Program Lead (3732)

Program Lead

This position supports the work of the Y, a leading nonprofit committed to strengthening community through youth development, healthy living, and social responsibility. The Teen Program Leader, develops positive, nurturing relationships with students while building cooperative relationships with parents & caregivers. Promotes and supports the potential of all youth in programs and facilitates peer-to-peer connections as part of the overall program experience. Provides direction for the teens in the Teen Center, and lead classes focused on skills based learning. Provides a quality experience to teens that focuses on building achievement and belonging in teens. The Teen Program Leader is responsible for carrying out curriculum of the YMCA Teen Program to ensure student/participant involvement and academic achievement through utilization of technology and team building activities. This person will also create a positive environment for participants in an at-risk area of the community.

Teen Center Program Goals

• To improve academic achievement and stimulate interest in career readiness and/or post-secondary education among low-income, culturally-diverse, urban high school youth.
• To improve the technology, career, leadership and decision-making skills of youth to promote readiness for post-secondary education or career entry after graduation.
• To promote bonding to pro-social adults and community attachment among urban youth to ensure that they remain engaged in their schools and communities.
• To develop social and emotional skills in youth through multiple group and individual learning experiences.

Essential Functions

• Assist with the development of a robust recruitment strategy to enlist new student participants into the program.
• Assist with the planning and coordination of the Teen Center monthly schedule and learning plan.
• Write and carry out day to day curriculum and lesson plans relating to teaching media skills, cooking, gardening, arts and crafts, college exploration, career readiness, functional skills, and more.
• Directly provide instruction for up to 40 youth in the above lesson plan subject areas using creative hands-on project-based approaches.
• Effectively collaborate with partners and clients from city and state government, public schools, community-based organizations, community groups and private sectors.
• Assist with managing all youth during class time production and training.
• Keep up to date accurate records and files and adhere to all of the administrative requirements of the Teen Center.
• Develop an environment where at-risk and low-income urban youth can develop academic and workforce skills such as math, reading, language arts, resume writing, dress, oral presentation skills, and executive functioning skills.
• Understand and carry out the best practices of Youth Development.
• Track the progress of all youth in the program and individualize the instruction as needed to ensure that all youth gain new skills
• Lead in managing inventory of all program equipment and supplies along with needed administrative duties (filing, copying, data security).
• Provide support and professional advice regarding youth participation in extracurricular programs, higher education selection, and additional resources youth participant may benefit from.
• Maintain open lines of communication with participants, staff and supervisor.
• Attend all staff meetings, trainings and other YMCA functions as required by the supervisor
• Uphold YMCA policies for safety, supervision, mandated reporting and risk management.
• Demonstrate the Six Pillars of Character (Trustworthiness, Citizenship, Respect, Responsibility, Caring, and Fairness) as well as the YMCA Core Values of Caring, Respect, Honesty and Responsibility in all dealings with members, guests, volunteers and fellow staff.
• Demonstrate competencies in and willingness to develop in the Cause Driven Leadership areas of mission advancement, collaboration, operational effectiveness and personal growth.
• All other duties as assigned by your supervisor.

Qualifications

• Age: Twenty-one (21) years or older
• Education: High School Diploma or equivalent required. College experience preferred.
• Related Experience: Experience working with high school students and leading skill-based classes. Experience developing curriculum around a specific topic focusing on skill mastery. Ability to plan, lead, and participate in activities.
• Specialized Skills: Strong character values, communication skills, emotional maturity. Experience with MAC and PC format technology
• Qualifications: Current First Aid, Adult, Infant and Child CPR Certifications (preferred). TB Test and health screen may be required.

Work Environment/Minimum Physical Requirements

• You must have the physical, visual, and auditory ability to perform the essential functions of the job with or without reasonable accommodations.
• Job is performed in indoor as well as outdoor environments throughout the year.
• Have the physical ability to lift 20-25lbs.