Community Evening Resource Center (CERC) Youth Mentor

The Organization

Rooted in South Philadelphia, Greater Philadelphia Community Alliance (GPCA) is the result of a strategic merger between Diversified Community Services (DCS) and United Communities Southeast Philadelphia (UCSEP). Both organizations share a long history in the settlement house movement of the late 1800s.

Over the last several years, DCS and UCSEP have experienced a resurgence and extraordinary growth. Capturing the regard of colleagues and funders, locally and nationally, we have earned a reputation as an entrepreneurial trailblazer. GPCA's mission is to break the generational poverty cycle by ensuring equitable resource distribution for vulnerable children, families, and communities. We aim to be Philadelphia's catalyst for community empowerment, partnership, and the upward mobility of families and communities. We are committed to a nonprofit model that promotes social enterprise, an inspiring and safe environment, and a team-oriented culture.

Greater Philadelphia Community Alliance (GPCA) is a deeply-embedded neighborhood-based nonprofit agency serving nearly 8,000 children, youth, adults, and families in the Point Breeze section of South Philadelphia. GPCA is a multi-purpose social service agency emphasizing education and skill-building while providing early childhood education as an integral function of its mission to serve Point Breeze’s low-income community. GPCA has been providing a comprehensive array of services to children and adults in the Point Breeze neighborhood of South Philadelphia for over a century. Services include:

Ø For young children: Early childhood education

Ø For school-age youth: Out-of-school time programming (after school and summer camp); and case management for at risk youth

Ø For adults: Employment training, parenting education, energy assistance programs, housing counseling programs, and financial literacy; and

Ø For the community at large: Affordable housing and community economic development

GPCA has been a leader in early childhood education for 42 years. GPCA's childcare centers are nationally recognized and accredited by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC). NAEYC sets the standard for quality early education with rigorous requirements and regulations regarding programming, staffing, and family and community involvement. GPCA's centers have also obtained a Keystone STAR 4 rating. The Keystone STARS is Pennsylvania’s program to improve the quality of early learning. It is a voluntary program that recognizes Department of Public Welfare (DPW) regulated child care providers who exceed state health and safety certification requirements. The Keystone STARS is a nationally recognized quality rating system beginning at STAR One, then progressing up through Two, Three, and Four.

GPCA’s current operating budget is approximately $24 million, with 200 employees across more than nine programs and eight locations.

GPCA’s programming areas include:

· Children & Youth Development

· Family Development

· Housing & Economic Empowerment

· Community Development

Building on this solid platform, DCS and UCSEP's strategic merger to become GPCA will strengthen our mission impact, fill our need to expand community impact across South Philadelphia and beyond and increase our organizational stability.

Greater Philadelphia Community Alliance seeks a Youth Mentor

Position Overview:

The Community Evening Resource Center (CERC) Youth Mentor will be responsible for being ambassadors of GPCA’s mission, values, and commitment to all participants. Their focus is to supervise and interact with children and youth to assist in the development of conflict resolution skills while ensuring their physical and emotional well-being. The Youth Group Leaders will also include facilitation of life skills workshops as needed to assist youth in overcoming personal dilemma and situations by providing mentorship and leadership. In addition, Youth Mentors will transport youth who are in violation of curfew to their home.

Key Responsibilities:

• Represent GPCA’s mission, values, and commitment in all Community settings
• Adhere to the agencies Policies & Employee Handbook, FES Program Standards, and professional code of ethics
• Will be well versed, enforces, and follows all safety guidelines, policies and procedures of the program
• Engage youth in positive youth development activities
• Ability to interact with potentially challenging youth
• Provides high quality educational and recreational experiences for youth
• Provides supervision of youth and ensures their safety and general well being
• Assist Director with creating lesson plans for activities when required
• Follow monthly activities calendar to implement and facilitate daily programming schedule
• Organize and lead various small/large group activities
• Ensures the cleanliness of the site
• Prepare daily snacks/meal
• Transport youth from facility
• Provide responsible and helpful guidance/advice to youth as needed
• Assisting youth with homework as required
• Participate in staff meetings, supervision, trainings, community events and other related meetings, as assigned
• Complete program reports, paperwork, and additional written documentation as required
• Strong verbal and written communication skills.
• Conference any child abuse or safety concerns with Director or Site Supervisor for assessment and make report to child line state reporting agency as needed
• Adhere to 20 hr. training requirement established by Agency & FES program standards
• Adhere to agency attendance policy and communicate PTO usage/request to Director effectively and in a timely manner
• Good organizational skills and ability to prioritize job tasks
• All other responsibilities as assigned

Requirements:

• Ability to work evening hours 5 days out of the week; including some weekends. Shifts run 6pm-11pm, with overtime work possible of working the full-time shift until 2 AM.
• Excellent interpersonal skills
• De-escalation knowledge and skills
• Great time management skills
• Experience facilitating groups and workshops
• · A passion for helping children to succeed.
• A calm and reassuring demeanor.
• Sensitivity to racial, cultural and economic differences
• Prior experience working with youth individually or in group settings
• Organized and detail-oriented
• Exceptional communication skills, both oral and written
• Excellent customer service skills
• Must pass Child Abuse, Criminal and FBI clearance
• Bi-lingual a plus
• At least two years’ experience with at-risk youth (either personally or professionally) is an advantage.

Other Skills:

• Computer Skills: MS Office including WORD, Excel, PowerPoint.
• Other related skills: The ability to communicate with all levels of the organization and with outside vendors is essential. This position also requires a solid, self-directed individual who can excel both independently and as a team player in a fast-paced, entrepreneurial environment. Candidates must be able to complete tasks according to accepted levels of quality. Experience in a growing entrepreneurial company is preferred.

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Physical Demands and Work Environment: The physical demands and work environment characteristics described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.

• Physical Demands: While performing the job duties of this job, the employee is occasionally required to walk; sit; use hands to fingers; handle, or feel objects, tools, or controls; reach with hands and arms; balance; stoop; talk or hear. Employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 20 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by the job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus.
• Work Environment: The noise level in the work environment is usually minimal.

We are proud to be an EEO employer M/F/D/V. We maintain a drug-free workplace.

Competencies:

To perform the job successfully, an individual should demonstrate the following competencies to perform the essential functions of this position.

• Problem solving—the individual identifies and resolves problems in a timely manner and gathers and analyzes information skillfully.
• Oral communication—the individual speaks clearly and persuasively in positive or negative situations, demonstrates group presentation skills and conducts meetings.
• Judgment—the individual displays willingness to make decisions, exhibits sound and accurate judgment and makes timely decisions.
• Planning/organizing—the individual prioritizes and plans work activities, uses time efficiently and develops realistic action plans.

Job Type: Part-time

Pay: Up to $18.00 per hour

Benefits:

• 401(k)
• Employee assistance program
• Paid time off
• Professional development assistance

License/Certification:

• Driver's License (Required)

Work Location: In person

Salary : $18