Job Description

Status: Part time

Hours: 20 hours/week

Pay Range: $23.92/hour +$1/hour bi-lingual differential available 

Essential Duties

We’ve identified the day-to-day responsibilities linked to each position. In addition to the position specific responsibilities provided below, each YWCA Clark County employee must share responsibility for upholding and modeling the organization’s core value on a daily basis.

• Actively engage with children in play-based, exploratory, and therapeutic learning activities.
• Support the lead and assistant teachers in implementing individualized strategies for children with varied developmental profiles.
• Assist with daily routines such as transitions, meeting time, mealtimes, toileting, and rest periods.
• Observe and document children’s behaviors and developmental progress in collaboration with the teaching team.
• Help maintain a warm, safe, and organized classroom environment that reflects the values of the Reggio Emilia approach.
• Participate in team meetings, professional development, and classroom planning discussions as able.
• Assure that children, staff, volunteers and community partners are treated with respect and dignity regardless of race, ethnic background, gender or socioeconomic background.
• Gain approval for, track, and engage in activities that meet the organization’s 1% for Social Change requirement.
• Think through the lens of racial equity and its intersections with poverty. Use the core principles of anti-racism and grounding those principles in all daily tasks.
• Incorporate the YWCA’s commitment to social justice by understanding how racism, sexism, classism and other oppressions intersect and are embedded in institutions. Seek opportunities for continued learning about racial, gender and class equity.
• Work with team to plan developmentally appropriate educational goals to meet the needs of a diverse population, including children experiencing homelessness, poverty, and trauma.
• Provide classroom support to classroom staff and/or program director. This support could involve handling food and/or cleaning classroom space.
• Ensure the safety, nutrition, and welfare of children is prioritized at all times, promoting positive behavior in guidance situations. Maintain confidentiality at all times. 
• Work with teaching team to set up the environment with well-defined interest areas and with sufficient resources and supplies.
• Foster a welcoming and inclusive environment for Y’s Care staff, volunteers, parents, and children. Serve as a role model for promoting diversity and inclusion in the classroom and program.
• Participate with team to fulfill Early Achievers requirements. 
• Support the Y’s Care Program Director and teaching team with implementing program strategic planning goals.

There is a strong social justice component to all positions within YWCA Clark County, requiring critical thinking through the lens of racism and intersections with poverty. Knowing the core principles of anti-racism and grounding those principles in everyday work are required job skills and core values

Related requirements and education:  

• Complete and pass a background check, pursuant to chapter 110-06 WAC;
• Complete a TB test, pursuant to WAC 110-300-0105 ;
• Complete a Washington state food handler’s online course
• Complete the training requirements, pursuant to WAC 110-300-0106 ;
• Complete program-based staff policies and training, pursuant to WAC 110-300-0110 ; and
• Have their professional development progress documented annually.
• Complete or be working towards completing STARs 30-hr Basic Childcare training
• Have a solid understanding that challenging behaviors are a form of communication and may manifest as a result of trauma.

Related experience: 

• At least one year of experience working with children in a preschool or kindergarten setting. Experience working with children from racially and socio-economically diverse families strongly preferred.
• Knowledge of and desire to learn more about the social-emotional development, the philosophy and principals of Reggio Emilia schools and working with various behavioral expressions of children who may have experienced trauma.
• Experience working with preschool-aged children, preferably in a therapeutic, inclusive setting.
• Ability to move freely, bend, sit on the floor, lift up to 40 lbs, and actively engage with children throughout the day.
• Strong communication and collaboration skills.
• Open-minded, flexible, and compassionate in working with young children and a multidisciplinary team.
• Background in early childhood education, special education, or a related field is preferred.
• Ability to complete yearly required training hours. 

Ability to achieve greatness: good employees make sure the day-to-day work gets done; great employees do so while in a way that fosters communication within their program and their own professional growth.

Ability to empower: consistently convey an open, respectful, and solution-oriented approach to addressing challenges, completing work tasks, and provide positive and constructive feedback to internal and external persons. 

Ability to work at a higher level: put the needs of the participants, program, and organization above personal needs and demonstrate unwavering integrity and accountability.

Ability to maintain strong boundaries: maintain strong personal/professional boundaries at all time to make sure that work is spent supporting the participants and furthering the mission of the program and organization.

Ability to adapt: the only constant is change – expecting and being open to change is a critical part of this position and is a necessary component of being in a service-oriented field.

Strong problem-solving skills: resourceful and able to resolve challenges while knowing when it’s time to stop and ask questions or seek additional guidance.

Strong soft-skills: with little to no prompting, adapt work and communication style to mitigate and/or de-escalate crisis, and to best support our participants.

Commitment to cultural responsiveness: Further YWCA mission and values by providing culturally responsive services. Effectively communicate available resources that support cultural values, beliefs and customs. 

Don't meet every single requirement after reading through this post? You may be just the right candidate for the role or future roles, and please know we value lived experience! Studies have shown that due to white supremacy culture, systemically oppressed communities are less likely to apply to jobs unless they meet every single qualification. YWCA Clark County is dedicated to building a diverse, inclusive, and authentic workplace, so if you're excited about this role but your past experience doesn't align perfectly with every qualification in the job description, we encourage you to apply anyways.

Compensation details: 23.92-24.92 Hourly Wage

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