Youth Development Professional

The Youth Development Professional creates a safe, welcoming, structured, and engaging Club experience for youth. This position is responsible for actively supervising members, building positive relationships, preparing and facilitating assigned programs, supporting positive behavior, and ensuring that youth are meaningfully engaged throughout the program day.

Youth Development Professionals serve as positive role models and contribute directly to program quality, youth safety, member belonging, and achievement of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Hartford’s youth development outcomes.

Programming may support one or more of BGCH’s core areas:

• • Academic Success/STEAM
  • Health and Wellness
  • Workforce Readiness
  • Character and Leadership

Key Job Responsibilities

Youth Safety and Supervision

• • Maintain active supervision of youth at all times, including during programs, meals, transitions, recreation, arrival, dismissal, field trips, and other Club activities.
  • Know the location and activity of assigned members and maintain required staff-to-youth ratios.
  • Establish and consistently reinforce clear expectations, routines, and boundaries.
  • Intervene promptly and appropriately when unsafe behavior or conditions are observed.
  • Follow all BGCH safety, emergency, incident-reporting, mandated-reporting, member-release, and supervision procedures.
  • Immediately communicate safety concerns, injuries, unusual incidents, or suspected policy violations to the appropriate supervisor.
  • Maintain program spaces that are clean, organized, welcoming, and free from avoidable hazards.

Program Preparation and Delivery

• • Prepare materials, spaces, and activities before programs begin.
  • Facilitate assigned programs and activities as designed, using approved curricula, lesson plans, and organizational resources.
  • Provide structured activities that are age-appropriate, engaging, inclusive, and connected to intended program outcomes.
  • Adapt activities appropriately based on youth interests, developmental needs, abilities, and participation levels.
  • Follow the established program schedule and use program time purposefully.
  • Support special events, field trips, family activities, and other Club-wide programming as assigned.
  • Participate in program observations, feedback conversations, and continuous quality-improvement efforts.

Youth Engagement and Development

• • Build positive, professional, and supportive relationships with youth.
  • Welcome members by name and help each young person feel known, included, respected, and valued.
  • Encourage participation and actively engage youth who are disconnected, reluctant, or having difficulty joining an activity.
  • Use encouragement, redirection, problem-solving, and restorative approaches to support positive behavior.
  • Model emotional regulation, respectful communication, accountability, and appropriate conflict resolution.
  • Help youth develop confidence, responsibility, leadership, teamwork, and healthy decision-making skills.
  • Maintain appropriate professional boundaries with members.

Communication and Teamwork

• • Communicate respectfully and professionally with youth, families, coworkers, school personnel, volunteers, and community partners.
  • Share relevant information with supervisors regarding youth needs, behavior patterns, family concerns, participation, and program implementation.
  • Work collaboratively with coworkers to maintain consistent expectations, smooth transitions, and adequate supervision.
  • Arrive on time, prepared for the workday, and ready to assume responsibility for assigned youth and activities.
  • Participate actively in staff meetings, coaching conversations, required training, and performance-development activities.
  • Ask questions, seek assistance when needed, and respond constructively to feedback.

Attendance, Documentation, and Accountability

• • Accurately complete attendance, participation records, program documentation, incident reports, and other required information within established timelines.
  • Assist with collecting information used to evaluate program participation, quality, and youth outcomes.
  • Protect confidential member, family, and organizational information.
  • Properly use and care for program supplies, equipment, technology, and facilities.
  • Follow established procedures and complete assigned responsibilities reliably and without repeated reminders.
  • Perform other program- or organization-related responsibilities as services and operational needs change.

Required Skill/Knowledge

• • High school diploma or GED required.
  • Experience working with children or adolescents through employment, volunteering, internships, coaching, mentoring, education, recreation, childcare, or a related setting preferred.
  • Demonstrated interest in supporting the growth and development of young people.
  • Ability to plan, prepare, and facilitate structured activities for youth.
  • Ability to supervise groups of children and respond calmly and appropriately to challenging behavior.
  • Ability to communicate clearly and respectfully with youth, families, coworkers, and supervisors.
  • Ability to follow directions, established procedures, program schedules, and safety requirements.
  • Demonstrated reliability, patience, sound judgment, emotional maturity, and willingness to learn.
  • Ability to work effectively with youth, families, and colleagues from different backgrounds, identities, cultures, experiences, and abilities.
  • Basic proficiency with email, electronic forms, databases, and Microsoft Office or similar applications.
  • CPR, First Aid, and medication-administration certification, or the ability to obtain required certifications within the established timeframe.
  • Ability to maintain confidentiality and appropriate professional boundaries.

Expected Hours of Work

Hours are based on program and Club needs. School-year schedules are generally during after-school hours, which may include approximately 2:00–6:00 p.m., Monday through Friday.

Schedules may change during school vacations, summer programming, field trips, special events, trainings, or extended-hour programming. Some evening or weekend work may be required.

Regular and reliable attendance is an essential responsibility of this position.

Physical requirements

This position requires the ability to actively supervise and respond to youth throughout indoor and outdoor program spaces. Essential functions may involve moving throughout the facility, positioning oneself at youth level, accompanying youth during activities and transitions, using program equipment, and responding promptly to safety concerns.

The employee must be able to perform the essential functions of the position, with or without reasonable accommodation.

Supervisory Responsibility

This position does not have direct reports but may provide guidance, direction, or positive role modeling to volunteers, interns, trainees, or newer team members during assigned activities.

Equal Opportunity Employer

The Boys & Girls Clubs of Hartford is an equal opportunity employer, committed to inclusion and diversity. We ensure equal opportunity for all applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, Veteran status or other legally protected characteristics.

Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities and activities may change at any time with or without notice.