Youth Development Day Camp Counselor - HCC

Provides quality seasonal day camp experience by teaching values, ensuring safety, and facilitating structured play and educational activities with the children, in accordance with state requirements and YMCA policy. Assist with providing a program that focuses on youth development, including the YMCA core values: honesty, respect, responsibility, caring, and faith.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

1. Directly supervises a group of children.
2. Plans and implements program activities that are culturally relevant, developmentally appropriate, and consistent with YMCA core values.
3. Facilitates both formal and informal play in an outdoor environment.
4. Adheres to program standards including safety and cleanliness standards.
5. Maintains the program site and equipment, assists with the set-up and breakdown of activity centers, and cleaning of the program area.
6. Maintains required program records. Assist in maintaining accurate program records including, but not limited to, incident reports and daily attendance. 
7. Identify and respond to camper in a positive manner.
8. Maintains positive relations with children, parents, and other staff.
9. Makes sound decisions in alignment with YMCA and state standards.
10. Know and understand ALL emergency procedures associated with the camp program.
11. Know, enforce, and follow all safety guidelines associated with the camp and all program areas. This includes but is not limited to being responsible for your campers’ safety and their whereabouts at all times.
12. Acts as a role model to campers by exemplifying the YMCA’s five core values.
13. Attends and participates in family nights, program activities, staff meetings, and staff training.
14. Reports suspicious and inappropriate behaviors and policy violations.
15. Follows mandated abuse and incident reporting requirements.
16. Ensures youth are properly signed in and signed out, ensures only authorized adults are allowed in the facility, etc. Adheres to policies related to boundaries with each child.
17. Ensures unused rooms and closets remain locked; routinely monitors high-risk locations (bathrooms), etc.
18. Meets timelines and deadlines related to supporting systems and employee compliance. An example includes but is not limited to UKG for review and approval of time sheets.

QUALIFICATIONS  

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

1. High school diploma or general education degree (GED).
2. At least 18 years of age.
3. CPR, First Aid, AED certifications, and Child Abuse prevention training.
4. Previous experience working with children in a day camp setting is preferred.
5. Experience preferred in one or more of the following areas: outdoor living, archery, boating, camping, songs/music, skits, sports, aquatics, and recreational games.
6. Ability to plan, organize, and implement age-appropriate/developmentally appropriate program activities
7. Previous experience with diverse populations.
8. The current record of tuberculosis examination and/or current local health department regulations, examinations, and/or immunization as required by the local or State Department of Health.

EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE

High school diploma or general education degree (GED) with demonstrated interest in the welfare of children; prior childcare or baby-sitting experience is preferred.

LANGUAGE SKILLS

Ability to read and comprehend simple instructions, short correspondence, and memos. Ability to write simple correspondence. Ability to effectively present information in one-on-one and small group situations to customers, clients, and other employees of the organization.

MATHEMATICAL SKILLS

Ability to add and subtract two digit numbers and to multiply and divide with 10's and 100's. Ability to perform these operations using units of American money and weight measurement, volume, and distance.

REASONING ABILITY

Ability to apply common sense understanding to carry out simple one- or two-step instructions. Ability to deal with standardized situations with only occasional or no variables.

CERTIFICATIONS, LICENSES, REGISTRATIONS

CPR, First Aid, AED certifications.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to stand, walk, and talk and hear. The employee frequently is required to use hands to finger, handle, and/or feel objects, tools, and/or controls; climb, balance, stoop, kneel, crouch, and/or crawl. The employee is frequently required to reach with hands and arms and taste and smell. The employee must frequently lift and/or move up to 25 pounds and occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds. Must have the ability to physically manage and support children when needed for safety in general camp activities (child weighing 50-200 pounds).  

WORK ENVIRONMENT  

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounter while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee regularly works in outside weather conditions. Nonsmoking and drug and alcohol-free work environment. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate, occasionally loud. The employee is occasionally exposed to fumes and airborne particles, toxic, or caustic chemicals, extreme heat, and/or blood. The employee regularly is exposed to bodily excretions of children, depending on the developmental level of the children in the employee’s care. The job is working for a YMCA Day Camp Program located in a YMCA, authorized building or recreational area such as a church or park.

The YMCA of Greater Houston provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws.