Residential Counselor

St. Ann's Home & School • Methuen, MA

2d • Onsite

About The Position

St. Ann's Home & School, in Methuen, MA, is a leader in special education and residential programming, offering private day programs, child and adolescent residential services, along with a broad range of outpatient services. We are currently seeking Residential Counselors for our residential program. We are looking for solid individuals who possess the ability to work effectively, collaboratively and respectfully with individuals, care providers, family and community members. Candidates must possess a valid driver’s license. Residential Counselors at St. Ann’s Home are among the most important members of our treatment team, providing day to day support and positive role modeling for emotionally troubled children or adolescents while maintain a nurturing and safe environment.

Requirements

• Minimum of a high school diploma
• Candidates must possess a valid driver’s license.
• Residential Counselors should be capable of forming appropriate relationships with children and be able to respond to challenging situations.
• Residential Counselors should enjoy working with children and have the capacity to modify their concepts and ideas through experience and through formal supervision and training.
• This position requires a high level of responsibility and professional conduct.
• Residential Counselors must embrace St. Ann’s community values of caring, inclusivity, teamwork, safety, self-care, and integrity.
• Residential Counselors should be able to react quickly, drive a motor vehicle, participate in activities, sports and recreation.
• Residential Counselors should be able to frequently lift and carry up to 50 pounds, reach, push and pull, and climb stairs.
• This position requires extended periods of awake time.
• Residential Counselors need to have good judgment skills, be able to work in a crisis situation, be capable of independent thinking, and be able to physically restrain youth in an emergency to ensure everyone’s safety is maintained.
• Staff are trained in current best practice techniques to safely respond to occasional aggressive, self-injurious or unsafe behaviors.

Nice To Haves

• Bachelor’s degree or an associate degree in human services or a childcare related field preferred.

Responsibilities

• Always ensure the safety and well-being of our youth.
• Manage groups, since much of the very active lives of children in the residential program occurs in group settings. Residential Counselors must develop techniques for supervising groups of children in activities which include wake-up, meals, activities, games, free time, and bedtime.
• Develop the ability to structure and control situations, when necessary, develop understanding and appropriate relationships with children, and the ability to put one’s own feelings in the context of what would be most effective in helping particular children.
• Develop one-to-one relationships with children, coming to know the individual personalities of the children, those things which pose difficulties for particular children and those things which provide satisfaction.
• Carry out more concrete parenting functions such as preparing meals, buying clothing with children, and attending to unit housekeeping and school liaison duties.
• Residential Counselors will be assigned to any number of unit jobs such as food shopper, clothes shopper, activities liaison, medication liaison, keeping vans clean, tracking residents’ allowances, preparing requisitions for hygiene products and office supplies.
• Staff are required to complete the Department of Public Health’s Medication Administration Program (MAP).
• Residential Counselors will be instructed in the preparation of written documentation including service notes and case conference reports, after which they may be required to prepare them on their own.
• While Residential Counselors are initially assigned to a particular unit, they may be transferred to another unit on a temporary or permanent basis according to the needs of the agency.
• Residential Counselors are administratively responsible to their unit director or assistant unit director and will participate in regular supervision.

Benefits

• $1,500 Sign-On Bonus for Residential Counselors!
• Additional $1.00 per hour for an Associates or Bachelor's Degree
• Up to $4,000 Per Year Tuition Reimbursement
• Most schedules for Residential Counselors are 48 hours per week which include 8 hours of overtime pay
• Additional overtime shifts generally available
• Shift Differential for Overnight Hours
• Holiday Pay Differential
• Tremendous opportunity to gain valuable experience and skills that will position you for success in any aspect of the human services field!
• Opportunities for further advancement at St. Ann’s Home
• Generous Paid Time Off (Vacation, Personal, and Sick)
• 13 Paid Holidays
• Health and Dental Insurance
• 401K and Employer Contributions to Your Retirement Plan
• Vision Plan
• Flexible Spending Account
• Employer Paid Life and Long-Term Disability Insurance
• Friendly, Welcoming, and Inclusive Environment
• Employee Assistance Program
• Fitness Room
• Ongoing Professional Development Opportunities
• Excellent Supervision
• Monthly Staff Appreciation Events
• Employee Referral Bonus

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Education Level: High school or GED