Child and Youth Program Assistant
About the role
The CY Program Assistant works directly with children and youth, ensuring they are actively engaged, well-cared for, and safe while participating in the CY Program. Their day includes helping children develop social skills, make healthy choices, build self-help and school readiness skills, and explore their environment.
Responsibilities
Develops schedules and activity plans, incorporating observed needs of individual children and youth.
Implements activities and special events that meet the physical, social, emotional, and cognitive needs of children and youth.
Prepares and implements program options for children and youth with special requirements.
Care for children and youth with special needs as directed by the supervisor.
Demonstrates, instructs, leads, and facilitates planned and spontaneous program activities.
Helps prepare, arrange, and maintain indoor and outdoor activity areas and materials to accommodate daily schedules.
Secures supplies, equipment, and facilities.
Establishes a program environment that sustains participant interest and promotes positive interactions with other children, youth, and adults.
Interacts with children and youth using approved child guidance and youth development techniques.
Provides care and supervision, oversight, and accountability for program participants in compliance with DoD, NAF Component, and local installation policies, guidance, and standards.
Maintains control of and accounts for whereabouts and safety of children and youth.
Observes program participants for signs of illness, abuse, or neglect and reports as directed.
Interacts professionally with employees, parents, and local installation command personnel.
Provides parents with daily verbal or written feedback about their child/youth or program activities.
Participates in conferences with parents and employees.
Observes children and youth and documents developmental progression and/or concerns.
Assists in achieving and maintaining DoD certification and national accreditation or equivalent.
Awareness of health, fire, and safety compliance concerns and reporting them to supervisor.
Collects, maintains, and reports program participation data.
Requirements
Must be 18 years of age or older.
Complete required training certificates and maintain certifications or credentials required by Federal, State, and/or national accreditation institutions used as part of DoD's Child and Youth Programs.
Pass all applicable records and background checks.
Undergo pre-employment and random drug testing.
A positive drug test, or failure to submit for testing, is a basis for removal from this position.
Pass a pre-employment physical, provide evidence of immunization, be free of all communicable diseases, and obtain appropriate immunization against communicable diseases.
Education:
Entry Level (CY-1702-01): High school diploma or equivalent.
Intermediate Level (CY-1702-01): High school diploma or equivalent, six (6) months of experience working with children or youth in a child and youth setting, and completion of Navy Entry Level training requirement (Army, Air Force, and Marine equivalent accepted).
Target Level (CY-1702-02): High school diploma or equivalent, one (1) year of experience working with children or youth in a child and youth setting, and one of the following: completion of the DoD standardized training courses; a valid Child Development Associate (CDA) credential or Military School-Age (MSA) credential; or a minimum of a 2-year degree in Early Childhood Education (ECE), Child Development, Youth Recreation, Physical Education, Elementary Education, Secondary Education, Youth Development, or other field related to Pre-K or Primary Education.