Recreational Associate

Department: Youth Prevention and Intervention

Program: Youth Development Academy

Status: Full-time, Non-Exempt

Hourly rate: $24 per hour

Work Location: East Mesa Juvenile Detention Facility

Schedule: Schedule includes Saturdays and evening hours up to 8 p.m.

# of Openings: 1

Who we are

SBCS (formerly South Bay Community Services) transforms communities to support the well-being and prosperity of children, youth, and families. For more than 50 years, we've worked throughout San Diego to provide safe shelter, transitional housing, intervention prevention programs, mental health support, and many other services that meet the ever-changing needs of our communities.

Our organization is dedicated to offering high-quality services and ensuring all services align with the community's needs. To best serve our communities, SBCS partners with various grassroots organizations throughout California to develop innovative strategies that enhance services, empower clients, and ensure that culturally appropriate and trauma-informed care is offered. SBCS provides a wide range of services tailored to meet each client's unique needs. At SBCS, our client-centered approach highlights the importance of respect, empathy, and compassion when interacting with all community members. 

As a mission-driven organization, our work is centered around providing exceptional, face-to-face support to our clients and community members in order to foster trust, accessibility and personal connection that are critical to our mission. 

About YOU

You are an advocate and champion of nurturing communities where families can pursue their dreams and fulfill their potential. 

You are dedicated to and energized by engaging directly with individuals and communities. 

You care deeply about the well-being and prosperity of ALL children and youth throughout San Diego.

You want to become a part of an energetic and effective team, and contribute your expertise, creativity, and insights to a unique role encompassing program management, development, and direct counseling services for at-risk children, adolescents, and families. 

About our organization

SBCS is home to a committed team of 470 dedicated employees and volunteers who diligently serve all of San Diego County. Having offered services for 52 years, SBCS is committed to providing hope and support for numerous young children, individuals, and families facing adversity. With an annual budget of $68 million, SBCS continues to be a beacon of assistance in the community. 

Competitive and Sustainable Employee Pay Package:

SBCS offers competitive pay and additional benefits for full-time employees, including generous vacation time, holidays, health, vision, dental, flexible spending accounts, an employee assistance program, discount programs, public service forgiveness loan, and an excellent retirement plan with matching contributions. 

Program

SBCS' Youth Development Academy (YDA) is a partnership with San Diego County Probation Department to provide evidence informed, pro-social, and developmentally appropriate programming to youth in custody at East Mesa Juvenile Detention Facility. This program serves youth ages 14- to 24-years old who have been committed to long-term sentences for serious felony offenses. The Youth Development Academy uses a trauma-informed, positive youth development model to support the youth and families we serve while in custody, and as they transition back to the community.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

Reporting directly to the YDA Program Coordinator, the YDA Recreational Associate will work closely with the YDA Program Coordinator to develop and implement a wide range of physical fitness, team sports, and recreational services for youth detained at the East Mesa Detention Facility. The YDA Recreational Associate will be responsible for developing and leading youth in physical fitness, sports, and other daily recreational activities and other pro-social programming. Services will be in keeping with agency goals, objectives, mission, and style and provided within a team framework. Associates are responsible for working with the team in developing team goals and objectives and in meeting those goals and objectives, including but not limited to:

Duties:

• Plan, promote, organize, and implement a wide range of recreational services and activities including sports, fitness, team play, games, handicrafts, and age-appropriate art projects at East Mesa Detention Facility for the youth in the YDA.
• Create monthly schedules to implement daily recreational programming in the five YDA units for a minimum of one hour daily.
• Works with various organizations and subcontractors' groups in implementing assigned programs.
• Foster and develop teamwork and positive development among YDA youth though instruction and coaching of physical and recreational activities.
• Plan, Setup, and organize equipment and supplies.
• Participate in Multi-Disciplinary Team (MDT) meetings to develop and guide youth's IRP.
• Gather youth's input on the needs and desires for physical and recreational activities.
• Assist SBCS youth & family development associates and group facilitators, as needed to ensure consistent programming.
• Nurture a therapeutic environment through interactions with the youth and partners in the facility.
• Document goals and activities in the Efforts to Outcomes (ETO) database as required by SBCS and Probation.
• Attend all agency required meetings and trainings.
• As other duties assigned.

