Youth Development Lead Counselor- Camp Connect

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.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

• 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.
• Leadership: Supervises the children, staff, program area and all activities. Makes sound decisions in alignment with YMCA and state standards. Acts as a role model to the children and staff by exemplifying the YMCA’s five core values.
• 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.
• Community Engagement: Assist with parent conferences. Maintains communication with families through parent orientations, newsletters and engagement events. Engages parents as volunteers.
• Daily Operations: Maintains the program site and equipment, assists with the set-up and breakdown of activity centers and cleaning of the program area. Adheres to YMCA of Greater Houston program standards and childcare licensing minimum standards.
• Relationship Building: Maintains positive relations with children, parents, school personnel, and other staff. Attends and participates in family nights, program activities, staff meetings, and staff trainings.
• Child Abuse Presentation: 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 (LEADER)

Mission Advancement: Accepts and demonstrates the Y’s values. Demonstrates a desire to serve others and fulfill community needs. Recruits volunteers and builds effective, supportive working relationships with them. Supports fund-raising.

Collaboration: Works effectively with people of different backgrounds, abilities, opinions, and perceptions. Builds rapport and relates well to others. Seeks first to understand the other person’s point of view, and remains calm in challenging situations. Listens for understanding and meaning; speaks and writes effectively. Takes initiative to assist in developing others.

Operational Effectiveness: Makes sound judgments, and transfers learning from one situation to another. Embraces new approaches and discovers ideas to create a better member experience.

Establishes goals, clarifies tasks, plans work and actively participates in meetings. Follows budgeting policies and procedures, and reports all financial irregularities immediately. Strives to meet or exceed goals and deliver a high-value experience for members.

Personal Growth: Pursues self-development that enhances job performance. Demonstrates an openness to change, and seeks opportunities in the change process. Accurately assesses personal feelings, strengths and limitations and how they impact relationships. Has the functional and technical knowledge and skills required to perform well; uses best practices and demonstrates up-to-date knowledge and skills in technology.

JOB REQUIREMENTS:

• At least 21 years of age.
• 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.
• At least 1 year experience working with youth at a licensed facility, church, school or equivalent.
• CPR, First Aid, AED certifications and Child Abuse prevention trainings.
• Ability to plan, organize, and implement age-appropriate/developmentally appropriate program activities
• Previous experience with diverse populations.
• Previous experience supervising others preferred.
• 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.
• Pass a local/state background and FBI fingerprinting check as well as independent drug test.

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 duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk or hear. The employee must frequently lift and/or move up to 25 pounds and occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds.

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.

The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.

WORK SCHEDULE

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. 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 may be expected.

The YMCA of Greater Houston provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws.