Entry-level Positions for Aspiring Youth Instructors at Girls Inc of Alameda County
The most accessible entry-level role in youth work, according to the Director of Program Quality, Training and Assessment at Girls Incorporated of Alameda County, is as a "program leader or instructor," leveraging one's passion to teach skills like skateboarding, martial arts, or robotics. The interviewee emphasizes that "if you're passionate about something and excited... there's a gig out there," highlighting the value of sharing expertise with young people.
Youth Development, Program Leadership, Instructional Skills, Passion Sharing, After School Programs
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
johanna masis
Director of Program Quality, Training and Assessment
Girls Incorporated of Alameda County
U of A, Tucson and UC Santa Barbara
Holy Names University, MA ESL
Humanities
Education
Operations and Project Management
Immigrant, Transfer Student, Student Athlete
Video Highlights
1. Entry-level positions in youth work are often program leader or instructor roles.
2. Passion and willingness to share skills are highly valued, even more so than specific experience.
3. A wide variety of interests can translate into viable program instruction opportunities (e.g., skateboarding, martial arts, robotics, music).
Transcript
What entry-level positions are there in this field that an undergraduate college student might consider?
In all honesty, because it's youth work, there are a lot of parameters to being able to work with young people. I would say the only really entry-level position is being a program leader or an instructor.
But I would recommend it if you are passionate about something and you just want other kids to know how to do it. Literally, we have skateboard instructors and martial arts instructors of all different kinds. We even have a provider who specifically serves girls for skateboarding.
Things like that. If you're passionate about something and excited, or if you're into robotics, or if you just mix beats and that's all you do, but you want to teach other kids how to do it, do it. There's a gig out there.
Any after-school program would be extremely lucky to have somebody who's passionate about it and willing to share that with young people. Obviously, you'll get paid, but share your passion. You never know who you're going to spark interest in.