Effective 6/1/22
TITLE: Youth Minister
REPORTS TO: Rector, St. Dunstan’s Episcopal Church
HOURS: 8 hours/week: 5 – 8PM every Friday, 5 – 10PM on some Fridays when assisting with senior high group, during the school year (September through early June). 3 – 5 hours of planning, collaboration, communication, and special event time weekly, on average.
Additional compensated hours may be negotiated during the orientation process, and for special events or trips. Summer hours and schedule to be discussed based on availability.
COMPENSATION: $20-$23/hour, depending on experience & qualifications
STATUS: Regular Part-time, Non-exempt
To apply, please send a brief letter explaining your interest in the position and a CV or resume to .
POSITION SUMMARY
Under the supervision of the Rector, the Youth Minister plans and leads weekly middle school youth group gatherings, supports and coordinates with the high school youth program, and plans occasional special activities for the middle school youth group, all as part of the ministry of St. Dunstan’s Episcopal Church. This work includes, but is not limited to: recruiting and organizing adult volunteers, maintaining communication with youth and their families, planning activities, and shopping for food and other program materials. The Youth Minister is called to foster a safe, friendly, accepting environment for the youth, and to be the anchor who makes it easy for adult volunteers to participate and support the program.
A core statement of our youth ministry mission, from the work of the task force that developed this position: “The youth walk in the door, and we love them. We let them know they belong here and there’s nothing they can say or think or believe or do or be that would make us not want them there.”
ESSENTIAL DUTIES
Weekly Youth Group Meetings (70%)
- Prepare for and run weekly Friday evening meetings: Choose, teach and run board games, from among a set appropriate for the kids’ skills and energy. Facilitate worship at the end of youth group. Arrange or provide for food/snacks. Do or coordinate any necessary setup and cleanup.
- Collaborate with Rector and others to schedule existing volunteers, and recruit and orient new volunteers as needed, to be “second adult” for youth group and helpers for special events. Help adult volunteers understand the norms and expectations of the youth group community.
- Communicate schedules and plans to kids and families, by email and text. Gather, maintain, and as appropriate, share contact information. Help arrange rides or carpooling, as needed.
- Be a contact point for youth, youth guests/newcomers, and families. Stay in touch with kids. If someone hasn’t come for a while, touch base.
- Maintain a youth group birthday calendar and celebrate birthdays with treats on Friday nights.
- Check in regularly with the Rector (by phone, email, or in person) for planning and pastoral updates; meet with the Rector occasionally for more substantive review and planning work.
- Track expenses and manage program budget.
- As appropriate and within your capacity, support the youth in their lives outside the church, such as writing references and recommendations, attending performances, etc.
Seasonal & Special Events (30%)
- Seasonally (roughly quarterly), collaborate with Rector to plan, shop for, and organize take-home boxes.
- Monthly, collaborate with youth and Rector to plan special events, mini-retreats or outings. Make arrangements and schedule helpers as needed.
- Order and prepare materials or resources for special events, as requested.
- Manage permission slips and other necessary documents for outings and trips.
- Coordinate, via the Rector, with other formation plans and programs.
- Communicate plans to kids and families.
- Coordinate with parish leadership with respect to funding and fundraising for outings and trips.
- May collaborate with youth, Rector, and others to plan summer trips for one or both youth groups.
Note: This description is not intended to include all responsibilities, as additional duties may be assigned and existing duties may be adjusted at any time.
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities
- Able to communicate care and commitment to the kids
- Committed to building and sustaining community
- Committed to nurturing youth as people of faith and members of a faith community
- Able to communicate their own faith and values, through words and actions
- Committed to creating a fun, safe, and nonjudgmental atmosphere
- Welcoming to guests and newcomers
- A kind person; a good listener, caring and responsive
- Patient; doesn’t get mad easily.
- A sense of humor and playfulness
- Flexible; able to adjust plans on the fly as needed
- Sense of proportion and perspective; able to keep safe boundaries to behavior, while maintaining a sense of freedom and play. Able to gently direct and guide a lively group.
- Less concerned with “correct” game play than with the experience the youth are having.
- Able to monitor dynamics among kids and respond to anyone who’s feeling left out. Allow space for friendly joking but not bullying; check in/follow up as needed. Able to exercise good judgment about when to intervene.
- Demonstrates a sense of balance and groundedness when encountering unusual or challenging behavior or situations
- Demonstrated organizational skills, including calendaring, project coordination, and prioritization. Ability to effectively manage workload within compensated hours.
- Effective communication skills, both verbal and written
- Able to plan activities congruent with the group’s energy and interests, and to identify the kids’ gifts and skills and look for opportunities to build them into the program.
- Collaborative; able to work well with Rector and volunteers/helpers
- Committed to creating an inclusive environment, including socioeconomic diversity, neurodiversity, and full welcome of LGBTQ+ people. Informed or willing to learn about youth and mental illness. Committed to anti-racism as a core value.
- Familiarity with social media or willingness to learn
- Ability to maintain appropriate confidentiality at all times regarding persons and information.
Qualifications
Previous experience working with youth (not necessarily in a church setting, or in a paid role)
Requirements
- Must have own transportation
- Able to lead in person or on Zoom, as needed
- Full background check (paid for by the church)
- Safe driving record
- Completion of Safe Church training within first six months of employment. (This training outlines how to recognize warning signs and minimize risks of child sexual abuse.)
- Mental Health First Aid training or equivalent within the past two years, or within the first six months of employment.
- Completion of some form of anti-racism training within the past two years, or within the first six months of employment.
References will be required if selected for an interview.