Creativity Explored Youth Program Associate San Francisco, CA · Full time Company website

Apply for Youth Program Associate

Creativity Explored is a San Francisco nonprofit that partners with people with developmental disabilities to create an artistic, studio-based collective where the creative capacity of any person can flourish. We do this by placing the work, needs, culture, and experience of artists with developmental disabilities at the center of the community in a way that honors humanity, respects self-agency, and nurtures creative potential. We manage art studio spaces in the Mission and Potrero Hill neighborhoods.

POSITION DESCRIPTION

Job title: Youth Program Associate

Classification: 37.5 hours a week 

Contract Start Date: June 8th, 2026 

Contract End Date: August 13th, 2026 

Benefits: Accrued sick pay

Compensation: $23.00

Location: Principally based at Camp Imaginate, located at Grace Fellowship Community Church 

Reports to: Youth and Community Programs Manager

Application Review Begins: May 12th, 2026 

ORGANIZATIONAL CONTEXT

Creativity Explored is a San Francisco nonprofit that partners with people with developmental disabilities to create an artistic, studio-based collective where the creative capacity of any person can flourish. We do this by placing the work, needs, culture, and experience of artists with developmental disabilities at the center of the community in a way that honors humanity, respects self-agency, and nurtures creative potential.

CE is a warm, fast-paced, and fun place to work, with a long-serving multidisciplinary staff that is deeply committed to our community. 

POSITION OVERVIEW

The Youth Program Associate will support youth artists with disabilities in daily living areas such as eating, personal care needs,  clean-up activities, and adaptive artmaking. Equally important, they will listen closely to youth artists with disabilities in an effort to understand and support their larger goals for their art-making, and collaborate with staff to help Camp Imaginate offer experiences that best meet individual and group needs and desires. 

The Youth Program Associate will provide support to Youth Teaching Artists who will be teaching youth artists, specializing in drawing and painting, digital art, fiber arts, and ceramics. They will provide 1-1 support for individual youth artists in person-centered art activities, promote agency in their art-making practice, ensure safety, and give support on field trips to arts-related locations to enrich artists' learning experiences.

The Youth Program Associate may also support programmatic and administrative elements of Camp Imaginate. The ideal candidate will foster creativity and curiosity for youth of all abilities, be attuned to the daily needs of each youth, and be passionate about providing high-quality arts programming for youth with disabilities.

The Youth Program Associate will work collaboratively with the Youth Teaching Artists, the Youth and Community Programs Coordinator, the Youth and Community Programs Manager, and other Creativity Explored administrative and direct service staff.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Youth Artist Support

• Provide floating and 1:1 support for campers at Camp Imaginate, fostering a fun and inclusive art-making environment in focus areas of drawing and painting, digital art, fiber arts, and ceramics
• Support Youth Teaching Artists in the setup and clean up of supplies and art-making spaces at the beginning and end of each day
• Assist youth with disabilities with activities of daily living as needed, such as:
• Toileting (light assistance, verbal explanations, clean-up help, etc.)
• Eating (preparing food, occasional feeding support, preparing drinks, holding cups, etc.)
• Moving (supporting artists in physically navigating the studio, helping with outerwear, etc.)
• Clean-up activities and gathering belongings (help keep the studio, kitchen and bathroom areas hygienic and well-organized)
• Regulation breaks 
• Apply adaptive art-making techniques to assist youth artists with their art-making practice and art-making goals
• Support field trips to art-related locations, enriching students' learning experiences, and supporting accessibility and inclusivity for youth artists with disabilities on the excursions

Daily Operations

• Check youth in and out at the beginning and end of a program
• Accurately gather and track program information
• Provide excellent communication and coordination with the youth’s families
• Supervise, lead, and support youth during meals and breaks throughout the day
• Prepare and distribute snacks as needed
• Follow and implement all studio safety protocols
• Support the Youth and Community Programs Manager in special projects such as preparation for the culminating exhibition, field trip coordination, data collection, or survey distribution
• Other duties as assigned.

Organizational Relationships

The Youth Program Associate is expected to work productively in a team environment and to foster open communication with staff across the organization to produce communications that support the organization’s mission and goals. They are also expected to work towards embodying the four components of CE's Staff Philosophy: Community, Creativity, Collaboration, and Compassion.

Compliance with Policies and Procedures

The Youth Program Associate will comply with established Creativity Explored policies and practices.

KEY SELECTION CRITERIA

• Completed or currently completing a post-secondary education in fine arts, education, disability studies, or other arts education field, or equivalent experience
• A strong connection with CE’s mission, including the ability to advocate for youth artists’ self-identified needs
• Knowledge of and/or passion for disability justice preferred
• Experience working with youth preferred
• Minimum 2 years of experience working with people with disabilities preferred
• Possess computer skills to use applications such as Google and Microsoft Suites
• Growth mindset, with strong ability to collaborate with people across the organization, youth artists, and their families
• Team orientation, with demonstrated ability to work effectively with diverse groups of people to create a positive team environment
• Bilingual/bicultural a plus; we specifically encourage applications from Mandarin, Cantonese, Spanish, and Vietnamese speakers

ADDITIONAL PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

• Ability to lift up to 50 pounds
• Capability of providing physical assistance to individuals with physical disabilities (movement of wheelchair)

TRAINING REQUIREMENTS

• Complete and maintain CPR, First Aid, and AED certification (initial certification to be completed within 30 days of date of hire)
• Workplace Harassment Training
• Complete Creativity Explored staff training pertinent to the position's job responsibilities as assigned

OTHER INFORMATION 

The Youth Program Associate position is a contract, nonexempt, temporary position with a contract end date of August 13th, 2026. The schedule will consist of 5 set work days working at Camp Imaginate. The position receives accrued sick leave time.

Creativity Explored requires all staff to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and provide proof of vaccination upon hire. Offers are subject to satisfactory Criminal Records Clearance and proof of negative TB test results completed within the last year. Creativity Explored will consider qualified applicants with a criminal history pursuant to the California Fair Chance Act. You do not need to disclose your criminal history or participate in a background check until a conditional job offer is made to you. After making a conditional offer and running a background check, if Creativity Explored is concerned about a conviction that is directly related to the job, you will be given the chance to explain the circumstances surrounding the conviction, provide mitigating evidence, or challenge the accuracy of the background report. Find out more about the Fair Chance Act by visiting the Civil Rights Department Fair Chance Act webpage.

Creativity Explored is an equal opportunity employer committed to building and sustaining an equitable and inclusive work environment where diversity is celebrated and valued. BIPOC, people with disabilities, and bilingual/bicultural individuals are strongly encouraged to apply.