Middle School Mentor

About the Role

This position supports the work of the Y, a leading nonprofit committed to strengthening community through youth development, healthy living, and social responsibility. The Middle School Mentor maintains a supportive, positive atmosphere that welcomes and respects all individuals, promotes the potential of all youth, and provides a quality experience to both youth and other members.

Our mission and core values are brought to life by our culture. In the Y, we strive to live our cause of strengthening communities with purpose and intentionality every day. We are welcoming, genuine, hopeful, nurturing, and determined.

Responsibilities

• Supervises a group of youth and their activities.
• Follows all policies, procedures, and standards as established by the law or Y.
• Nurtures youth through purposeful interactions, activities, and engagement that are developmentally appropriate and consistent with the Y’s values.
• Creates a positive rapport and shared interest with all youth; models relationship-building skills in all interactions.
• Provides opportunities for youth to lead, problem-solve, and make decisions and choices within the Y, and offers daily opportunities for youth to engage in purposeful conversation.
• Provides and welcomes ongoing dialogue with parents about their child; connects families to the Y.
• Actively participates in department and branch staff meetings and/or related trainings.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Requirements

• Meets minimum age standards as established by state law and/or the Y.
• Ability to work with children of various ages.
• Ability to develop positive, authentic relationships with youth from different backgrounds.
• Demonstrated leadership, dependability, and flexibility in work hours.
• Complete before first shift: YMCA cause & culture training; membership-specific computer training.
• Complete within 30 days of hire: Child Abuse Prevention Training.
• Complete within 90 days of hire: BLS CPR; First Aid (provided by YMCA).
• Previous experience working with youth (1 year) preferred.
• Previous experience working with diverse populations.
• Commitment to inclusion and compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

Work Environment & Physical Demands

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.

• Indoor environment, intermittent sitting, standing, walking, running, and play with children required.
• On-site attendance is required for this position.
• The employee may be required to sit and reach and must be able to move around the facility on a regular basis.
• Sufficient strength, agility, and mobility to perform essential functions required.