The Children and Youth Specialist supports Mary's Place Youth Services leadership in providing an outcome-driven Kids Club experience for our youth in shelter ages 5 to 18. This role will also support our Teen Club for kids ages 11 to 18. Staff is responsible for youth safety, well-being, and development through interactive play and other activities as directed.

The Children and Youth Specialist actively engages in Mary's Place racial equity work – striving for equitable outcomes and taking responsibility for creating, maintaining, and affirming communities for people of color, immigrants and refugees, trans and gender-non-conforming people, and other populations who routinely encounter systemic oppressions.

This is a full-time non-exempt position located at our Regrade (downtown Seattle) location. Pay starts at $25 per hour/DOE.

Schedule:

Monday to Friday, 10:00 a.m. - 6:30 p.m.

Key Responsibilities

· Provide engaged presence and personal leadership for programs, activities, and services that prepare youth for success while creating an environment that facilitates positive youth development

· Ensure a healthy and safe environment while maintaining facilities, equipment, and supplies

· Assist with planning, developing, implementing, and evaluating progress, services, and activities

· Collect and track Kids Club and Teen Club member attendance and behavior data

· Ensure confidentiality of membership data, school data, and other member information

· Model mature work behaviors to ensure a productive work environment

· Ensure program areas are set-up and cleaned up on a daily basis

· Assist in facilitation of youth programming including, but not limited to, homework focus and assistance, structured and informal educational games and activities, outings, and birthday parties

· Assist in facilitation and delivery of High Yield Learning Activities

· Affirm positive behavior and deliver coaching conversations and redirection when needed

· Assist outside agencies and volunteers that come into Kids Club, determine specific volunteer activities, and develop positive and encouraging relationships with all volunteers

· Provide crisis management and set appropriate limits as needed

· Drive Mary's Place vehicles as requested for program needs

· Submit reports to Program Coordinator as directed

· Perform other duties as assigned

Skills/Qualifications

· High School diploma or two years in relevant work experience; some experience in social or homeless services preferred

· Multilingual applicants — namely Spanish speaking — highly preferred

· Experience facilitating activities for children of all ages

· Understanding of youth development principles, ability to motivate youth in a positive way

· Ability to model and guide youth in strengths-based problem solving, goal setting, and study skills

· Demonstrated problem solving, conflict mediation, and crisis management skills

· Self-motivated, mature, energetic, and able to maintain clear and healthy boundaries with guests, families, and staff

· Resourceful, flexible, and possesses a positive attitude and sense of humor

· Strong, age-appropriate communication skills

· Displays good stewardship of program supplies and materials

· Exhibits compassion and empathy; works well with families and children from all ethnic, social, economic, and sexual orientation backgrounds

· Ability and willingness to work a flexible schedule as needed

· Current CPR and First Aid Certifications or ability to complete within 30 days

· Must have valid, current Washington state driver’s license

· Ability to travel between Mary’s Place sites during working hours as needed

· Proficiency in another language is preferred, particularly in Portuguese, Amharic, Spanish, Lingala, Oromo, French, Russian, Tigrinya, or Marshallese.

· Fluency in Microsoft Office applications and strong technology skills.

· Willing to take a TB test within 30 days of employment

Physical Requirements

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.

· While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk and hear

· The employee is frequently required to stand, walk, use hands to finger, handle, or feel, type, and reach with hands and arms; and requires the ability to occasionally push, pull, lift and/or carry supplies up to 25 pounds

· Work takes place in a social services environment where long periods of siting, working on a computer, walking to various work areas, going up and down stairs, and standing are required

· Travel to program sites and meetings outside the office and around the county are necessary

· Efforts like attention to detail, interacting with others in-person and through email, using critical thinking skills to strategize, develop and implement business plans, create and edit documents, listen and participate verbally at meetings

In compliance with the ADA Amendment Act, should you have a disability that requires assistance and/or reasonable accommodation with the job application process, please contact the Human Resources department.

Qualified individuals must be able to perform the essential duties of the position with or without accommodation. A qualified person with a disability may request a modification or adjustment to the job or work environment in order to meet the physical requirements of the position. Mary’s Place will attempt to satisfy requests as long as the accommodation needed is reasonable and no undue hardship to Mary’s Place would result.

Details

In addition, Mary's Place offers the following benefits to full-time staff:

• Medical and dental insurance with the cost for core employee coverage paid at 100% by the company and competitive family rates

• Basic Life Insurance of $50,000 at no cost to employee; option to buy up for additional coverage

• 403(b) plan with a 50% employer match on the first 6% employee contribution. Eligible to participate upon hire; eligible for the match after first year of employment.

• Unlimited use ORCA pass for a small deduction per pay period

• 10 days paid time off (PTO) each calendar year (accrued by pay period)

• 10 days of sick time each calendar year (accrued by pay period)

• 10 days of flexible floating holidays each calendar year (accrued 40 hours on January 1st and 40 hours on July 1st). Prorated based on date of hire for first year of employment.

• Employee Assistance Program

Mary’s Place is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We value a diverse workplace and strongly encourage women, people of color and other underrepresented groups, LGBTQ+ individuals, people with disabilities, foreign-born residents, and veterans to apply. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees.