Child Activity Center Leader
About The Position
The Child Activity Center Leader supports the YMCA’s mission of strengthening community through youth development, healthy living, and social responsibility. The role creates positive, nurturing relationships with children and cooperative relationships with parents, caregivers, and staff. It supports children’s potential, encourages peer connections, and implements curriculum focused on holistic child development. The position provides a quality experience for children and families, with an emphasis on achievement, belonging, and strong relationships. The role plans and facilitates culturally relevant, developmentally appropriate activities; maintains children’s safety and supervision; supports positive behavior; observes children’s development; communicates with families and supervisors; and follows YMCA policies and applicable regulations. Work takes place in indoor and outdoor environments throughout the year and includes water-related activities.
Requirements
- Must be at least 18 years old, or at least 16 years old when serving as a third team member included in the Child Activity Center ratio.
- Current approved First Aid, AED, and Adult, Infant, and Child CPR certifications.
- Complete child-abuse-prevention training before the first day in the program.
- Ability to plan, organize, and implement age-appropriate and developmentally appropriate activities in a drop-in care setting.
- Strong character values, including respect, responsibility, honesty, and caring.
- Strong communication skills and emotional maturity.
- Ability to develop positive, authentic relationships with people from different backgrounds.
- Physical, visual, and auditory ability to perform essential job functions, with or without reasonable accommodations.
- Ability to plan, lead, and participate in activities.
- Ability to lift 30–35 pounds.
Nice To Haves
- Completed semester units in child development, human services, or related fields.
- Previous experience working with children—including infants, toddlers, preschoolers, and/or school-age children—in a group setting.
- Previous experience with diverse populations.
Responsibilities
- Nurture children through purposeful programming that promotes achievement, belonging, and positive relationships.
- Maintain close visual supervision of children and ensure no child is left unsupervised or alone with a staff member.
- Organize the environment according to the ages and developmental needs of the children present.
- Help children manage behavior using positive strategies, redirection, and constructive discipline with natural and logical consequences.
- Support inclusion and compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act where appropriate.
- Assist with planning and implementing culturally relevant, developmentally appropriate activities consistent with YMCA values and guidelines.
- Follow program safety and cleanliness standards, maintain program spaces and equipment, and keep required records.
- Make ongoing observations of each child and communicate with the supervisor regarding child development.
- Build positive relationships and maintain effective communication with parents and caregivers; engage them as volunteers and connect them to the YMCA.
- Attend and participate in family events, program activities, staff meetings, and trainings as needed.
- Follow YMCA policies and procedures concerning medical matters, restroom use, discipline, child-abuse prevention, emergencies, safety, supervision, mandated reporting, and risk management.
- Follow applicable federal, state, and local regulations and YMCA policies and procedures.
- Model relationship-building skills, including Listen First, in interactions with children, families, and colleagues.
- Demonstrate the Six Pillars of Character and YMCA Core Values in dealings with members, guests, volunteers, and fellow staff.
- Develop competencies in mission advancement, collaboration, operational effectiveness, and personal growth.
- Perform other duties as assigned by the supervisor.
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Part-time
Career Level
Entry Level
Education Level
No Education Listed
