Youth Program Associate

Company: Ronald McDonald House Charities Bay Area
Location: Palo Alto
Posted on: February 13, 2026

Job Description:

Job Description Job Description Salary: $20 ABOUT RONALD MCDONALD HOUSE CHARITIES BAY AREA Ronald McDonald House Charities Bay Area (RMHC Bay Area) envisions a world where all children have access to health care and their families are fully supported and actively involved in their care. RMHC Bay Area supports more than 4,000 children and their families annually through three Ronald McDonald Houses, two Ronald McDonald Care Mobiles, a Ronald McDonald House, as well as regional food insecurity programs, alternative housing support, psycho-social and respite programs and specialized programming delivered on site inside area pediatric hospitals. JOB SUMMARY The Youth Program Associate (YPA) is responsible for delivering creative, participatory, and safe programs for children and teens staying at the 123-room Ronald McDonald House at Stanford. Under the direct supervision of the Family Programs Manager, the YPA supervises the daily operations of the activity rooms, directing the work of Activity Room Volunteers, creates a welcoming and fun atmosphere for kids and their families. They engage youth, distracting them from their time spent in hospitals and allowing for a sense of normalcy when far from home. This allows for parents to rest and attend to their other needs. The YPA is responsible for the safety of the children and teens participating in the activity rooms while their parents are elsewhere in the facility. Additionally, the YPA supports advertising, signups, activity planning, and hosting groups and individual programs. Programs include therapy animal visits, magic shows, music performances, yoga classes, haircut appointments, weekly shopping trips, and other activities. Similarly, the YPA supports the development of school break curricula, end-of-the year toy distribution, holiday celebrations, and special celebrations. The Youth Program Associate is a part-time, non-exempt role required to work some holidays and weekends. The YPA works 15 or 20 hours per every week, alternating weekend schedules. Schedule Breakdown: Weekday: 3:30pm 8:30pm Weekends: 11:30am 4:30pm or 3:30pm 8:30pm DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES Supervise the operations of all activity rooms, ensuring each room is clean, safe, and organized Train and direct the work of Activity Room Volunteers. Ensuring volunteers engage with kids in a fun, safe, and appropriate manner. Provide constructive feedback to Activity Room Volunteers, address concerns, and communicate any issues to the Family Programs Manager. Develop and implement engaging programs to enhance a sense of community, support, and recreation for the youth staying at Ronald McDonald House at Stanford. Implement appropriate policies, procedures, and guidelines to achieve a safe and enjoyable experience for all participants. Including infection control, security, emergency response, and healthy boundaries. Manage signups, advertising, plan activities, and host community programs including Hair International, Furry Friends, Jasper Ridge Farm, Walmart Shopping Trips, Bingo, and new groups or individuals. Track program impact statistics through the use of KidCheck. Manage programs inventory including activity room toys, program materials, holiday decoration, toy closet, and holiday closet. Support the planning and preparations for summer and winter break camp programs by organizing storage space, creating activity lists, preparing inventory, and promoting to families. Support, decorate, plan, and implement holiday and special celebrations such as Mothers Day, Fathers Day, Halloween, Back-to-School, Valentines Day, Saint Patrics Day, Cinco de Mayo, Juneteenth, Pride, Christmas, New Years, and other celebrations. Support the end-of-the year toy distribution and Toy Shop programs. QUALIFICATIONS AND PREREQUISITES: Education and experience: Bachelors degree or undergraduate in Early Childhood Education or equivalent field preferred. High School Diploma Required Experience working with children and families. Experience developing and/or executing youth-focused programs. Knowledge, skills, abilities, and other: Spanish-speaking, a plus Compassionate and attentive customer service. Good problem-solving and organizational skills. Strong attention to detail. Ability to work and adapt to a fast and slow-paced environment. Good active listening. Ability to handle difficult situations with confidence and compassion. Service oriented. Ability to set professional boundaries with families. Ability to work as part of a large team, fostering a positive work environment. Strong communication skills. Interest in working with families and children. Ability to work with diverse populations. Computer literate in MS Office suite of products or similar. Ability to work in a semi-medical environment with children being treated with life-threatening illnesses and their families. Certified in Adult & Pediatric CPR, First Aid and AED or ability to get certified. Valid CA drivers license. Must be able to lift 50 pounds. Job description is for informational purposes only. Additional duties that are consistent with the responsibility level may be assigned.

Keywords: Ronald McDonald House Charities Bay Area, Tracy , Youth Program Associate, Social Services , Palo Alto, California