DEPARTMENT: Children's Center

REPORTS TO: Children's Services Coordinator

TYPE OF POSITION: Unpaid Intern

HOURS: M-Thurs. 4-8, Fri. 4-7 & Sat. 11:30- 3

EDUCATION REQUIRED
Course work in Social Sciences, Human Services, Cultural Diversity, Child Psychology, or Education preferred.

GENERAL DESCRIPTION
The Children’s Center and Children’s Services Interns will work closely with the Children’s Services staff to facilitate and lead social, educational, recreational activities for children ages 6 weeks -17 years. The intern will serve as a positive role model, help plan and promote fun age appropriate activities for the children staying at PSP.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS OF THE JOB

• Assist in planning positive, educational activities for the children living in the shelter and supportive units.
• Maintain high level of knowledge about current, especially children, residential population.
• Work 1:1 with children who may need extra supervision or attention.
• Help to communicate and reinforce staff expectations to children in regards to policies and rules for “safe play”.
• Supervise community field trips.
• Attend monthly reflection sessions to enhance the educational component of the internship.
• Record behavior or learning problems that may need attention from shelter staff, education sources, and parents.
• Explore and learn more about the issues surrounding homelessness.
• Performs additional duties as assigned by Manager and staff.
• Ability to establish rapport and interact effectively with a wide variety of people.
• Ability to identify critical information and use it to choose effective courses of action.
• Ability to set limits and be consistent in maintaining rules and guidelines established.
• Ability and willingness to consider the impact of one’s decisions and actions on others in a group.
• Ability to prioritize and identify issues which affect agency needs, to evaluate alternatives based on gains and risks of each and to act decisively.
• Capacity to maintain personal control and a balanced approach to stressful conditions.
• Ability to work with a diverse population, including problematic or indigent people.
• Ability to learn quickly and use insights to manage new situations effectively.
• Ability to communicate clearly, accurately, thoroughly and effectively through speaking, listening, and writing.
• Ability to remain calm and cool in difficult situations.

REQUIREMENTS

• Experience working with people from diverse cultural and socio-economic backgrounds preferred.
• Background including work with children and/or adolescents in a recreational and educational setting.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS
While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk or hear. The employee is frequently required to stand; walk; sit; use hands to finger, handle or feel and reach with hands and arms. The employee is occasionally required to climb or balance; stoop, kneel, crouch or crawl and taste or smell. The employee must lift and/or move _25 lbs.

WORK ENVIRONMENT
The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.

People Serving People is an EEO employer fully committed to attracting, retaining, and promoting the most qualified individual without regard to race, religious creed, color, age, sex, national origin, ancestry, marital status, sexual orientation, disability or any other classification protected by applicable federal, state, or local law. We are dedicated to providing and maintaining an inclusive work environment free from discrimination and harassment, where employees are treated with respect and dignity.

HOW TO APPLY
Please mail or email cover letter and resume to:
Human Resources
614 3rd Street South
Minneapolis MN 55415
hr@peopleservingpeople.org