Childwatch Lead Counselor - Foster

POSITION SUMMARY
The Childwatch Site Lead is responsible for creating a safe, engaging, and inclusive environment for children while their parents/guardians participate in YMCA activities. This position requires a dedicated and responsible youth development professional committed to providing high quality care in the Childwatch program. Counselors will teach values, ensure safety, and facilitate structured play and educational activities for children, in line with youth development principles and YMCA policies.

The Childwatch Site Lead will assist in delivering a positive experience for both children and parents/guardians, focusing on youth development and the core values of the YMCA: honesty, respect, responsibility, caring, and faith. They will ensure the safety and well-being of children by leading age-appropriate activities and effectively monitoring children's behavior. This position requires attentiveness, strong communication skills, a dedication to creating a safe and enriching environment, and the ability to provide attentive care and supervision to all children.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS
1. Site Management: Serves as the designated lead, ensuring full compliance with all YMCA of Greater Houston and Youth Development standards. Oversees the daily operations of the Childwatch program to maintain a safe, welcoming, nurturing, and engaging environment at all times for all children. Maintains the cleanliness and organization of the program site and equipment, including setting up and breaking down activity centers.
2. Supervision and Safety: Ensure the safety and well-being of all children and staff in a welcoming Childwatch environment by monitoring activities to promote safe, age-appropriate behavior and adherence to YMCA policies. Provide for children's physical needs, including feeding, assisting with restrooms, administering first aid/CPR, and notifying the parents/guardians of necessary diaper changes. Maintain accurate and up-to-date records such as attendance, incident reports, and compliance documentation. Conduct regular headcounts and ensure staff follow policies, providing redirection as needed. Respond promptly and appropriately to emergencies and incidents in alignment with established YMCA protocols and procedures, including emergency preparedness.
3. Behavior Management: Implements positive behavior management techniques that foster a respectful and inclusive environment while addressing the emotional needs of children. Responds to behavioral issues calmly and constructively, following established guidelines, and provides support by soothing distressed children, comforting those who are sick or hurt, redirecting negative behavior, and offering positive reinforcement. Communicates important information or observations to incoming staff regarding individual children and provides an updated list of children currently in attendance.
4. Program & Policy Compliance: Conduct regular assessments to ensure compliance with youth development standards and organizational policies, procedures, and protocols. Follow all organizational policies, procedures, and procedures, including those related to health and safety, child protection, and confidentiality. Maintain a clean and organized environment, adhering to sanitation and safety standards. Report any concerns or issues to Program Director in a timely manner.
5. Program Planning and Implementation: Oversee the implementation of age-appropriate activities, including structured and unstructured activities as outlined in YMCA approved curriculum. Encourage and facilitate positive social interactions among children. Adapt activities to meet the diverse needs and interests of all children. Evaluate program effectiveness and make adjustments as necessary.
6. Relationship Building: Maintains positive relations with children, parents/guardians, center operations, directors, and other staff. Attends and participates in staff meetings and staff trainings.
7. Parent and Community Engagement: Communicate regularly with parents/guardians regarding their child's progress, behavior, and any concerns. Address inquiries and concerns promptly and professionally. Follow all organizational policies, procedures, and procedures, including those related to health and safety, child protection, and confidentiality. Maintain a clean and organized environment, adhering to sanitation and safety standards. Report any concerns or issues to Program Director in a timely manner.
8. Administrative Duties: Utilizes designated software to accurately check children in and out of Childwatch. Ensures tablets and all other communications devices are fully charged, ready for use, and properly secured when not in use. Serves as the primary center liaison with the software provider. Maintains accurate and up-to-date records, including sign-in/out logs, incident reports, and other required documentation.
9. Program Growth and Retention: Assist with executing retention plans aimed at ensuring high levels of participant engagement and satisfaction.
10. Program Quality: Plan and implements lesson/activity plans curriculum that includes both formal and informal play within the center and outdoors in adherence to Y program model, curriculum and quality standards.
11. Child Abuse Prevention: Reports suspicious and inappropriate behaviors and policy violations. Follows mandated abuse and incident reporting requirements. Ensures youth are properly signed in and signed out, ensures only authorized adults are allowed in the facility, etc. Adheres to policies related to boundaries with each child. Ensures unused rooms and closets remain locked; routinely monitors high-risk locations (bathrooms), etc.

