Youth Development Program Specialist (Santa Ana)

Youth Development Program Specialist

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WeShare is a rapidly growing faith-based nonprofit that strives to do good while delivering great and affordable healthcare. The company is led by senior executives with an extensive background in both for-profit and not-for-profit enterprises. If you have a bias for action, enjoy challenges, and love creating impact in a massive industry, WeShare might be the place for you!

IGNITE Youth Leadership Program

We are a unique sports and leadership ministry that empowers teams of youth (middle and high school age) to coach, mentor, and walk alongside their younger peers (elementary school age) through sports activities and games. Primarily, and due to popularity, that sport has been soccer. However, we do weave into our curriculum other sports, interactive games, and activities (waste basket tennis, chair hockey, scooterball, etc.). Alongside this, we build up that same youth leader team with weekly classes and workshops around prayer and faith, leadership, community engagement, and workforce development.

About this role

The Youth Development Program Specialist will provide direct support to the IGNITE Youth Leadership Program site in Santa Ana at Kid Works, the respective Site Director, and the IGNITE youth leaders on and during all activities and programs. This includes but is not limited to assistance in coordinating, scheduling, and managing after school character sports programs and community engagement initiatives; included is assistance with the training, recruitment, and selection of teenage youth leaders along with community outreach and brand awareness, facilitating faith and leadership workshops in our programs (including in school initiatives), and providing a positive and faith-filled presence to the community. This position will also require the familiarization of the program manual along with occasional administrative updates, proofreading, data collection, and reporting. Additionally, work around social media posts, pictures, and content will be required.

Key Responsibilities

Logistics

• Provide support and co-lead (with Santa Ana Site Director) on all matters related to the IGNITE Youth Leadership Program. This includes but is not limited to the after-school sports programs, IYLP team meetings, site goals and outcomes, recruitment and development of student leaders, student disciplinary matters, partner site meetings and collaboration events, behind the scenes workforce field trips, mock sales and interview days, 2 week summer team building initiatives, and all leadership and faith development initiatives.
• Aiding in the proofreading and on going updates of the IGNITE Youth Leadership Program Manual, including but not limited to translation into Spanish, updates of documents, games and activities, expectation forms, wordsmithing, organizing, structuring, and cleaning up of all content.
• Responsible for the coordination, supervision, and implementation of in school IGNITE character and leadership activity classes (titled IGNITE Club). These are generally held one to two days a week, 30-45 minutes, Monday–Thursday during recess and or lunch time, at pre-designated Santa Ana Unified School District community elementary school(s).Other responsibilities include cultivation of relationships with on-site school administrators and teachers, creation/ updating of curriculum, and researching new and innovative games and activities to engage the participants. Some after school programs may develop as partnerships are cultivated.
• Responsible for working closely with the Site Director in the creation of or adaptation of curriculum, engagement and encouragement of students in all programs, community outreach and presentations to parents, back to school events, and youth nights. Also responsible for setting goals related to IGNITE program outcomes and maintaining the IGNITE culture within the classes and initiatives.
• Provide co-direction and supervision for IYLP youth leadership program team (10-15 students at KidWorks OC) on all after school sports programs, including but not limited to youth leader speaking schedule, station assignments, dates, timeline for the classes, talking points, set-up and break down of all necessary equipment, as well as helping with prayer over participants, public speaking, and new game ideas and implementation.
• Maintain consistent communication and relationship with all IGNITE Youth Leaders, Site Directors, Fireside Director and Founder, and partner site administrators (KidWorks OC, Avenue Church, and designated SAUSD community elementary schools).
• Responsible for the oversight, roll-out, and implementation of four (4) joint community engagement events titled, IGNITE in the Streets. Combined with Kid Works Family and Community Engagement Department, execute neighborhood family events that include character sports, BBQ, prayer, and arts and crafts for kids. Also included is notification and promotion of events to the Kid Works surrounding neighborhood (in collaboration with Kid Works parent council).
• Attend, engage in, and participate in monthly IGNITE Youth Empowerment Nights. One night is designated for boys and another for girls. This will include but not limited to suggestions on biblical topics, prayer, assisting with introductions to guest speakers, recruitment of new boys and girls to the program, and modeling vulnerable conversations with youth leaders and student participants.
• Lead and facilitate conversation in team meetings around leadership and faith.
• Maintain consistent communication with the Santa Ana Kid Works Site Director. This position will also serve as the main point of contact in the absence of the director.
• Engage in weekly community outreach conversations that will increase brand awareness of IGNITE YLP, WeShare by UHSM, and Fireside Ministries in and around the greater Santa Ana and Orange County community. This can include but is not limited to emails, phone calls, text messages, in-person meetings, online (Teams) meetings, and in-person visits to various potential partnership locations.
• Nurture and steward, alongside the Site Director, the relationship with KidWorks, CDC, our partner in Santa Ana ensuring that collaboration reflects unity and mutual respect.

Administrative

• Responsible for all communication (emails, meeting updates, staff meetings) for the above-mentioned programs to students, supervisor, IGNITE team members, and designated partner staff (Kid Works, Avenue Church, and SAUSD designated schools).
• Creation of marketing, outreach, and informational forms and materials related to said events and programs. These forms will bein line with IGNITE branding guidelines and will work in consultation with the UHSM marketing team.
• Responsible for all waivers, liability, and program expectation forms.
• Responsible for tracking attendance at in-school programs. If said school is tracking, responsible for gathering info and reporting out at L10 staff meetings and end of semester / year reports.

Field Trips

• Co-plan and co-coordinate all field trip details and logistics.
• Research and outreach possible new workforce field trip connections and organizations.
• Help supervise all youth leaders and communicate clearly to parents and partner siteson trip details and logistics.

Qualifications

• A bachelor’s degree is required.
• Experience with leadership, faith, after school, and or sports activities working directly with youth. Examples -sports leagues, non-profit after school programs, traditional classroom facilitation/ teaching, youth groups, and or youth community service projects.
• Experience working in communities facing socioeconomic challenges a plus.
• Must speak English. Spanish preferred but not required.
• Must be detailed, highly organized and possess the ability to prioritize and time manage.
• Must have excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Intermediate MS Excel and Wordrequired.
• Strong data collection and analytical skills.
• Familiarity with and ability to post on social media platforms. Position will work alongside youth leaders to take pictures, post, and edit all language around content.
• Excellent team player and interpersonal relational skills.
• Must be able to pass backgroundcheckand TBtest.
• Be a person of integrity who follows and believes in God the Father, his son Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit (as per UHSM mission).

UHSM is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Our business is fast-paced and will continue to evolve. As such, the duties and responsibilities of this role may be changed as directed by the Company at any time to promote and support our business needs. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, protected veteran status, or any other basis protected by applicable law and will not be discriminated against on the basis of disability.