Youth Assistant

6500 Northshore Drive, Knoxville, TN 37919 | 865-584-3957 | wpcknox.org

Youth Ministry Assistant

Job Description

Status

Part-time, hourly, non-exempt

Compensation

$20.00 per hour

Hours

Up to 20 hours per week; schedule varies with the youth ministry calendar and includes select Sunday mornings and evenings, weekly youth gatherings, and summer travel

Reports to

Associate Pastor for Children and Youth

Location

Westminster Presbyterian Church, Knoxville, TN

About Westminster

Westminster Presbyterian Church is a Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) congregation that seeks to follow Jesus Christ in an open and inclusive community of faith, where God's transforming love for all creation is celebrated through worship, discipleship, and service. Westminster is a Matthew 25 Church, a More Light congregation, and an Earth Care congregation, and welcomes people of every race, class, generation, sexual identity, gender, and ability. Our youth represent roughly a dozen schools across Knoxville, Maryville, and Alcoa, and our youth ministry is built on creative expression, shared laughter and new experiences, and seeking God together in the everyday and the extraordinary.

Position Summary

The Youth Ministry Assistant is a consistent, trusted second adult in the life of Westminster's youth ministry. This is a relational role first: someone who shows up week after week, knows students by name, and helps them feel seen and valued. The right person is genuinely connectional with young people, comfortable sitting with them in real conversations about faith and life, and able to commit to the steady presence that youth ministry depends on, including regular Sunday mornings and evenings and the church's summer conference and service work trips.

Key Responsibilities

• Serve as a reliable, consistent second adult presence alongside the Associate Pastor for Children and Youth, building trust with students over time rather than dropping in occasionally.
• Build genuine, ongoing relationships with middle and high school youth; learn their names, stories, and lives so they know they are known and valued at Westminster.
• Engage youth in open, honest conversations about faith formation, including their questions, doubts, and growth, meeting students where they are.
• Be present on Sunday mornings and evenings on a regular, dependable basis to support Sunday school and youth programming.
• Help plan, staff, and lead the weekly youth fellowship gathering on Sunday evenings, along with related activities (fellowship nights, retreats, service projects, and similar events).
• Travel with and supervise youth on summer trips, including the Montreat Youth Conference and Massanetta Springs, along with any other overnight or day trips on the youth calendar.
• Support youth participation in local and regional mission and service opportunities, such as the FISH Food Pantry, Appalachia Service Project, and other church service initiatives.
• Assist with set-up, clean-up, transportation logistics, and communication with parents and volunteers as needed.
• Uphold Westminster's child and youth protection policies and help maintain a safe, welcoming environment at all times.
• Communicate regularly with the Associate Pastor for Children and Youth on student needs, program planning, and scheduling.

What We're Looking For

• Experience building relationships with middle and high school students, through youth ministry, coaching, teaching, camp counseling, or volunteer work.
• Strong interpersonal skills, with the ability to build trust and rapport with teenagers over time.
• Comfortable leading and participating in conversations about faith formation, including students' questions and doubts.
• Reliable availability for select Sunday mornings and evenings, including the weekly youth gathering, with schedule flexibility around the youth ministry calendar.
• Willingness and ability to travel overnight for summer trips, including Montreat and Massanetta.
• Prior experience in youth ministry, camp counseling, coaching, or teaching preferred but not required.
• Support for Westminster's identity as an open and inclusive PC(USA) congregation.
• Successful completion of a background check, in accordance with the church's child and youth protection policy.

Compensation & Schedule

This is a part-time, hourly position paying $20.00 per hour for up to 20 hours per week. Weekly hours flex with the youth ministry calendar and typically include regular Sunday mornings and evenings, the weekly youth gathering and related planning time, occasional weekend events, and concentrated hours during summer conference and service work trips such as Montreat, Massanetta, and Appalachia Service Project.

To Apply

Interested candidates should send a resume and a brief note about your experience with youth and interest in this role to nolan@wpcknox.org. Questions are also welcome by phone at 865-584-3957.

Pay: $20.00 per hour

Work Location: In person

Salary : $20