SPECIAL NEEDS COUNSELOR

Mandel Jewish Community Center Of The Palm Beaches Inc; Florida; On-site; USD 17,000 - 28,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive Pay

Staff Discount

Professional Development

Job summary

The Mandel JCC of the Palm Beaches in Palm Beach Gardens is seeking an Aftercare Inclusion Counselor to support children with diverse abilities. The role provides individualized support, adapts activities, and fosters independence so every child can participate fully in the aftercare program.

This seasonal, hourly position runs August through May, Monday through Friday. Ideal candidates love working with children, communicate well, and can engage families while maintaining safety and inclusion.

Qualifications

• A love for working with children and having fun.
• High school graduate.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills with empathy and patience.
• Ability to speak fluent English and read/write.

Responsibilities

• Lead and supervise a group of children throughout the day.
• Foster positive relationships with children and families.
• Adapt activities to meet diverse needs and promote inclusion.
• Enforce rules to maintain a respectful, inclusive environment.
• Attend staff meetings and complete required paperwork.

Skills

Love for children

Empathetic approach

Strong communication

Interpersonal skills

English fluency

Education

High school diploma

Job description

OB TITLE: Inclusion CounselorLOcation: Mandel JCC, Palm Beach GardensClassification: SeasonalPAY: HourlyMake a Difference Every Afternoon!Are you passionate about supporting children with diverse abilities and creating an inclusive environment where every child feels welcomed, supported, and successful?As an Aftercare Inclusion Counselor, you’ll provide individualized support, adapt activities to meet children’s needs, encourage independence and positive peer interactions, and help every child fully participate in the aftercare experience.The position runs August–May, Monday–Friday, following the annual aftercare schedule. If you’re passionate about inclusion and helping children thrive, we’d love to have you join our team!JOB SUMMARY:ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:Lead and supervise a group of children throughout the day, ensuring their safety and well-being.Foster positive relationships with children, providing guidance, support, and encouragement.Establish and maintain positive relationships with families, guests, co-workers, and leadership staff.Work closely with children with special needs to understand their unique abilities, challenges, and requirements. Provide individualized support as needed to ensure each child can fully participate in activities.Modify and adapt activities to accommodate different abilities and sensory preferences.Enforce rules and policies consistently, promoting a respectful and inclusive atmosphere.Implement strategies to address and manage behavior challenges sensitively and effectively.Address behavioral issues promptly and implement positive reinforcement and encouragement to foster a supportive and nurturing environment.Demonstrate positive behavior and attitudes, serving as a role model for children. They look up to their counselors!Encourage teamwork, cooperation, and sportsmanship among children.Assist campers in all ways possible ensuring good hygiene, health, and safety practices, especially in the event of an emergency.Provide regular updates and feedback to appropriate staff on all related matters.Resolve conflicts according to policies and communicate with leadership as necessary.Follow emergency procedures and participate in drills to prepare for potential incidents.Advocate for the needs of children with different needs, including emotional, social, or physical support.Attend and actively participate in staff meetings, training sessions, and planning discussions.Complete necessary paperwork, such as attendance records, incident reports, notable achievements, and evaluations.Attends orientation, open house, staff meetings, field trips, late nights, and overnights as required.Performs additional duties as agreed upon by the supervisor and by needs.POSITION RELATIONSHIPS:The position requires occasional internal interaction with employees, parents, supervisors, officers, board members, and other agency personnel and community members. You would be responsible for maintaining positive, courteous, and professional relationships with families and children enrolled in the youth and camp programs, all JCC staff, professional staff from other related agencies, and the greater community.POSITION REQUIREMENTS:A LOVE for working with children and having fun!Highschool GraduatePrevious experience working with children with special needs or in a similar inclusive setting is preferred, but not required.Previous youth group or camp experience is a plus, but not required.Strong communication and interpersonal skills, with an empathetic and patient approach.Ability to speak fluent English, understand it as well as read and write.SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS AND PHYSICAL DEMANDS:Tasks involve the ability to exert moderate physical effort which may involve some lifting, carrying, pushing, and pulling of objects and materials of moderate weight (up to 75 lbs.), bending, stooping, stretching, squatting, and sitting.Must possess strength and endurance required to maintain constant supervision of campers.Must have visual and auditory ability to keep track of multiple campers and to identify and respond to environmental and other hazards related to camp activities.Effective and clear communication is essential between campers and staff.Ability to complete written paperwork such as notes home, incident reports, etc.Noise level can be moderate to loud.Frequent exposure to outside elements, such as sun exposure, heat, humidity, and rain.BESIDES GETTING A PAYCHECK AND HAVING FUN, WHAT ELSE DO YOU GET WHEN YOU WORK AT Aftercare?WORKING IN THE JCC ENVIRONMENT CULTIVATES MANY NEW SKILLS:ORAL COMMUNICATION SKILLSYou will be required to communicate effectively with people at every level of the organization — campers, fellow staff, camp directors, and parents.CRITICAL THINKING AND PROBLEM-SOLVINGYou will be challenged to think on your feet — from resolving scheduling conflicts to facilitating a group of campers in creating and putting on a skit.INTERPERSONAL AND LEADERSHIP SKILLSYou will model professionalism and compassion by managing a group of campers while contributing to the growth and development of each participant.COLLABORATIVE SKILLSYou will receive on-the-ground, practical, real-life training in how to work with a team and help build the culture of your camp community.CREATIVITYYou will develop innovative and fun ways to engage an audience of 2 to 200.WHY SHOULD YOU WORK AT OUR JCC?The Mandel JCC of the Palm Beaches is committed to a passionate, member and community-centric culture where team members are encouraged to contribute and collaborate leading to a highly engaged JCC family.Recognizing and investing in our greatest asset, our staff. In addition to providing an engaged work environment, we take pride in the many offerings to our JCC Camp Staff as shown below:Competitive PayStaff Discount on our ProgramsProfessional DevelopmentOUR JCC IS A PLACE FOR ALL PEOPLEThe Mandel JCC of the Palm Beaches does not discriminate against employees or clients based on race, color, religion, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability, marital status, familial status, or any other characteristic protected by Federal and State law. A non-discrimination clause concerning employment opportunity is incorporated in the Personnel Manual. The Mandel JCC of the Palm Beaches will make reasonable accommodations in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990.