Youth Activities Specialist

Description

Job Description 2024

Job Title: Youth Recreation and Activities Specialist

Division: Programs                                                                      Department: Programs

Reports to:  Co-Director Administration                                Date Created: 6/26/2023

FLSA Classification: Non-exempt                                            Date Edited: 10/30/2024

Company Purpose/Mission:

Roy Maas Youth Alternatives (RMYA) creates brighter futures for children in crisis by promoting individual success and healthy relationships in a safe, healing environment, giving children and families the tools to end the cycle of abuse. RMYA provides treatment programs for traumatized children who most often are victims of sexual, physical, and/or emotional abuse. RMYA supports using trauma-informed techniques and relationship-based approaches to create a safe environment that provides consistency, structure, and caring for the children we serve.

Job Summary:

The Youth Recreation and Activities Specialist will organize customized, recreational activities for the youth and schedule activities for them to participate in and seamlessly run events from start to finish to enhance the lives of the youth at all RMYA programs. This position has primary responsibility for the planning and full execution of events that pertain directly to the youth in RMYA’s care. These activities should support the physical, social, and emotional well-being needs of children, youth, and young adult in a manner that is age and developmentally appropriate, and consistent with the operation’s Treatment Model.  The Recreation Schedule must offer opportunities for both on-site and off-site (to the extent that it is safe and appropriate) activities, and must be informed by children, youth, and young adults receiving this Service Package.

The Youth Recreation and Activities Specialist will work directly with the campus leadership to coordinate any activities that involve volunteers who work directly with the programs. This position will help coordinate activities for both campuses based on the agency’s needs. The Youth Recreation and Activities Specialist will participate in the scheduled activities planned and work alongside the program teams for success.  They will be expected to maintain all required training that allows for direct contact and supervision of the youth we care for.

Essential Duties/Responsibilities:

Management and Administration:

1. Create community engagement by bringing innovative ideas for recreation and activity programing. 
2. Maintain an organized list of activities and meet regularly with immediate supervisor to add additional opportunities as needed.
3. Gather information on youth population (intakes, discharges, birthdays, anniversaries, and program needs) and update supervisor regularly.  Will coordinate program teams for the success of youth celebrations and holidays.
4. Stay abreast of program changes on the Meadowland and San Antonio campus.

Function Management:

1. Create and maintain a calendar of activities and special events that could include nutrition and wellness education workshop development and coordination, life skills sessions/participative cooking demos in cabins, daily fitness planning and coordination, yoga, meditation and therapeutic arts.
2. Lead all planning for pre-event, day of, and closure for youth’s activities and special events.
3. Regularly communicate with program leadership regarding new program assigned volunteers, scheduled activities, and activity expectations.
4. Coordinate logistics, attend and supervise special activities & events by:
   1. Establishing and maintaining communication with program volunteer point of contact (POC)
   2. Coordinating set up with Facilities Management team.
   3. Assisting with vehicle transportation assignments if off-campus
   4. Providing instructions and information about the activity in a detailed memo, with programs involved and an in-person meeting with the program leadership. Note: Outlook calendar invite, group text, and hard copy calendars of the activity might be necessary.
   5. Purchasing any food or supplies
   6. Decorating if on-campus
   7. Leading clean-up after all holidays and/or events
   8. Maintaining communication with volunteers during the event for support and assistance
   9. Documenting and reporting feedback
   10. Following up volunteer activity with a thank you letter and phone call.
5. Lead and/or assist with solicitation of special requests for program needs e.g., tickets to events, restaurants, summer camps, music lessons, sports, etc.
6. Coordinate RMYA participation in community recreational and wellness events, e.g., Siclovia, UT Health SA’s Annual Community Wellness Fair or other special projects. 
7. Research and identify prospective new activities for groups and individuals.  Coordinate this information to the supervisor so the agency can look for volunteers to fill needs.
8. Cultivate and steward relationships with participants and volunteers of an event or activity to stay connected to the agency afterwards.
9. Schedule recreational activities that will focus on overall wellness goals for the youth we serve.
10. Work in conjunction with program leadership to ensure the agency’s presence at recreational events and youth’s activities convey the mission, services, and needs for the youth we support.

Relationships and Collaboration:

1. Represent RMYA in a professional manner at approved events in the community, gatherings, workshops, and trainings.
2. Ensure RMYA’s strategic vision, mission, and core values are implemented and achieved through its events and volunteer activities.
3. Perform special projects as assigned.
4. Maintain professional and ethical standards as prescribed by RMYA.
5. Maintain personally required training hours.
6. Maintain confidentiality in all areas of client and program operations.
7. Be supportive of all RMYA policies and procedures and actively participate in their development by proposing changes and updates and working on teams designed to improve how we work together.

