Youth Development Counselor

Greater Missoula Family YMCA•Missoula, MT

2d•$14•Onsite

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 and its Youth Gym, Youth Activity Center, Climbing Wall, and Hub, and sets up, hosts, and cleans up after birthday parties. Counselors serve as positive role models in the facility and community, modeling the YMCA’s values of Caring, Honesty, Respect, and Responsibility. They must be comfortable working with adults, children, and YMCA staff; communicate clearly with supervisors; and adapt to the changing needs of a nonprofit community-service organization. The position works with minimal supervision. The position is part time, 5–10 hours per week, with a wage of $13.85 or more per hour depending on experience. It reports to the Associate Director of Youth Development and 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 part of a team.
Interpret and enforce safety and health regulations, and respond to emergencies.
Build genuine relationships with participants and maintain a welcoming environment for people from all walks of life.
Adapt enthusiastically to changing priorities.
Demonstrate interpersonal and communication skills, including the ability to maintain positive relationships and work with diverse individuals.
Exercise sound judgment and handle conflicts in a timely, professional manner.
Meet position requirements and perform job functions, with or without reasonable accommodation.
Communicate clearly with children, parents, members, and personnel.
Attend required training and meetings, including those scheduled outside normal or regularly scheduled hours.
Maintain a clean, well-groomed appearance.
Walk, stand, and sit, including on the floor, for long periods.
Work in an environment involving exposure to communicable diseases and bodily fluids.
Lift, carry, and move supplies and equipment; the posting does not specify the weight threshold.

Nice To Haves

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

Responsibilities

Adhere to the YMCA mission and incorporate its core values of caring, honesty, respect, and responsibility into youth spaces.
Facilitate youth and teen club activities, building on curriculum from week to week to support growth and development of interests.
Set up spaces for party rentals, host partygoers, signal the end of rentals, and clean the spaces afterward.
Patrol ground-floor YMCA spaces and engage youth members in activities appropriate to those spaces.
Know, explain, and enforce rules and policies for members.
Help ensure a safe environment for all members using any part of the facility.
Learn members’ names and make oneself known and available to them.
Build a positive culture in youth spaces that encourages appreciation, ownership, and belonging among youth members.
Assist with other youth programs taking place 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 hallways, restrooms, gyms, the Youth Activity Center, The Hub, and the Airnasium.
Understand all emergency action plans.
Communicate effectively with members, the supervisor, and other YMCA staff.
Comply with mandatory-reporter legal and ethical obligations regarding suspected child abuse and cooperate fully with related investigations.
Know the work schedule and report on time.
Perform other duties as assigned.