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Overview

Join our dynamic team in as a Kid Zone Aide where you will play a vital role in fostering a safe, engaging, and nurturing environment for children and youth. This paid position offers an exciting opportunity to lead youth activities, support childhood development, and implement educational and recreational programs that inspire growth and confidence. Your enthusiasm, leadership skills, and dedication will help create memorable experiences for young participants while ensuring their safety and well-being at all times.

Responsibilities

  • Plan, organize, and facilitate a variety of youth programs, including outdoor activities, arts and crafts, sports, and educational sessions aligned with developmental goals.
  • Supervise children and youth during activities, ensuring their safety through vigilant child supervision and adherence to behavior management protocols.
  • Implement classroom management strategies to maintain a positive environment conducive to learning and fun.
  • Apply first aid and CPR techniques promptly in case of emergencies; follow established first aid protocols to ensure safety.
  • Manage behavior effectively by employing positive reinforcement techniques and conflict resolution skills.
  • Collaborate with team members to develop age-appropriate curricula that promote childhood development and social skills.
  • Maintain accurate records of attendance, incident reports, and program evaluations to support continuous improvement efforts.

Qualifications

  • Proven experience working with children in educational, childcare, camp, or youth program settings.
  • Knowledge of childhood development principles and behavior management strategies.
  • Valid certifications in CPR, AED operation, and first aid; familiarity with first aid protocols is essential.
  • Experience with classroom management, special education needs, or youth group activity facilitation is highly desirable.
  • Demonstrated ability to lead team efforts in outdoor work environments or recreational settings.
  • Strong communication skills with the ability to engage children positively while maintaining safety standards.
  • Prior experience in theater or arts-based activities with young children is a plus.

Join us in making a meaningful difference in the lives of children by providing enriching experiences that foster growth, confidence, and joy! This paid role is perfect for passionate individuals eager to contribute their skills in a vibrant community setting while supporting youth development initiatives across.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

· Instructs swim lessons in accordance with YMCA of the USA guidelines and curriculum, having prepared lesson plans accordingly and adapting instruction to meet the individual needs and abilities of participants.

· Ensures equipment is prepared, maintained in good condition, and ready at the start of lesson time.

· Maintains professionalism and wears required professional attire, including YMCA-issued apparel and rash guards.

· Models safety awareness during scheduled shifts and maintains active supervision of participants at all times.

· Builds effective, genuine relationships with students and parents; helps them connect with each other and the YMCA while encouraging parent involvement and supporting participant retention.

· Parent and guardian engagement is an essential function of this position. Instructors are expected to provide regular feedback regarding swimmer progress, recommendations for advancement, and answer questions in a professional and welcoming manner.

· Swim instructor skills must meet YMCA of the USA expectations, and all evaluations, audits, and skills assessments must meet required standards to pass.

· Maintains accurate records as required, including attendance, weekly reports, curriculum tracking, achievement cards, participant evaluations, and skill progression documentation.

· Completes curriculum tracking and participant assessments in a timely manner to ensure proper swimmer placement and advancement through YMCA stages.

· Attends all mandatory monthly in-service trainings, staff meetings, and additional trainings as required.

· Follows all YMCA policies, rules, regulations, and procedures, including emergency action plans, safety procedures, and standards of conduct.

· Completes incident and accident reports accurately and promptly as necessary.

· Provides exceptional customer service to all members, guests, and participants and serves as a positive ambassador of the YMCA mission and core values.

· Maintains attentiveness and remains free from distractions while actively instructing and supervising participants.

· Begins and ends classes on time and maintains organized and efficient class transitions.

· Demonstrates professionalism, maturity, and sound judgment when interacting with participants, parents, members, and fellow staff.

· Communicates concerns, behavioral issues, incidents, and participant needs promptly to supervisors and completes all required documentation.

· Accepts coaching and feedback professionally and demonstrates a commitment to continuous improvement and instructional excellence.

· Maintains confidentiality regarding participants, families, staff, and YMCA operations.

· Promotes YMCA programs and services and assists with participant evaluations and stage recommendations to support enrollment growth and member retention.

· Maintains all required certifications and successfully completes required audits and continuing education requirements.

· Demonstrates flexibility and willingness to teach various age groups, skill levels, and class formats based on operational needs.

· Collaborates effectively with lifeguards, deck supervisors, coordinators, and other instructors to maintain a safe, professional, and high-quality aquatic environment.

· Completes all other duties as assigned.

· Understands that participant safety, instructional quality, and professionalism are the highest priorities and that failure to maintain these standards may result in corrective action up to and including termination.

· Maintains a minimum attendance rate of 90% for all scheduled classes, meetings, trainings, and assigned shifts, demonstrating reliability, professionalism, and punctuality.

· Recognizes that consistency and quality instruction are essential to participant success and member satisfaction. Class cancellations and absences should be limited to unforeseen emergencies and should not become a common occurrence. Instructors are expected to communicate scheduling conflicts promptly to leadership and provide as much advance notice as possible. Excessive absences, tardiness, or avoidable cancellations may result in corrective action and/or removal from teaching assignments.

· This is an in-person job and duties as such cannot be performed remotely.

LEADERSHIP COMPETENCIES:

· Developing Self & Others

· Engaging Community

· Critical Thinking and Decision Making

QUALIFICATIONS:

· Minimum age of 16

· Obtains current certifications in the following courses: YMCA Lifeguard V6, YMCA Swim Lesson Instructor, ASHI Basic Life Support, First Aid and Emergency Oxygen within 60 days of hire.

· Maintains vigilance in entire zone of surveillance that include distress signals in and around the aquatic environment.

· Demonstrates ability to prevent, recognize and respond to swimmers in need of assistance and maintain a duty to act in an emergency.

· Ability to work in a diverse role with different ages groups.

· Ability to model exemplary behavior.

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, either with or without reasonable accommodation.

· The employee frequently is required to sit and reach and must be able to move around the work environment.

· The employee must occasionally lift, push, pull and/or move up to 40 pounds.

· Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus.

· Sufficient strength, agility, and mobility to perform essential functions of position and to supervise program activities.

· Remain alert with no lapses of consciousness.

· Physical ability to act swiftly in an emergency.

· While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to use hands to finger, handle, or feel objects, tools, or controls. The employee frequently is required to stoop, bend, kneel, crouch, crawl, talk, hear, stand, walk, sit, and reach with hands and arms.