HEAF Life Skills Specialist

Who we are: The Police Athletic League (PAL) of New York City is an independent youth development nonprofit organization and has been a vibrant and vital institution, serving as an effective, critical bridge between police and communities across all five boroughs of the City since 1914. PAL operates diverse programs for children as young as 2 years old to young adults. Programs include Head Start, after-school programs and summer day camps for elementary, middle and high school youth, and summer Playstreets. PAL also runs evening teen centers and college readiness programs, youth employment, and juvenile justice programs. Staying true to PALs roots, a cornerstone of our youth development strategy includes offering competitive and recreational sports for children of all ages. At PAL, were devoted to empowering communities and building the best places to work, and that goes for our own teams too.

Position Summary

We are seeking part-time Life Skills Activity Specialists to facilitate engaging social-emotional learning, wellness, and personal development activities for middle and high school students participating in the HEAF program at PAL's Harlem Center. Specialists will lead workshops and activities focused on stress management, self-awareness, healthy relationships, decision-making, resilience, and positive coping strategies.

The Life Skills Activity Specialist will help create a safe, supportive environment where students can develop the skills and confidence needed to navigate personal, academic, and social challenges. The position reports to the HEAF Program Director and works closely with the HEAF Content Specialist and other program staff to support students' overall growth and well-being.

Compensation: The range for this role is $30.00 an hour where the finalist falls in this range will be commensurate with skills and experience

Schedule: 10 hrs/week

What youll do:

Major Duties & Responsibilities

- Foster social and emotional competencies and mental and physical well-being in a safe, welcoming, inclusive, and nurturing environment.

- Facilitate stress management, wellness, and life skills workshops using NYC Department of Health-designed curriculum and other approved social-emotional learning resources to support youth resilience, coping skills, and overall well-being.

- Collaborate with program staff, school personnel, mental health professionals, and community partners to support youth wellness, maintain appropriate documentation, and ensure programming reflects the needs of participating teens.

- Be aware of students with IEPs and medical conditions in your groups and follow support plans to help the student with special needs to thrive.

- Respond appropriately when time-sensitive mental health services are needed such as suicide prevention, grief, and loss due to death or incarceration of a family member. Provide referrals to appropriate mental health services as needed.

- Work cooperatively with Group Leaders, professional staff, teachers, and other Program and school staff.

- Build positive relationships with youth and caretakers and serve as a role model with respect to demeanor, communication, and behavior.

- Attend meetings with staff, caretakers, volunteers, and community residents as needed.

- Interact with caretakers and keep open lines of communication.

Qualifications

What you bring:

- High school diploma or equivalent required; candidates must be currently enrolled in college coursework in Psychology, Social Work, Counseling, Human Services, Education, Public Health, or a related field.

- Minimum of two years of experience working with high school-aged youth in after-school, mentoring, educational, community-based, or youth development settings preferred.

- Knowledge of adolescent development, social-emotional learning, mental health awareness, and youth wellness practices.

- Experience facilitating workshops, group discussions, or activities focused on stress management, coping skills, wellness, or personal development preferred.

- Good communication skills and ability to work collaboratively. Bi-lingual in Spanish, French, or Chinese preferred.

- Open to learning and growing. All staff will be learning mental health, SEL, and special needs inclusion skills and expected to integrate them into programming.

- Ability to complete DOHMH/DOE clearances and fingerprints including that an annual physical has been completed in the last year.

Location: Harlem Center – 441 Manhattan Avenue, New York, NY

Start Date: November 2026

At the Police Athletic League, we seek people who are talented, creative and passionate to help create a more inclusive city and better futures for our youth. Were devoted to empowering communities and building the best places to work, and that goes for our own teams too.

The Police Athletic League is an inclusive equal opportunity employer committed to recruiting and retaining a diverse workforce and providing a work environment that is free from discrimination and harassment based upon any legally protected characteristic including, but not limited to, an individuals sex, race, color, ethnicity, national origin, age, religion, disability, sexual orientation, veteran status, gender identity, or pregnancy

Employment with PAL is contingent upon successful completion of all the Agencys lawful pre-employment checks, which may include a background check.