Group Leader (PS 136 - Roy Wilkins School)

Police Athletic League, Inc.; New York (NY); On-site; USD 52,348,800 - 56,481,600; Part time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Flexible spending account

Employee assistance program

Tuition reimbursement

Pet insurance

Life insurance

Retirement savings

Paid time off

Training

Job summary

The Police Athletic League (PAL) of New York City is seeking part-time Group Leaders to support after-school activities across SEL, dance, sports, STEAM, life skills, literacy, leadership, performing arts, and college/career readiness at PS 136 Roy Wilkins School in Queens.

You will report to the Elementary or Middle School Director and work 15 hours per week plus orientation, with duties including implementing PAL curricula, supervising youth, and ensuring a safe, inclusive environment.

Qualifications

• Minimum High School Diploma / GED. Associate’s degree preferred.
• You must be at least 18 years old.
• Minimum of two years’ work experience in a non‑profit agency working with youth.
• Strong classroom and behavior management skills.
• Open to learning and growing; staff will be learning mental health, SEL, and special needs inclusion skills and expected to integrate them into programming.
• Good communication skills and ability to work collaboratively.
• Bilingual in Spanish, French, or Chinese preferred.

Responsibilities

• Foster social and emotional competencies and well‑being in a safe, welcoming, inclusive, and nurturing environment.
• Under the guidance of the Activity Specialist and/or Content Specialist, support the planning and implementation of all activities, including but not limited to specialized activities, homework help, field trips, mealtimes, and culminating performances.
• Implement PAL supplied curricula.
• Build positive relationships with youth, colleagues, and caretakers and serve as a role model with respect to demeanor, communication, and behavior.
• Aware of students with IEPs and medical conditions in your groups and follow support plans to help the student with special needs thrive.
• Respond appropriately when time‑sensitive mental health services are needed such as suicide prevention, grief, and loss due to death or incarceration of a family member. Provide referrals to appropriate mental health services as needed.
• Attend meetings with staff, caretakers, volunteers, and community residents as needed.
• Interact with caretakers and keep open lines of communication.
• Attend and actively participate in all required training sessions, designated meetings, and special events.

Skills

Communication skills

Behavior management

Bilingual (Spanish/French/Chinese)

Education

High School Diploma or GED

Associate’s degree preferred

Job description

Who We Are

The Police Athletic League (PAL) of New York City is an independent youth development nonprofit organization that has served as a vital bridge between police and communities across all five boroughs of the city since 1914. PAL operates diverse programs for children as young as two years old up to young adults, including Head Start, after‑school programs, summer day camps for elementary, middle and high school youth, and summer Playstreets. PAL also runs evening teen centers, college readiness programs, youth employment initiatives, and juvenile justice programs. Staying true to PAL’s roots, a cornerstone of our youth development strategy is offering competitive and recreational sports for children of all ages, empowering communities, and building the best places to work for our own teams.

Position Summary

We are looking for Part‑time Group Leaders who will facilitate and support a wide variety of after‑school activities, including SEL, dance, sports, STEAM, life skills development, literacy, leadership, performing arts, visual arts, and college and career readiness. The Group Leader will report to the Elementary or Middle School Director and be supported by the Content Specialist.

Major Duties & Responsibilities

• Foster social and emotional competencies and mental and physical well‑being in a safe, welcoming, inclusive, and nurturing environment.
• Under the guidance of the Activity Specialist and/or Content Specialist, support the planning and implementation of all activities, including but not limited to specialized activities, homework help, field trips, mealtimes, and culminating performances.
• Implement PAL supplied curricula.
• Build positive relationships with youth, colleagues, and caretakers and serve as a role model with respect to demeanor, communication, and behavior.
• Aware of students with IEPs and medical conditions in your groups and follow support plans to help the student with special needs thrive.
• Respond appropriately when time‑sensitive mental health services are needed such as suicide prevention, grief, and loss due to death or incarceration of a family member. Provide referrals to appropriate mental health services as needed.
• Attend meetings with staff, caretakers, volunteers, and community residents as needed.
• Interact with caretakers and keep open lines of communication.
• Attend and actively participate in all required training sessions, designated meetings, and special events.

Commitment

• Able to work 15 hours a week (3 hours a day, 5 days a week).
• Able to attend 15 hours of orientation prior to the beginning of programming.
• Able to attend scheduled staff meetings and professional development throughout the year.

Qualifications

• Minimum High School Diploma / GED. Associate’s degree preferred.
• You must be at least 18 years old.
• Minimum of two years’ work experience in a non‑profit agency working with youth.
• Strong classroom and behavior management skills.
• Open to learning and growing. All staff will be learning mental health, SEL, and special needs inclusion skills and expected to integrate them into programming.
• Good communication skills and ability to work collaboratively. Bilingual in Spanish, French, or Chinese preferred.

Compensation

$19.00 an hour.

Benefits

PAL offers a comprehensive benefits package which includes health insurance, flexible spending account options, an employee assistance program, tuition reimbursement, pet insurance, life insurance, retirement savings options, a generous paid time off policy, training and more!

Location

PS 136 Roy Wilkins School - 201-15 115 Avenue, Queens, NY 11412

Start Date

September 7th, 2026

EEO Statement

At the Police Athletic League, we seek people who are talented, creative and passionate to help create a more inclusive city and better futures for our youth. We’re devoted to empowering communities and building the best places to work for our own teams too.

The Police Athletic League is an inclusive equal opportunity employer committed to recruiting and retaining a diverse workforce and providing a work environment that is free from discrimination and harassment based upon any legally protected characteristic including, but not limited to, an individual’s sex, race, color, ethnicity, national origin, age, religion, disability, sexual orientation, veteran status, gender identity, or pregnancy.

Employment with PAL is contingent upon successful completion of all the Agency’s lawful pre‑employment checks, which may include a background check.