YMCA COMPETENCIES (YOUTH DEVELOPMENT LEADER)
Collaboration: Creates sustainable relationships within the Y and with other organizations in service to the community

Communication & Influence: Listens and expresses self effectively and in a way that engages, inspires, and builds commitment to the Y's cause

Developing Self & Others: Develops self and supports others (e.g., staff, volunteers, members, program participants), both formally and informally, to achieve their highest potential

Functional Expertise: Executes superior technical skills for the role

Inclusion: Values all people for their unique talents, and takes an active role in promoting practices that support diversity, inclusion, and global work, as well as cultural competence

Program/Project Management: Ensures program or project goals are met and intended impact occurs

QUALIFICATIONS
1. At least 21 years of age.
2. High school diploma or general education degree (GED).
3. At least 1 year of experience working with youth at a childcare facility, church, school or equivalent (preferred).
4. Strong awareness of child safety and the ability to respond to emergency situations appropriately.
5. Must be able to successfully pass CPR, First Aid, AED certifications and Child Abuse prevention trainings.
6. Ability to engage with children positively and create an environment that fosters learning and respect.
7. Ability to plan, organize, and implement age-appropriate/developmentally appropriate program activities
8. Previous experience with diverse populations.
9. Previous experience supervising others preferred.
10. Current record of tuberculosis examination and/or current local health department regulations, examinations, and/or immunization as required by the local or State Department of Health.
11. Pass a local/state background and FBI fingerprinting check.

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.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES
This position does not supervise staff.

EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE
High school diploma or general education degree (GED) with demonstrated interested in the welfare of children; prior childcare or baby-sitting experience is preferred.

LANGUAGE SKILLS
Ability to read and comprehend simple instructions, short correspondence, and memos. Ability to write simple correspondence. Ability to effectively present information in one-on-one and small group situations to customers, clients, and other employees of the organization.

MATHEMATICAL SKILLS
Ability to add and subtract two digit numbers and to multiply and divide with 10's and 100's. Ability to perform these operations using units of American money and weight measurement, volume, and distance.

REASONING ABILITY
Ability to apply common sense understanding to carry out simple one- or two-step instructions. Ability to deal with standardized situations with only occasional or no variables.

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 essential and marginal functions the employee may be required to maintain physical condition necessary for adequate physical performance including light to moderate lifting (up to 25 lbs with occasional lifting of up to 50 lbs.); bending, stooping, kneeling, crawling, climbing; standing, walking, pushing, pulling, reaching, balancing, and crouching; use of hands and fingers, handle or feel; reach; speak and hear, use close and distant vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perceptions, and ability to adjust focus; must utilize auditory, sensory abilities constantly on the job site.

WORK ENVIRONMENT
The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Work is performed in a primarily indoor environment during the Childwatch program; some exposure to outdoor environment occur; this may include exposure to weather conditions such as heat or cold during summer or winter events. Exposure to noise, cleaning supplies, laundry detergent, sweat, spills and messes within the facility.

Some physical requirements of a childwatch position could be endurance including prolonged standing, some bending, stooping, walking long distances, hiking, getting into the pool, climbing, and stretching; requires eye-hand coordination and manual dexterity to manipulate outdoor equipment and camp activities; requires normal range of hearing and eyesight to record, prepare, and communicate appropriate camper activities/programs and the ability to lift up to 50 lbs; willing to work in a camp setting and work irregular hours with limited or simple equipment and facilities; and with daily exposure to the sun, heat, and animals such as bugs, etc.

The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.

WORK SCHEDULE
Part-time, typically seven days a week, morning shift 8 am - 1 pm, afternoon shift 11 am - 4 pm, evening shift 4 pm - 8 pm (start and end time may vary).

Must be available to attend and participate in family nights, program activities, staff meetings, and staff trainings. Details will be provided in advance.

TRAVEL
Travel is primarily to an assigned Childwatch location; however, there are occasions when travel to other Childwatch locations.

OTHER DUTIES
Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities and activities may change at any time with or without notice.

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