INDIANAPOLIS — School is back in session for many students, which means after school activities and clubs are in full swing.
The YMCA of Greater Indianapolis serves hundreds of thousands of kids across Indianapolis. It has 75 locations for before and after school programs.
Right now, they’re serving about 4,000 kids in the community on a weekly basis.
Every day, YMCA programs provide health snacks for kids, homework support, physical activity and even character development through service-learning projects.
During the pandemic, society discovered just how essential having after school programs like the Y is, especially for working families.
“We try to make it as convenient as possible. We are in the schools, so the kids go right from their classroom at the end of the school day to our program," Natasha Bellak, Vice President of Youth Development with the YMCA of Greater Indianapolis, said.
Bellak says those at the YMCA believe that it takes a village.
“We like to come along side of the families and really support them,” Bellak said. “We know it’s tough being a working family, but we also know that it’s needed. We want to provide that space where families feel confident and comfortable when going to work and know their kids are in good hands.”
The YMCA of Greater Indianapolis has a waitlist of kids who want to join the before or after school programs.
“We are struggling a little with staffing,” Bellak said. “Right now, we have a waitlist of about 800 kids across the city. We know that our services are needed, but in order to provide safe programs, we have to have the staff.”
That ration is one staff member for every 15 children.
The Y is looking for quite a few people. Officials believe everyone can be an asset to the YMCA, so they’re hiring for a range of positions.
Some of the openings are for support roles, like Youth Workers, who engage with kids one-on-one and supervise. They also have positions like Site Directors, who supervise the program with more of a leadership role.
The Y tries to keep their programs as affordable as possible.
“With the market, we are on the lower end of pricing, but we also do offer financial assistance for families who may not otherwise be able to afford it,” Bellak said.
Those interested in applying can get more information here.
