Teen Leadership Development Coordinator

ABOUT US

The nonprofit YMCA of Western North Carolina strengthens local communities through youth development, healthy living, and social responsibility. Founded in 1889, we engage more than 100,000 people – regardless of age, income, or background – to nurture the potential of children and teens, improve the regions health and well-being, and provide opportunities to give back and support the community. We do this through seven YMCAs, dozens of program sites, and YMCA Camp Watia. As the states largest provider of licensed school-age childcare, we give more than 1,000 children a day the opportunity to learn, grow, and thrive. We are made up of people of all ages, from all backgrounds, working side by side to ensure that everyone can reach their full potential with dignity. Thus, we are For All. Our core values are caring, honesty, respect, and responsibility, and they guide everything we do. We are committed to being an organization that exposes and addresses social constraints that limit and/or negatively affect all humans from all walks of life. We recruit staff who are passionate about giving back to the community, helping people, and upholding our core values. For more information, please visit ymcawnc.org .

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ABOUT THE ROLE

As the Teen Leadership Development Coordinator, you will build and deliver the Ys youth leadership pathway across Buncombe and McDowell counties. You will facilitate Leaders Clubs in both counties, in morning and afternoon formats, along with a Youth & Government group in each county, and lead weekend service-learning projects and community engagement with your students. The regular schedule is Tuesday through Saturday, though some weeks are scheduled Monday through Friday, and Youth & Government conference travel includes occasional Sundays.

Outside of direct program hours, you will build the leadership curriculum that runs across all of these programs, recruit students and adult volunteers, and plan both Adventure Day Camp and the teen leadership summer camp program. The teen leadership summer camp program serves tweens and teens at our day camp sites who are learning to lead and draws on much of the same curriculum as Leaders Club and Youth & Government during the school year. You will plan both summer programs and work directly in Adventure Day Camp. These programs are intentionally connected: the summer teen leadership program and the younger leadership groups feed high school Leaders Club and Youth & Government, which in turn feed camp staff and Y employment pathways. You may also be asked to provide tutoring or lead enrichment clubs within our 21st Century Community Learning Centers (21st CCLC) afterschool programming. A portion of this position is grant funded and that scope is contingent upon continued grant support.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

- Supports service line/department in actively working toward association-level objectives, as measured by identified goals/KPIs.

- Participates in the budgeting process within their service line/department and serves as a good steward of association resources.

- Facilitates Leaders Clubs in Buncombe and McDowell counties, in both morning and afternoon formats, and a Youth & Government group in each county.

- Leads weekend service-learning projects and community engagement with Leaders Club and Youth & Government students and maintains relationships with volunteer opportunity sponsors in accordance with agreement standards.

- Develops and maintains the leadership curriculum used across Leaders Club, Youth & Government, and the teen leadership summer camp program, with a defined scope and sequence, and builds reusable materials that other staff can deliver.

- Recruits students and adult volunteers into leadership programs through sustained outreach to teens, families, schools, and community partners, and tracks enrollment and attendance.

- Prepares Youth & Government delegations in both counties, including bill and position development, registration, fundraising support, chaperoning, and conference travel.

- Plans and coordinates the teen leadership summer camp program for tweens and teens at day camp sites, including curriculum, recruitment, and session planning.

- Plans and coordinates Adventure Day Camp, including weekly schedules, trip itineraries, reservations, permits, equipment, transportation, and risk management documentation; works directly in the program as a group leader during the summer season.

- Serves in a lifeguard capacity at waterfront and open-water sites during camp programming.

- Provides tutoring or leads enrichment clubs within 21st CCLC after-school programming as needed.

- Operates a mini-bus as needed to transport participants to programs, trips, service projects, and conference travel.

- Maintains accurate attendance, service hour, and program records in Daxko and other required systems, and completes time and effort documentation for grant-funded hours.

- Represents the YMCA of WNC at community, school, and family events tailored to youth and teens.

- Performs all other duties as assigned.

ABOUT YOU

Qualifications

- Must be at least 21 years of age.

- Bachelors degree in education, human services, recreation, or a related field, or equivalent combination of education and/or experience.

- Two years of relevant professional experience working with middle and high school youth required; experience facilitating youth leadership or civic engagement programming is preferred.

- Must be able to pass the NCDHHS background check.

- Must be available to work a regular Tuesday through Saturday schedule that includes early mornings, afternoons, and Saturdays during the school year. Some weeks are scheduled Monday through Friday. Youth & Government conference travel includes occasional Sundays. Summer season follows a Monday through Friday camp-hours schedule.

- Must be able to travel regularly between Buncombe and McDowell County program sites and travel overnight for conferences.

- CPR/AED, First Aid, and Youth Mental Health First Aid certification within 90 days of hire

- Must be able and willing to obtain lifeguard certification and Wilderness First Aid certification prior to the summer season. Training is provided by the Y.

- Must be willing to drive a mini-bus and completion of YMCA of Western North Carolina Driver Training upon hire is required.

- Bi-lingual is preferred but not required

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

- Excellent personal computer skills and experience with standard business software.

- Requires strong organizational skills, prioritization of workloads in order to meet deadlines, as well as detail orientation and conscientiousness.

- Must have excellent interpersonal, public relations, and communications skills.

- Knowledge of youth and adolescent development, with the ability to develop age-appropriate curriculum, apply appropriate behavior management techniques, and transfer that knowledge to other staff.

- Persistent outreach and recruitment skills, and the ability to work independently across multiple sites and two counties. Teen program enrollment depends on sustained communication with teens, families, schools, and community partners.

PHYSICAL ASPECTS OF THE JOB

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.

- Must be able to stand and/or be active for extended periods of time, indoors and outdoors in varying weather conditions.

- Must be able to hike over uneven terrain, participate in outdoor camp activities including paddling and swimming, and demonstrate water rescue skills sufficient to meet lifeguard certification standards.

- Must be able to lift 50 pounds.

- Must be able to clearly see, hear, and speak.

- Must be able to solve, reason, make decisions, and use sound judgment when distracted by noise and activity.

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FULL-TIME BENEFITS

Full-time employees receive medical, dental and vision insurance, group life insurance and long-term disability paid by the Y; short-term disability, term life insurance and dependent life insurance is available for purchase; generous paid time off, retirement plan with employer contribution of 12% of salary (subject to eligibility requirements), free YMCA membership, free afterschool childcare and summer day camp and program discounts.

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The YMCA of Western North Carolina is committed to equal opportunity in terms and conditions of employment for all employees and job applicants without regard to race, color, faith, gender, pregnancy, national origin, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, veteran status, citizenship status, genetic information, gender expression, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law, except where a bona fide occupational qualification applies.