Afterschool Program Teacher, Teacher IIAt — YMCA of Orange County

Supervise and engage children in daily program activities

Ensure a safe, structured, and inclusive environment

Implement enrichment curriculum with enthusiasm and consistency

Communicate effectively with parents, school staff, and Y leadership

Maintain program standards and uphold YMCA policies

Support positive behavior guidance practices

Assist with program setup, cleanup, and daily operations

Participate in required trainings and professional development

Tasks:

-Plan and implement developmentally appropriate activities for children ages 5–12, including STEM, arts, literacy, and social\u2011emotional learning experiences, aligned with YMCA curriculum and best practices in child development.
-Lead small and large group activities by providing clear instructions, facilitating engagement, encouraging participation, and adapting activities to meet diverse developmental needs and learning styles
-Support positive behavior guidance by applying evidence\u2011based strategies such as redirection, positive reinforcement, logical consequences, and conflict resolution, while modeling YMCA core values.
-Monitor and ensure child safety through active supervision, risk assessment, adherence to staff\u2011to\u2011child ratios, execution of emergency procedures, and maintaining a physically and emotionally safe learning environment.
-Engage in professional communication with children, families, coworkers, and supervisors, including greeting parents, providing general program updates, and reporting any concerns following YMCA protocols.
-Participate in reflective practice and professional development, including attending required trainings, team meetings, supervision check\u2011ins, and self\u2011evaluation activities to strengthen professional competencies.

Training:

-Staff Orientation MANDATORY
-Mandated reporter training (Every 2 years) MANDATORY
-CPR & First Aid (Every 2 years) MANDATORY
-Abuse Prevention Training (Every 2 years) MANDATORY
-Illness Injury Prevention Training (Yearly) MANDATORY
-Healthy Schools Act (Yearly) MANDATORY
-CYD Safety and Supervision (Yearly) MANDATORY
-Preventing Discrimination (Yearly) MANDATORY
-CYD Essentials (During orientation) MANDATORY
-Child Guidance and behavior training (one training at hiring) MANDATORY
-Preventative health and safety (one training at hiring) MANDATORY
-Monthly staff meetings MANDATORY

Learning Outcome:

By the end of the academic internship, the student will be able to effectively lead and support group activities for children ages 5–12 while demonstrating positive behavior guidance. The student will also be able to design and implement developmentally appropriate enrichment activities that promote social, emotional, and cognitive growth. In addition, the student will be able to apply best practices to create a safe and inclusive environment while modeling core values such as Caring, Honesty, Respect, and Responsibility. The student will be able to communicate professionally with parents, staff, and supervisors, documenting observations and providing updates as needed. Finally, the student will be able to collaborate effectively with team members and reflect on their own strengths and areas for improvement to enhance their work with children.