Shelter Childcare Associate

YWCA of Spokane • Spokane, WA

3d • $20 - $24

About The Position

The Shelter Childcare Associate will play a crucial role in providing quality child care and support within our shelter environment. This position ensures the safety and well-being of children, engages them in developmentally appropriate activities, and supports the overall functioning of the childcare program.

Requirements

• High School Diploma or GED required.
• CPR and Blood Borne Pathogens training completion are required.
• Successful background check is required.
• Participate in YWCA’s CORE training and ongoing related training.
• Cultural Humility - Demonstrate a commitment to self-reflection, ongoing learning and respectful engagement with diverse cultural perspectives, emphasizing an awareness of the impact of power dynamics and a willingness to learn from and address them.
• Commitment to Equity and Inclusion - Strive to create fair and just conditions for all, while recognizing systemic inequities. Foster a sense of belonging that promotes diversity, work to address barriers, and ensure that everyone has access to the same opportunities and resources regardless of their background or identity.
• Trauma-Informed Practice - Create environments and approaches that acknowledge the prevalence and impact of trauma, prioritize safety, and foster healing and resilience. Understand, recognize, and respond to the effects of trauma while actively working to avoid re-traumatization.
• Fostering an Empowering Environment - Encourage an atmosphere where individuals feel valued, supported, capable, and resourceful.
• Professional Conduct -Consistently act in a manner that is honest, fair, and respectful while taking responsibility for one’s actions and decisions. Maintain integrity and build trust while adhering to the agency's code of ethics and professional guidelines.
• Adaptability and Resilience - Demonstrate openness and flexibility to work with changing circumstances and unexpected challenges. Adapt to the situation at hand by contributing solution-oriented ideas while advocating for the support needed to reset and achieve set goals.
• Effective Communication - Communicate clearly, accurately, and in ways that are understood by the intended audience. Actively listen and respond in a constructive, open-minded, and empathetic manner that ensures mutual understanding and respect.
• Problem-Solving and Critical Thinking - Help identify potential solutions to challenges proactively. Contribute ideas, perspectives, and strategies that contribute toward informed decisions that align with the agency’s mission and values while helping to achieve set goals.
• Human-Centered Approach - Prioritize providing compassionate, respectful service that aims to create solutions that are not only functional and effective but also meaningful and engaging for clients, staff, and our community.
• Effective Interpersonal Skills - Be supportive, kind, empathetic, and patient with colleagues, administrators, clients, and community partners. Contribute toward a climate of mutual respect and appreciation.
• Independent Work Efficiency - Able to work independently in an efficient and productive manner.
• Reliability and Continuous Improvement - Demonstrate reliability and a commitment to continuous improvement.
• Demonstrates Understanding and Acceptance of Mission, Values, Goals, and Objectives - Clearly understand and actively support the mission, values, goals, and objectives of YWCA and its programs.

Nice To Haves

• One (1) year of childcare experience is preferred.
• Experience in child development is highly desirable.

Responsibilities

• Childcare Services: Provide attentive childcare during scheduled groups, advocacy meetings, and as requested by residents.
• Be available to provide childcare outside of normal scheduled hours as needed, based on requests from supervisors or support advocates.
• Collaborate with shelter advocates to promptly meet and onboard new families, ensuring they understand the childcare services available and how to access them.
• Ensure the safety and well-being of all children at the shelter.
• Activity Planning: Collaborate with the Shelter Manager to design and implement age-appropriate activities and games.
• Assist in the setup and cleanup of youth support groups and facilitate planned activities.
• Support and Communication: Model positive behaviors and maintain open communication with parents to ensure the provision of quality care.
• Regularly update the family resource corner with relevant information and promote community events.
• Provide input for and promote the monthly calendar of events, and remind families of upcoming activities such as movie nights and youth support groups.
• Organization and Maintenance: Maintain clean, organized, and safe child care areas.
• Inform the Shelter Manager of items needing repair or replacement, and coordinate supply needs with the Shelter Coordinator.
• Ensure timely tracking of resident engagement data.
• Confidentiality: Maintain confidentiality of all families using childcare services.
• Collaboration and Training: Engage in cross training to support donation sorting and organization.
• Participate in trauma-informed care training and other relevant professional development opportunities. These are oftentimes in conjunction with the ECEAP program.

Benefits

• Sick and Safe Leave
• 50% off YMCA Membership
• Employee Assistance Program
• Bilingual Pay Differential — additional $3 per hour pay premium for employees who utilize a qualifying second language in the workplace, applicable to all hours worked.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Part-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Education Level: High school or GED