Job Description

This position will serve as the full-time Community Assets Resiliency Education (CARE) 4-H Wellness Educator for Cornell Cooperative Extension Association of Jefferson County and 4-H under the Youth and Family Program Area. The CARE 4-H Wellness Educator will provide both youth and family education using pre-approved lesson plans and curricula, specifically for households in the Watertown area and the Fort Drum Military Installation. This includes the Watertown, Indian River, and Carthage School Districts’ geographic boundaries. This position’s primary responsibility is to coordinate, collaborate, design, and provide adult-supervised research-based programs for 200 youth between the ages of 10-13 annually within these geographic boundaries. While this educator will lead some of this programming, they will also recruit, train, and support 4-H volunteers to provide 4-H Club programming. This programming may take place after school, on the weekends, during school breaks, and in the evenings, within the 40-hour work week. The schedule may vary from week to week but can be planned in advance to accommodate both programming and educator needs as much as possible. Youth programming will be delivered in three ways: 1). Under the ACT for Youth Teen Outreach Program (TOP), as weekly clubs, facilitated after school throughout the school year using the evidence-based TOP Curriculum; 2). In conjunction with 4-H afterschool and community programming using 4-H curricula/land grant university youth curricula in collaboration with 4-H and other Youth and Family Program Staff; and 3). As part of the Strengthening Families 6-week evening series, delivered together with other trained facilitators each quarter, as outlined in the CARE Workplan. To promote this programming and recruit attendees, this educator will also be asked to represent CARE, 4-H, and CCE Jefferson at various community-based events. Additionally, the CARE 4-H Wellness Educator will assist with delivering family education for caregivers, aimed at improving healthy communication, understanding of child development, effective discipline, and protective factors. Programming will take place through group workshops and special events (both on-site and off-site) and home visits to reach caregivers where they are, using a strengths-based and trauma-informed approach to address stress management, healthy relationships, and safe and nurturing parenting methods. This position will be required to complete positive youth and teen development and parenting program training for all curricula to be delivered by CCE via CARE (including 4-H programming, TOP, Strengthening Families, and Nurturing Parents) and become certified under the New York State Parenting Education Program (NYSPEP) Certifications, to provide the highest standard of community-based, family-driven education.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR APPLICANTS:

PLEASE READ BEFORE APPLYING

All applicants must apply online by close of day on June 1, 2026 to be considered for this position. All applicants must submit a complete application online, which includes: cover letter, resume and three (3) references

All External Applicants (including applicants currently employed by Cornell Cooperative Extension in Associations other than the Association advertising this career opportunity) must submit his/her application materials via the "APPLY" button located within this job posting.

All Internal Applicants (current employees working for the Association advertising this career opportunity) must apply online via his/her Workday account, which may be accessed here: http://workday.cornell.edu/

Please contact Erin O'Rourke Parnapy, Assistant Manager for Human Resources and Operations at 315-788-8450 with questions.

POSITION DETAILS:

This position is a full-time non-exempt position, 40 hours per week. The hourly rate for this position is $25.00. This position, based on eligibility, offers a comprehensive benefit package, to include: health and dental insurance, NYS retirement, vacation, sick and personal leave.

POSITION INFORMATION:

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s Degree or equivalent education (Associate’s Degree and 2 years of transferrable program/functional experience)
• Experience relevant to the role of the position.
• Experience with positive youth development programming such as 4-H,
• Valid NYS Driver’s License and the ability to meet travel requirements associated with this position.
• Ability to work flexible hours which will include late afternoons, evenings, and weekends, as appropriate.
• Demonstrated ability to function as a team member, regularly communicating and collaborating with volunteers and staff.
• Demonstrated ability to utilize computer and video technologies (ex: Microsoft Word, Excel, Box, and Zoom) for educational, reporting, and communication purposes.
• Demonstrated ability to communicate effectively through oral, written, and visual means.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Familiarity with local youth and family community organizations.
• Experience with home visiting programming.
• Experience delivering youth and parenting education topics.
• Demonstrated ability to utilize program resources within the general community.
• Demonstrated ability to plan, teach, and evaluate youth and parenting education groups through a variety of delivery methods.
• Demonstrated ability to organize reference materials and resources for programming purposes.
• Demonstrated ability to relate to diverse audiences and create/maintain inclusive work and learning environments.

