Youth Development Counselor- Houser Elementary

Position Summary

A dedicated and responsible youth development professional to assist with providing quality care in before and after-school site and camp setting by teaching values, ensuring safety, and facilitating structured play and educational activities with the children, in accordance with state childcare licensing requirements and YMCA policy. Assist with providing 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.

• Supervision and Safety: Ensure the safety and security of all children in the program at all times. Monitor the children’s activities to ensure they engage in safe and age-appropriate behaviors. Conduct regular headcounts and maintain accurate attendance records. Respond appropriately and promptly to emergencies and incidents, following established YMCA policies.
• 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.
• Activity Implementation: Implement a variety 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.
• Policy Adherence: 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 the Site Lead or Program Director in a timely manner.
• Daily Operations: Maintains the program site and camp environment by adhering to YMCA of Greater Houston program standards and childcare licensing minimum standards.
• Leadership: Supervises children under the direction of the Site Lead. Makes sound decisions in alignment with YMCA and state standards. Acts as a role model to the children by exemplifying the YMCA’s five core values.
• Relationship Building: Maintains positive relations with children, parents, school personnel, directors and other staff. Attends and participates in staff meetings, and staff trainings.
• 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.

• 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

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.

• At least 18 years of age.
• High school diploma or general education degree (GED).
• At…