POSITION SUMMARY:

Under the guidance of the Program Director, the Specialty Program Instructor teaches the specialty class/program. The instructor is responsible for planning, organizing, and documenting each lesson.  

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

• Organizes, plans, and executes all activities for enrolled children. 
• Prepare for special program presentations.
• Monitors the area at all times to ensure safety, and immediately makes changes as necessary.
• Provides a positive environment for all participants, and actively encourages participation to ensure growth and development. 
• Exemplifies appropriate behavior and is a role model for participants; actively listens to all children and shows patience, understanding, and respect for others. 
• Instructs and guides participants through the rules of the program and ensures adherence; disciplines children within established guidelines of the YMCA and parent, and only when appropriate. 
• Exercises effective problem solving techniques, tackles issues directly and makes timely decisions based upon logical conclusions of factual information
• Ensures that the Association provides its services with sensitivity to the cultural differences that are present among the Association’s employees, clients, members, and volunteers
• Immediately reports all unusual incidents or accidents to the Program Director, and fills out all applicable and necessary reports. 
• Records daily attendance and maintains accurate and complete records. 
• Ensures the classroom is neat, orderly and free of all safety impediments.
• Develops and fosters interpersonal relationships between participants, and is pro-active creating an environment of cooperation, friendliness, and helpfulness towards staff and customers.
• Develops and maintains age-appropriate activities. 
• Ensures all necessary supplies are on hand and well maintained at all times.
• Attend scheduled staff meetings.
• Responsible for upholding all staff safety requirements including cleaning protocols throughout the day, as required by my department.
• All other duties as required and necessary

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. 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 perform full range of motion, including manual and finger dexterity and hand and eye coordination. Requires corrected vision, speech, and hearing to normal range, or special accommodations made of sufficient nature for completion of assigned tasks. 
• Ability to lift 15 pounds, bending reaching, and kneeling to execute lessons and/or utilize equipment.

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Prior experience with specialty program offering 
• Prior experience working with children
• Enthusiasm for the arts and children
• Ability to adhere to drug/alcohol/smoke free workplace policy
• Able to maintain confidentiality
• Successfully complete State of Florida Criminal History Background Check requirements as well as meet the Association’s policies on background screening

CERTIFICATIONS AND TRAINING REQUIREMENTS:

• CPR and First Aid Certifications required
• Completion of YMCA Blood Borne Pathogens Training
• Completion of YMCA Child Sexual Abuse Prevention class
• Staff Safety Requirements/Cleaning Protocols
• Additional training classes as recommended by Supervisor