Description

POSITION SUMMARY:

Under the supervision of the Early Childhood Specialist, the Child Watch Staff will assist in day-to-day operations of our Child Watch program and ensure the safety and well-being of all children present in program areas and rostered activities. The Child Watch Attendant understands character development to be the guiding principle of the YMCA and personally exhibits a commitment to that goal in all YMCA operations.

OUR CULTURE:
Our mission and core values are brought to life by our culture. In the Y, we strive to live our cause of strengthening communities with purpose and intentionality every day. We are welcoming: we are open to all. We are a place where you can belong and become. We are genuine: we value you and embrace your individuality. We are hopeful: we believe in you and your potential to become a catalyst in the world. We are nurturing: we support you in your journey to develop your full potential. We are determined: above all else, we are on a relentless quest to make our community stronger, beginning with you.

CUSTOMER SERVICE EXPECTATIONS:

1. Display a friendly, helpful, and positive disposition.
2. Provide customer service that is thorough, timely, organized, and accurate.
3. Help ensure the Y is meeting member and participant needs by utilizing good listening skills, attentiveness, objectivity, and patience in all situations.
4. Place members and participants as the first and highest priority, showing kindness and compassion at all times.
5. Demonstrates the Y core values of caring, honesty, respect and responsibility through all daily activities and responsibilities.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

Overreaching Goal: Through their planning, actions and daily work creates and fosters a welcoming environment for all persons of all backgrounds and abilities and has a positive, nurturing relationships with staff and children, while building cooperative relationships with parents/caregivers and program partners. Promotes and supports the potential of all youth in programs and facilitates peer-to-peer connections as part of the overall YMCA experience.

1. At all times, ensure the safety of the youth within assigned areas/programs.
2. Provide a high level of customer service while dealing with YMCA members, guests, and staff.
3. Assist as requested with design or evaluation of services and youth programs.
4. Follows policies and procedures.
5. Maintain open communication with all parents.
6. Set up and clean up areas after all program/service use.
7. Complete daily area, toy, equipment, or furniture cleaning as scheduled.
8. Attend training as assigned.
9. Maintains good communication with Early Childhood Specialist to ensure problems concerns and successes are conveyed in a timely manner.
10. Maintain attendance records.
11. Build relationships with members.
12. Have Incident Report documentation completed as needed.
13. Other duties may be assigned per the needs of the program.

YMCA LEADERSHIP COMPETENCIES (Leader):

Competency: Clusters of observable skills and behaviors needed to be successful within an organization or role.

Key Leadership competencies a person should bring to this position:

• Community
• Collaboration
• Inclusion

Engaging Community: Builds bridges with others in the community to ensure the Y’s work is community-focused and welcoming of all, providing community benefit.

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.

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.

Functional Expertise: Executes superior technical skills for the role.

Emotional Maturity: Demonstrates ability to understand and manage emotions effectively in all situations.

OBSERVABLE BEHAVIORS (Leader)

• Express the Y’s Cause & Culture
• Create a safe, welcoming, and respectful environment.
• Deliver a high-quality experience.
• Serve others by welcoming, connecting and supporting.
• Invite others to get involved and give back.
• Listen with the intent to support.
• See the Y as a lifelong connection.

SAFETY & COMPLIANCE

Child Abuse Policies & Prevention

The YMCA enforces its policies and practices to prevent child abuse.

Allegations or suspicions of child abuse are taken very seriously at the YMCA and will be reported to the proper authorities for investigation. We have abuse reporting procedures, there are unscheduled visits from supervisors, we have an open door for parents, and we have a code of conduct for staff. We minimize opportunities for abuse to occur and we talk with children about personal safety and touching limits. We screen carefully to prevent abusers from being hired. We provide child abuse prevention training to staff including how to conduct yourself for safe practices and termination of employment for employees who fail to report suspicion or failure to follow policies.

Employees who failure to support, actively engage in prevention and be forthcoming about concerns or violations of this policy will be subject to discipline, up to and including immediate termination of employment.

Background Check: A background check, criminal, work, and reference checks, will be required of any employee at hire and may be repeated during the course of their employment. A barred report, negative report or discovery of false information will result in immediate termination.

Alert & Focused: Use of illegal drugs, alcohol, prescribed or over the counter medications and lack of sleep can impact a person’s ability to be alert and focused while on duty. Used illegally or inappropriately while off duty may affect employment status. Responsibility, respect, caring, and honesty are core values of the YMCA. Employees involved in any injury found to be work related may be required to submit for a screening for drug and alcohol use. Suspicious behaviors observed while working or in the YMCA or at a YMCA program where the employee would be perceived by others as an employee may also be subject to alcohol and drug screening. Positive results of a drug or alcohol screening will result in termination of employment. Behaviors which are perceived to be unbecoming a YMCA employee may be subject to discipline up to and including immediate termination of employment.

Qualifications

QUALIFICATIONS

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.

1. Must be at least 16 years of age.
2. Two years of previous childcare experience or equivalent education preferred.
3. Have leadership competencies in the identified key areas.
4. Ability to learn quickly.
5. Ability to work with integrity, discretion, patience, and a professional approach.
6. Prefer knowledge of, and previous experience with, diverse populations (language, culture, race, physical ability, sexual orientation, etc.).
7. Ability to enforce rules with the children and parents.
8. Ability to complete all required trainings within 60 days of employment, which may include CPR, first aid, Living Our Cause, DCFS Mandated Reporter, IL Gateway Registry Modules and to maintain these certifications as current as outlined by regulations or requirements.

WORK ENVIRONMENT & 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.

• Ability to speak concisely and effectively communicate. Be able to communicate using a computer and phone/smart device.
• The employee frequently is required to sit and reach and must be able to move around the work environment.
• Visual and auditory ability to respond to critical situations and the ability to act swiftly in an emergency.
• Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, and the ability to adjust.

• May require physical effort while reaching with hands and arms, stooping, kneeling, crouching, standing, walking, balancing, bending, leaning, kneeling, walking, and climbing.
• Carrying supplies to and from work locations, normally lifting less than 25lbs.
• The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate to loud.
• Ability to work in a fast-paced environment but also being able to keep busy during slower times while keeping up with the ratio of kids at one time.
• All staff must have the ability to change diapers on all children if needed.