Youth Drop-In Supervisor

Short-Term Contract, Immediate until January 22, 2027 with possible renewal

Department: Children and Youth

Location: 74 Firvalley Court, Scarborough, ON or other sites as directed

Work Hours: 35 hours weekly, Monday-Friday, approximately 11:00 am to 6:30 pm- schedule requires flexibility, subject to change as per operational needs

The Organization

Warden Woods Community Centre is a neighbourhood centre, supporting the empowerment of neighbours to work together to meet local challenges and create shared approaches to building community. We have been working collaboratively to support the needs and interests of local communities in Southwest Scarborough since 1970. More at www.wardenwoods.com.

Position Summary

The Youth Drop-In Supervisor will plan and implement daily drop-in activities to meet the evolving needs and interests of local youth 12-18 years old (on-going, low-barrier, mostly unplanned attendance), as designed in collaboration with The Youth Skills and Work Supervisor and Centre Management. The Youth Drop-In Supervisor will be a key contributor to program policies, procedures and practices to ensure a safe, inclusive, supportive, creative and exciting environment for local youth.

The Youth Drop-In Supervisor will be attentive and responsive to the goals, needs and interests of participants, and facilitate drop-in activities that are youth-centered, youth-led wherever possible, and that strengthen positive relationships between diverse youth. The Drop-In Supervisor will implement systems to ensure all spaces and facilities are kept clean, tidy, and attractively reflective of both youth interests and organizational values. The Youth Drop-In Supervisor will respond to situations of crisis and emergency within the program, and be available to support individual participants and their families as needed within approved parameters.

Key Responsibilities

• Create, communicate and implement Monthly Drop-In Program Calendars.
• Lead and support daily drop-in activities that contribute to an inclusive, engaged and harmonious environment for youth (arts, social-rec, skill-building, etc.).
• Implement daily attendance forms, intake forms, statistics collection and reporting of program activities, incidents and emerging issues as directed.
• Participate in and lead monthly collaboration meetings with the youth program team.
• Perform purchasing and cash reconciliation tasks for drop-in program activities as approved and directed, within approved budget.
• Schedule front-line staff and ensure adequate staffing levels for program activities in collaboration with your supervisor.
• Collect, store and keep updated intake forms and all program materials appropriately and according to applicable legislation.
• Implement participant feedback and program evaluation mechanisms as directed.
• Communicate risks and concerns about the drop-in program to the appropriate management and support problem-solving strategies.
• Communicate with parents/guardians as required, and form effective, youth-centered relationships with parents and other community adults.
• Ensure daily opening and closing procedures of designated drop-in spaces, and appropriate upkeep of facilities (clean, tidy, attractive, protected from misuse/theft, etc.) as directed.
• Ensure an appropriate code of conduct is communicated and upheld to support safety and security, program effectiveness, and an anti-oppressive, anti-racist environment.
• Stay abreast of best practices for youth drop-in spaces, and contribute to the ongoing improvement of our Youth Drop-In offerings.
• Contribute to youth-centered advocacy efforts within the organization, neighbourhood, City, etc.as practical and applicable.
• Contribute to applications for new funding, and reports for current funders, to articulate impact and goals, and support program financial stability, as required.
• Participate in planning and implementing centre-wide events, contributing youth-focused activities.
• Lead and participate in collaborations with program partners as required, for the benefit of local youth.
• Inform and collaborate on short term and longer-term youth-focused program planning.
• Support cross-departmental collaboration, contribute with enthusiasm to WWCC initiatives, and embody the values of Warden Woods as part of our unique communities.
• Other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

• Minimum three years of direct work experience with youth 12-18 years in a neighbourhood-based, drop-in (unregistered, voluntary participation) environment
• Minimum one year of employment in a leadership role in a youth-focused community program, including direct supervision of staff
• Minimum two years of experience applying effective conflict resolution, crisis intervention, and de-escalation techniques with youth
• Post-secondary education in Social Work, Community Services, Child & Youth Work, or equivalent training and work experience
• Strong communication skills (oral and written) in English
• Practical knowledge of housing first, harm reduction, trauma-informed approaches and anti-oppressive frameworks, including understanding of the systems of oppression impacting Black, Indigenous and racialized youth
• Demonstrated ability to design and implement programming for youth that reflects equity, inclusion, empowerment and strengths-based principles
• Experience in consensus-building, stakeholder engagement is an asset
• The drop-in is a hands-on, busy environment- frequent physical movement is required for this role- ability to be on your feet for extended periods, lift up to 30 lbs, reaching, bending, physical set-up and tear down of program is required.
• Knowledge of Microsoft Office applications and general computer literacy
• First Aid certification is required
• Food Handling Certification is an asset
• Knowledge of community life in the Warden Woods neighbourhood and Southwest Scarborough is an asset
• Experience/interest in the arts, particularly visual arts and music/recording, is a definite asset.

Compensation and Hours of Work

•Employment Type: Full-Time Contract (approximately 5 months with possible renewal)

•Hours: 11am-6:30pm Monday to Friday or as needed to meet operational demands

Application Instructions: WWCC is an equal opportunity employer committed to gender equality and social inclusion in our workplace. All qualified applications will receive consideration without regard to sex, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, race, ethnic origin, colour, religion, nationality, disability, age, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law. We encourage applications from Black and racialized people, Indigenous peoples, 2SLGBTQIA+ community members, people with disabilities, and members of other equity-deserving groups. Please notify us as soon as possible of any adaptive measures you might require at any stage of the recruitment process.

A criminal background check is required for this role.

To apply, please send your resume and cover letter via email to careers@wardenwoods.com with “Youth Drop-In Supervisor” in the subject line, no later than September 30, 2026.

While we thank all candidates for their applications, only those selected for an interview will be contacted.