Youth Program Assistant

Agency Mission: The mission of Hawthorne Community Center is to provide or facilitate programs and services that meet the economic, social, educational, recreational and civic needs of persons living in the Hawthorne service area.

Agency Purpose:Hawthorne Community Center’s purpose is to provide social service programs focused on skill building, connection to resources and the provision of basic needs for families. It is our goal to build resilient and financially stable community members at the grassroots level.

Hawthorne’s adult division includes the Center for Working Families (CWF). Hawthorne has shifted the paradigm of adult social services from generalized programs to an individualized experience based on long-term relationships. CWF focuses on building assets of low and moderate-income families. Programs offered through the CWF include Income Supports, Adult Education, Financial Literacy, Employment and Re-entry. CWF staff focuses resources on employment placement, career improvement, financial education and public benefits assistance. The goal is to move participants from spenders and borrowers to savers and investors. The next piece of adult division is the Senior Citizen Department. Program design focuses on five components. These components are nutrition, health and wellness, recreational activities, social activities and economic stability. The program meets older adult’s basic needs and ensures that they are healthy and participating in life affirming activities that will maintain autonomy by providing daily programming at the center.

Youth programs division offers year-round programming from early childhood to high school, divided into three separate departments - Early Childhood, Elementary and Middle School and High School. Youth programs focus on providing programming during out of school time that empowers youth through intentional enrichment and structured recreation with the goal of preparing them for their first school experience and building academic skills. Youth programs focus on improving academic performance, social and developmental skills and the improving general health of youth through summer camps, intersession camps, before and after school programs, and athletics.

Neighborhood Engagement and Economic Development comprise the Community Development Division. Neighborhood engagement focuses on aligning the needs of the community with resources. Activities focus on cultivating internal community assets and facilitating collaboration with external organizations with resources. Neighborhood development programs work to improve the quality of life of neighborhood residents by focusing on health, safety, housing, economic development, civic engagement and education. The Economic Development program engages in the purchase and rehabilitation of blighted houses in the community. These houses, once rehabbed, provide transitional housing opportunities for participants in the Hawthorne CWF program.

The Youth Program Assistant, reporting to the School Age Program Coordinator, will be responsible for supporting the school-age programs within the youth programs division. The program assistant has the opportunity to work with a diverse population of energetic and fun youth. Program assistants plan and implement a variety of activities with the ability to utilize and share personal talents.

- Exhibits a genuine nurturing, caring attitude to all children

- Maintains a positive, calm attitude and a soft voice, and encourage this attitude and voice in others working in the classroom

- Maintains a cooperative attitude of working together with the staff, volunteers, parents, and participants in planning and implementing activities

- Plans with and assists program manager with preparing materials and supplies in advance for activities

- Assists program manager in implementing behavior plans

- Protects all children from physical punishment or verbal abuse by anyone in any program activity, and immediately reports any such incident to the center director or person in charge

- Assist with data management (e.g. pre and post test scores, attendance…etc.)

- Actively participate in staff development planning, goal setting, reviews and other human resource activities that improve the quality of service to participants

- Support Hawthorne sponsored events through leadership, planning and participation

- Duties assigned by the Executive Director

- Knowledge of lesson planning, youth developmental stages, age appropriate behavioral management strategies, youth enrichment activities and classroom management strategies

- Excellent oral and written communication skills

- Self-directed and motivated

- Well organized and possession of excellent time management

- Problem solving, critical thinking and decision making

- Patience and flexibility in dealing with staff and participants

- Ability to develop working relationships with target population

- Classroom management skills

- High School Diploma or equivalent

- 1 to 3 years classroom experience preferred or equivalent training or experience

- Flexibility in working hours to accommodate program needs

- Must pass fingerprint clearance test for all appropriate agencies (such as FBI, Department of Justice, and Child Abuse Index Services)

- Ability to lift and carry items that may weigh up to 50 lbs

- Ability to stand and/or sit for extended period of time (1 hour or more)

- Ability to bend, climb and crawl

- Ability to obtain and maintain an operators license

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by people assigned to this position. They are not to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required of personnel. All personnel may be required to perform duties outside of their normal responsibilities from time to time, as needed.

Hawthorne SSA, Inc is an Equal Opportunity employer. Personnel are chosen on the basis of ability without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, marital status, sexual orientation, in accordance with federal and state law.