• Bachelor's degree in psychology, recreation, child development, education, sociology, criminal justice, social work or restorative justice, OR a minimum of four years' experience working directly with youth providing recreational and youth programming (ages 14 to 24) as an equivalency. 
• Understands the principles and practice of coaching, organizing, and facilitating groups, arts, and recreational activities such as CrossFit, team sports, yoga.
• Experience with justice-involved adolescence and/or transition aged youth (14 – 24 years old) is desired.
• Demonstrate sound judgement and initiative in applying general policies by adapting activities to the secured environment and interest of the group.
• Ability to work in a diverse setting with people of all backgrounds, culture, and orientation.
• Work within an institutional setting to create a therapeutic environment.
• Bilingual in English/Spanish is desired, but not required.
• Demonstrate initiative, resourcefulness, and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to work with a diverse population, possess cultural sensitivity, and maintain appropriate boundaries with clients.

Condition of Employment

• Employment may be conditioned upon satisfactory completion of certain background clearances which may include a Department of Justice criminal background check requiring my fingerprints (Live Scan), screening through the National Sex Offender Public Website, drug test, tuberculosis (TB) test, and such additional clearances as may be required under the program. 
• Candidates/employees who have received a conditional offer of employment will be required to undergo testing for controlled substances, (including THC and CBD), in accordance with the County of San Diego's drug and alcohol policy and the federal Controlled Substances Act.
• Candidate is required to have reliable transportation; therefore, the candidate must successfully complete a motor history check. Candidate must also possess and maintain a current valid California driver's license and valid auto insurance policy. (Driving is approximately 10% of the time.)

PHYSICAL DEMANDS:

• Mentally and emotionally: Ability to work under deadlines, various projects and dealing with clients in crisis and difficult situations.
• Must be able to remain in a stationary position during shift. 
• Moves throughout the building. 
• Moves, raises, or lowers (includes upward pulling) an object or equipment up to 50 lbs. 
• Transports an object, from 20 to 50 lbs. across the facility, for various needs.
• Ability to exert force upon an object so that the object moves away from the force. 
• Ability to exert force upon an object so that the object moves toward the force (includes jerking) 
• Ascending or descending stairs and ladders when applicable. Body agility is emphasized. 
• Balancing: Maintaining body equilibrium to prevent falling when ascending, descending, traversing.  
• Stooping: Bending body downward and forward by bending spine at the waist, requiring full use of the lower extremities and back muscles. 
• Handling: Seizing, holding, grasping, turning, or otherwise working with objects or office machinery. 
• Communicating: Expressing or exchanging ideas. Communicating is important for those activities in which workers must impart information to clients or to the public, and in those activities in which they must convey detailed or important instructions to other workers accurately, or quickly. 

The statements contained herein describe the scope of the responsibility and essential functions of this position but should not be considered to be an all-inclusive listing of work requirements. Individuals may perform other duties as assigned. Nothing in this job description restricts management's right to assign or reassign duties and responsibilities to this job at any time unless restricted by a negotiated contract.

Accessibility Accommodation

SBCS is committed to providing access, equal opportunity and reasonable accommodation for individuals with disabilities in employment, its services, programs, and activities. 

Equal Employment Opportunity

We are an equal opportunity employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, parental status, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. Equal Opportunity Employer/Program – Auxiliary aids and services are available upon request to individuals with disabilities.

At-Will Employment Status

Please note that all employment with SBCS is at-will, which means your employment may be terminated at any time by you or SBCS, without cause or advance notice. The terms and conditions of any employment may also be modified.