Youth Development Counselor

Greater Missoula Family YMCA•Missoula, MT

12d•$14

About The Position

The Youth Development Counselor proactively engages Missoula’s youth in safe and healthy choices while they attend the YMCA. The role facilitates afternoon club programs, patrols the YMCA Youth Hub—including the Youth Gym, Youth Activity Center, Climbing Wall, and Hub—and sets up, hosts, and cleans up after birthday parties. Counselors work with adults, children, and YMCA staff, communicate with supervisors, and serve as positive role models by demonstrating the YMCA’s core values of Caring, Honesty, Respect, and Responsibility. The position requires flexibility in a changing nonprofit and community-service environment and works with minimal supervision. The role is part-time, 5–10 hours per week, and reports to the Associate Director of Youth Development. The listed wage is $13.85 or more per hour, depending on experience. Employment is subject to Montana’s 12-month introductory (probationary) period.

Requirements

At least one year of high school attendance.
CPR, First Aid, and Child Abuse Training certifications; these can be obtained at the YMCA.
Satisfactory background check to be eligible to work with children.
Work effectively as a team member and interpret and enforce safety and health regulations.
Ability to respond to emergency situations and build genuine relationships while maintaining a welcoming environment for people from all walks of life.
Versatility, flexibility, and willingness to work enthusiastically with changing priorities.
Interpersonal and communication skills, including the ability to create and maintain positive relationships and work with diverse individuals.
Ability to exercise sound judgment and handle conflicts in a timely and professional manner.
Ability to perform the position’s functions with or without reasonable accommodation and communicate clearly with children, parents, members, and company personnel.
Ability to attend required trainings and meetings, including those scheduled outside normal or regularly scheduled hours.
Present a clean, well-groomed appearance.
Ability to walk, stand, and sit, including on the floor, for long periods; lift and carry supplies and equipment weighing up to 75 pounds; and frequently bend, lean, kneel, lift, and walk.
Ability to work with exposure to communicable diseases and bodily fluids.

Nice To Haves

High school diploma or equivalent.
Experience working with children.
Prior experience working in youth programs, camps, or other YMCA departments.

Responsibilities

Uphold the YMCA mission and incorporate its core values into youth spaces.
Facilitate youth and teen club activities, building on curriculum from week to week to support growth and development of interests.
Facilitate party rentals by setting up spaces, hosting party guests, signaling the end of rentals, and cleaning up afterward.
Patrol YMCA ground-floor spaces and engage youth members in activities appropriate to each space.
Know, explain, and enforce rules and policies for members.
Help ensure a safe environment for all facility users.
Learn members’ names and make oneself known and available to them.
Foster a positive culture in youth spaces that encourages appreciation, ownership, and belonging.
Assist with other youth programs conducted in youth spaces.
Attend staff meetings, in-service training, certification courses, and required child sexual abuse prevention training.
Communicate facility needs and concerns to the supervisor and help maintain cleanliness in YMCA spaces, including hallways, restrooms, gyms, the Youth Activity Center, the Hub, and the Airnasium.
Understand emergency procedures, including Code Adam, evacuation, lockdown, active shooter, and wall-fast rescue procedures.
Communicate effectively with members, the supervisor, and other YMCA staff.
Meet mandatory-reporting obligations concerning suspected child abuse and cooperate fully with investigations.
Know the work schedule and report to work on time.
Perform other duties as assigned.