity to manipulate outdoor equipment and camp activities; requires normal range of hearing and eyesight to record, prepare, and communicate appropriate camper activities/programs and the ability to lift up to 50 lbs; willing to work in a camp setting and work irregular hours with limited or simple equipment and facilities; and with daily exposure to the sun, heat, and animals such as bugs, etc.
The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.
WORK SCHEDULE
Before/After School: Part-time, typically Monday-Friday, morning shift 6:30 am – 8:30 am, afternoon shift 2:30 pm – 6:30 pm (start and end time may vary). Program runs concurrently with ISD calendar. May be required to work Saturday's occassionally.
Camp: Typically Monday-Friday, 6:30 am – 6:30 pm with a morning, afternoon and evening shift option (start and end time may vary). Camps run concurrently with ISD calendar breaks. Position will default to a Youth Development Counselor during Camp Seasons unless the employee applies for an alternative position. May be required to work Saturday's occassionally.
Must be available to attend and participate in family nights, program activities, staff meetings, and staff trainings. Details will be provided in advance.
TRAVEL
Travel is primarily to an assigned site / camp; however, there are occasions when travel to other locations.
OTHER DUTIES
Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities and activities may change at any time with or without notice.
