Program Assistant, Center for Youth Development

Job Title: Program Assistant

Department: Center for Youth Development

Position Status: Part-time & non-exempt (20 hours per week)

Direct Reports: None

Reports to: Assistant Youth Director

Organizational Overview:

LifeBridge Community Services Inc. has been in continuous service to residents of Bridgeport CT since 1843. The organization’s mission is to “Partner with Bridgeport’s youth and families to build resilience” with a vision to help each person realize their fullest potential in a strong community.

Resiliency, according to the American Psychological Association, is the process of “adapting well in the face of adversity, trauma, tragedy, threats or significant sources of stress such as family and relationship problems, serious health problems or workplace and financial stressors”.

Simply put, resiliency means “bouncing back” from difficult experiences while still being able to focus, plan, learn, problem-solve, grow and achieve.

To attain this mission, in February 2020 LifeBridge opened the Urban Scholars Program (USP), an after school and summer community learning center to engage youth. The purpose is to work with them at critical middle school years and accompanying throughout their high school career. Key to the Urban Scholars Program is developing healthy relationships with caring adults in a safe space where students can find their voice, learn appropriate ways to deal with their challenges, build peer relationships, express their creativity, and continue to engage in their learning. Further, the USP will leverage LifeBridge’s pediatric behavior health expertise to provide emotional wellness programming and where appropriate, group, individual and/or family counseling.

Job Function:

To provide leadership and supervision to a group of 16 middle school age youth. The program assistant must have the ability to reach and engage students at varying stages of performance who may have personal challenges. The candidate must be able to provide support to academic instruction and program instructors. The program assistant will lead students in activities aimed to develop social emotional learning and build resiliency. The program assistant will provide supervision during snack and meal time.

Typical workload, which may change over time, currently equates to coordinating students per day for five consecutive days Monday through Friday during the fall, winter and spring semesters from 2:00 PM to 6:00 PM for a total of 20 hours per week. Additional hours may be approved periodically for communication with parents and case management sessions as required. Program Assistants will assist and lead activity sessions.

Major Responsibilities:

  1. Supervise and interact with scholars during program hours.
  2. Provide support to STEAM activity instructors during structured sessions.
  3. Prepare and deliver fun, creative and thought provoking social emotional learning sessions for group to improve scholar’s social skills and emotional well-being.
  4. Lead fun leadership-oriented group activities.
  5. Observe youth behavior and document progress towards goals as directed.
  6. Supervise program participants during snack and meal times.
  7. Assist with scholar assessments throughout the program year.
  8. Participate in case management sessions periodically with program staff and communicate with parents as guided by the USP guidelines.
  9. Other duties may be necessary occasionally.

Education & Experience:

  1. A demonstrated track record of motivating program participants and fostering within them a can-do spirit.
  2. Excellent ability to engage young people with a diverse set of individual life challenges, learning styles and ability.
  3. Bi-lingual English and Spanish speaking is greatly desirable.
  4. Must have, or complete within six months of hiring, approved First Aid and CPR certification. Certification must be maintained throughout employment.

Performance Indications:

  1. Program participant retention and satisfaction in USP. Parent/Guardian satisfaction.
  2. Program Participant progress exhibiting appropriate ways to deal with challenges, building healthy peer and adult relationships, expressing creativity and continuing to engage in their learning at USP.

Confidentiality: The employee will be required to sign a confidentiality agreement. Violation of this agreement may result in disciplinary action up to an including immediate dismissal.

Physical Requirements: Frequent sitting and ability to talk and hear. Frequently required to walk; use hands to finger, handle, or feel objects, tools, or controls; reach with hands and arms; stoop, crouch and kneel. The member must occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 + pounds.

The member will be required to travel locally by vehicle, work in an office setting sitting behind a computer, as well as interact with clients. Required to be free from communicable diseases and work closely with clients.

Work Environment: The noise level in the work environment is typical of any outpatient medical or mental health setting/outpatient treatment facility/or youth center and ranges from low to high. Frequent interaction with individuals in the program and community.

Agency Disclaimer: The President & CEO may modify this job description upon agency needs.

Job Type: Part-time