Program Responsibilities:

Program Delivery, Evaluation and Applied Research - 80%

• Deliver 4-H educational programs/land grant university youth curricula in the Watertown, Carthage, and Indian River School Districts’ geographic boundaries, to include the Fort Drum Military Installation, for 200 youth. This includes mentoring current 4-H volunteers and engaging new volunteers to assist in the program delivery when necessary.
• Utilize established program resources and materials in program work to meet the targeted number of youth and adult participants and act as an integral member to assist the team in reaching all program performance targets under the direction and oversight of the CARE Program Manager.
• Assist the CARE Program Manager in team efforts through joint planning and implementation of multi-organization-led programs and program activities to deliver the CARE Program to diverse in-need populations, balancing community needs within the existing guidelines and standard operating procedures as instructed.
• Assist in providing educational content as needed to bring awareness to the public in the form of adapted lesson plans, impact statements, articles for progress/annual reports, social media posts, press releases, etc.
• When necessary, assist with the implementation of pre-approved parenting lesson plans and curricula to provide programming to support the established plan of work through parenting classes, special events, and one-on-one home visits including but not limited to topics such as healthy communication, child development, effective discipline, anger and stress management, and healthy relationships.
• Serve as a subject-matter resource in 4-H Youth Development and Parenting to staff and participants, community organizations, and the general public.
• Serve as a team member and cooperate with the entire Association and Youth and Family Program staff to achieve Association program delivery goals related to the mission and uphold Association values.
• Emphasize health and wellness is in all program delivery, including promoting physical activity, nutrition, and overall well-being, including determining what teaching materials, recipes, curricular content, and lesson plans to utilize toward this focus.
• Interact with program participants to obtain and implement evaluation data as designed.
• Assist CARE Program Manager in the process of analyzing program data, and based on that analysis, assist in making recommendations for improvements in program offerings.
• Document and communicate evaluation findings to constituents as instructed.
• Participate in feedback loops with CARE Program Manager, association staff, and community partners involved in parenting programming.
• Utilize 4-H Common Measures surveys for 4-H programming.

Administrative Responsibilities:

Direction and Management - 10%

• Assist in the planning and promotion of public events and programs including, but not limited to: creating advertising content and sharing mass media efforts related to upcoming events and programs with association staff, community partners, prior participants, and the general public in accordance with the Youth and Families program area and marketing plans of work.
• Track and analyze CARE program participation and assist the CARE Program Manager in the process of prioritizing future programming activities based on attendance analysis.
• Assist in inventorying, identifying, recommending, and tracking program supplies and materials and making recommendations for future program needs to the CARE Program Manager.
• Recruit new volunteers for the program using established policies and procedures.
• Provide oversight to program volunteers.

Coordination/Operation - 5%

• Coordinate, collaborate, and design 4-H educational programs/land grant university youth curricula in the Watertown, Carthage, and Indian River School Districts’ geographic boundaries, to include the Fort Drum Military Installation, for 200 youth.
• Assist in training new staff, volunteers, and interns in following all Youth and Families program area, Association, and CARE-specific guidelines and standard operation procedures.
• Organize and coordinate all aspects of CARE program activities including gathering materials, marketing and communication with program participants and community partners, and collecting, maintaining, and reporting all required program data, testimonials, success stories, surveys, etc., and completing all other administrative duties as needed.
• Effectively maintain existing professional relationships and seek to develop new relationships with other agencies, organizations, and businesses that will further programming efforts.
• Identify transportation needs for low-income, rural participants and help identify solutions, including transporting program participants (using CCE vans) and/or program materials and resources when organizing and coordinating programming as part of position responsibilities.

Professional Improvement and Other Duties as Assigned - 5%

• In cooperation with Supervisor and/or Executive Director, jointly develop and pursue a professional development plan to increase competencies relative to position accountabilities and to address changes in programming and association priorities.
• Collaborate in activities that are in general support of Cornell Cooperative Extension including but not limited to attendance at staff meetings, timely reporting of expenses, working with other staff, general marketing of Extension programs, serving on organizational committees (as approved by supervisor) and other duties as assigned.

Health and Safety - Applied to all duties and functions.

• Support the association to maintain a safe working environment to proactively prevent accidents/injuries and when necessary, communicate potential hazards and/or actual incidents to supervisors when they occur in accordance with association policies and reporting practices.
• Create safe working environments in off-site community locations following all applicable safety guidelines as well as local partner rules and regulations Report any concerns to supervisor.
• Be familiar with and strive to follow any applicable federal, state, and local regulations in addition to association health and safety policy/procedure/requirements.

Job Title:

Association Subject Educator I

Level:

004

Pay Rate Type:

Hourly

Company:

Contract College

Contact Name:

Jerilynn Cross

Cornell Cooperative Extension is a collaboration among Cornell University, the United States Department of Agriculture, the State of New York, and the residents of New York State. Per NYS Law, county and regional extension service associations are subordinate government agencies. This employment opportunity is with the entities listed and not with Cornell University.

Notice to Applicants: Please read the required Notice to Applicants statement This notice contains important information about applying for a position at Cornell Cooperative Extension as well as some of your rights and responsibilities as an applicant.