Langham Creek Enrichment Assistant Instructor- Informal Education

Position Summary:

Supports the delivery of high-quality enrichment programming by assisting the instructor in classroom management, preparation, and engagement—not by leading instruction. This role is essential to maintaining safe staff-to-participant ratios and helping create a positive, well-managed program environment. Helps to ensure a welcoming and inclusive experience for all children and families.

Essential Functions:

• Assists the instructor in implementing enrichment activities in line with YMCA curriculum and safety standards.
• Provides active classroom support, including helping with transitions, behavior redirection, and group management.
• Supports setup and cleanup of program areas before and after class.
• Supervises children under the direct guidance of the instructor and site leadership.
• Fosters a safe and inclusive environment, both indoors and outdoors.
• Helps ensure program areas are clean, organized, and prepared for activities.
• Models positive behavior and YMCA core values of caring, honesty, respect, responsibility, and faith.
• Maintains professional and friendly communication with children, families, and fellow staff.
• Follows all YMCA policies and program standards including safety, child abuse prevention, and incident reporting. Addresses and reports concerns immediately.
• Participates in center related events, meetings, and staff trainings as required.
• All other duties as assigned or in support of the role.

YMCA Culture & Cause Expectations

Our mission and core values are brought to life by our culture. It’s who are, who we aspire to be and how we show up every day. We are cause-driven. We don’t just show up, we show up with purpose. As a cause driven leader you are expected to be:

Welcoming-Accept neighbors eagerly, warmly, hospitably, and as equal participants.

Nurturing-To care for, support, and help develop through encouragement.

Hopeful-Take an optimistic or positive view of future outcomes.

Determined-To devote full strength and concentrated attention to the cause.

Genuine–To be honest and open in relationships with others.

YMCA Competencies (Leader):

Mission Advancement: Accepts and demonstrates the Y’s values. Demonstrates a desire to serve others and fulfill community needs. Recruits volunteers and builds effective, supportive working relationships with them. Supports fund-raising.

Collaboration: Works effectively with people of different backgrounds, abilities, opinions, and perceptions. Builds rapport and relates well to others. Seeks first to understand the other person’s point of view, and remains calm in challenging situations. Listens for understanding and meaning; speaks and writes effectively. Takes initiative to assist in developing others.

Operational Effectiveness: Makes sound judgments, and transfers learning from one situation to another. Embraces new approaches and discovers ideas to create a better member experience.

Establishes goals, clarifies tasks, plans work and actively participates in meetings. Follows budgeting policies and procedures, and reports all financial irregularities immediately. Strives to meet or exceed goals and deliver a high-value experience for members.

Personal Growth: Pursues self-development that enhances job performance. Demonstrates an openness to change, and seeks opportunities in the change process. Accurately assesses personal feelings, strengths and limitations and how they impact relationships. Has the functional and technical knowledge and skills required to perform well; uses best practices and demonstrates up-to-date knowledge and skills in technology.

Qualifications:

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.

1. High School diploma or GED preferred.

2. Minimum age of 18 years.

3. Previous experience working with children or in youth programs preferred.

4. Ability to communicate effectively (written and oral) with children and adults.

5. Ability to follow directions.

6. Desire to work with children and families and the ability to relate to them in a positive, patient, sensitive and non-judgmental manner.

7. Ability to connect with people of diverse backgrounds.

8. CPR, First Aid, AED certifications and Child Abuse prevention trainings.

Language Skills

Ability to read, interpret, retain, and teach documents such as safety rules, operating maintenance instructions, and procedure/educational manuals. Ability to write routine reports and correspondence. Ability to speak effectively before groups of children, parents, staff, members of the YMCA, and/or others, as well as in one-on-one situations.

Mathematical Skills

Ability to add, subtract, multiply, and divide in all units of measure, using whole numbers, common fractions, and decimals.

Reasoning Ability

Ability to apply common sense, understanding, and sound mature judgment to carry out instructions furnished in written, oral, or diagram form, including assisting with curriculum learning. Ability to deal with problems involving several concrete variables in standardized situations. Ability to maintain confidentiality. Ability to be sensitive and alert to the needs, feelings, and safety of others. Ability to ensure children’s safety and maintain YMCA and state standards and guidelines at all times.

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.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to stand, walk, and talk and hear. The employee frequently is required to use hands to finger, handle, and/or feel objects, tools, and/or controls; climb, balance, stoop, kneel, crouch, and/or crawl. The employee is frequently required to reach with hands and arms and taste and smell. The employee must frequently move and/or lift up to 50 pounds and move up to 100 pounds such as furniture, supplies, equipment, children, etc. Possess adequate vision and hearing to safely monitor environment and children. Ability to hear noises, distinguish distress signals and communicate verbally, including projecting voice across distance in normal and loud situations.

Hours

Flexible with scheduling and available to work operational hours of the YMCA, which may include day, evening, weekends, and/or holidays, based on the center needs.

This job description is not all inclusive. The YMCA of Greater Houston reserves the right to amend this job description at any time.

The YMCA of Greater Houston provides Equal Employment Opportunities for employment to all employees and applicants, including disability and protected veteran status.