Other Duties/Responsibilities:

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.

Qualifications

Required Qualifications:

Education and experience:

• High school diploma and one year’s direct care experience with emotionally or behaviorally challenged youth and youth in a residential, shelter, or community-based setting and three year’s supervisory experience or

Bachelor’s degree in social science or related field and some direct care experience with emotionally or behaviorally challenged youth and youth in a residential, shelter, or community-based setting and two years supervisory experience.

• Minimum of 1 year experience with coordinating events and recreational activities.
• Flexible schedule to include nights, evenings, weekends, and holidays.

Certification/Licenses:

• Valid Texas driver’s license within 90 days of employment.   

Competencies:

• • People skills – demonstrates sensitivity and empathy with others, possesses insight into behavior, maintains open communication and respects diversity, interacts respectfully, effectively, and cooperatively with a wide range of people.
  • Integrity and ethics – demonstrate strong moral principles and work ethic, behaves ethically, acts fairly, takes responsibility, and maintains client confidentiality.
  • Professionalism – maintains a professional appearance and presence, demonstrates self-control and a positive attitude.
  • Initiative –demonstrates a willingness to work and persists to accomplish tasks even when conditions are difficult or deadlines are tight, setting challenging goals and can work independently.
  • Dependability and reliability – fulfill obligations and follows through, meets attendance and punctuality expectations, attends to details and follows directions.
  • Adaptability and flexibility - Displaying the capability to adapt to new, different, or changing requirements. Embracing new innovations and providing suggestions to improve processes and tasks.
  • Lifelong learning – demonstrates a commitment to self-development and improvement.
  • Reading – able to understand and comprehend written information in a variety of formats.
  • Writing – able to use standard business English to compile information and prepare written documents.
  • Communication – conveys relevant information to individuals or groups effectively, clearly, and concisely. Able to understand, interpret, comprehend, and respond to information received from others.
  • Teamwork – establishes productive relationships and works cooperatively with others to complete work assignments and meet team objectives.
  • Customer focus – efficiently and effectively addresses the needs of clients/customers.
  • Health and safety – maintain a healthy and safe environment.
  • Motivation- demonstrating a willingness to work.
  • Willingness to learn- understanding the importance of learning new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
• Reading for information- reading and understanding information about products; store memos, procedures, policies, instructions, and emergency directives; training materials; newsletters; marketing promotions; and customer letters.
• Computer skills – uses information technology and related applications effectively to convey and retrieve information, Intermediate proficiency with Microsoft Excel.
• Initiative – demonstrates bias to action, follow through, persistence, ability to work independently, and achievement motivation.
• Planning and organizing – plans and prioritizes work, manages time effectively, develops contingency plans, and manages projects.
  • Problem solving and decision making – generates, evaluates, and implements solutions to problems.
  • Instructing- teaching or showing someone how to do something.
  • Business fundamentals- knowledge of basic business principles, trends, and economics.

Physical Requirements: Prolonged periods of sitting at a desk and working on a computer. Few opportunities to relax during shifts; constant walking, standing, bending, squatting, arm, and wrist rotation, reaching, twisting, kneeling, climbing stairs, driving; frequent reading, writing, typing, lifting, and carrying at least twenty-five pounds, pushing, pulling; occasional physical interventions with distressed youth. 

Work Environment: Willingness to work flexible hours, including evenings, weekends, and holidays. Shifts in environmental conditions i.e., hot, cold, outdoor, indoor, dry, humid, noise, congested areas, moving objects. Fast-pace work using sensory demands i.e., hearing, vision, speech, spatial perception; dealing with multiple, complex, and repetitive tasks, and confrontational situations. May be requested to work overtime and weekends for special program events.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Education: Bachelor’s degree in related field

Work Authorization/Security Clearance Requirements:

Successful clearance of Department of Family and Protective Services licensing background checks, (to include fingerprinting and drug testing) and maintenance of status providing ability to be present at an operation.

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement:

Roy Maas Youth Alternatives is an equal opportunity employer. All aspects of employment including the decision to hire, promote, discipline, or discharge, will be based on merit, competence, performance, and business needs. RMYA does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, marital status, age, national origin, ancestry, physical or mental disability, medical condition, pregnancy, genetic information, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, veteran status, or any other status protected under federal, state, or local law.