Child and Youth Program Leader

About the role

The incumbent provides appropriate specialized developmental care and instruction for children and youth ranging in age from 6 weeks to 18 years in one or more CY programs. This includes the provision of guidance, assistance, and mentoring for the CY Program Assistants. The incumbent works under the direction of the supervisor or other qualified higher graded employee.

Responsibilities

• Mentors assigned CY Program Assistant team.
• Works with senior employees to provide instruction and training to lower-level employees.
• Aids lower-level employees in completing the Standardized Module Training.
• Aids the Training and Curriculum (T&C) Specialist in helping lower-level CY Program Assistants translate professional development training into practice by mentoring, guiding, and role-modeling.
• Makes suggestions about improvements to the activity areas.
• Increases inventory of equipment and supplies.
• Secures supplies, equipment, and facilities.
• Encourages participant interest and establishes a program setting that 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 the Department of Defense (DoD), NAF Component, and local installation command policies, guidance, and standards.
• Maintains control of and accounts for the whereabouts and safety of children and youth.
• Ensures children and youth (as applicable) depart with authorized person according to written parental instructions.
• Oversees arrival and departure of children and youth.
• Supervises children and youth during daily schedule of indoor and outdoor activities and on field trips, outings, and special events.
• Interacts professionally with employees, parents, and local installation command personnel.
• Participates in conferences with parents, employees, school representatives, and local installation command personnel.
• Briefs other employees and parents.
• Observes children and youth and documents developmental progression and/or concerns and uses the information in planning.
• Aids CY Program Assistants with assessment tasks when needed.
• Ensures assigned area achieves and maintains standards for DoD certification and national accreditation or equivalent.
• Ensures compliance with law, policies, and regulations applicable to DoD CY programs.
• Collects, maintains, and reports program participation data.
• Performs other related duties as assigned.

Qualifications

• Knowledge of developmentally appropriate programs designed to meet the physical, emotional, social, and cognitive needs of children and youth from 6 weeks to 18 years of age.
• Knowledge of child and youth development principles, practices, and techniques.
• Skills to apply Federal and State laws governing the detection and prevention of child abuse and/or neglect.
• Skills to understand interests and motivation of individuals and groups in a CYP environment.
• Skills to plan, organize, and schedule employees.
• Skills to provide leadership, mentoring, and guidance to CY Program Assistants.
• One (1) year of experience at the CY-02 (GSE-04) level or equivalent displaying knowledge of and competency in developmentally appropriate programming for children and youth.
• Completion of DOD Standardized Module Training AND 12 months Experience at the CY-II (GSE-04) Level.
• Child Development Associate (CDA) credential or Military School-Age (MSA) credential AND 12 months Experience at the CY-II (GSE-04) Level.
• A minimum of a 2-year degree in Youth Development, Child Development or a related field, which can include Recreation, Youth Recreation, Physical Education, Elementary Education, Secondary Education, Early Childhood Education, Psychology, Social Work, Home Economics with an emphasis in Human Development, or other degrees as appropriate AND 12 months Experience at the CY-II (GSE-04) Level.