Youth Care Specialist - Evening (2P-10P)

Child Saving Institute•Omaha, NE

10d•Onsite

About The Position

Learn all functions of Youth Counselor position and provide a safe, therapeutic, and learning environment for children and youth ages 0-19. Provide supervision of youth within required program structure.

Requirements

High School Diploma or equivalent, Bachelor’s degree preferred.
Experience in Human Services with children at risk and residential work strongly preferred.
Minimum of 21 years of age.
Motor vehicle record of 3 points or less.
Must be able to provide proof of active auto insurance.
Knowledge in childcare practices, developmental issues and group processes and practices, child abuse and neglect, child development, behavior management and verbal and physical intervention.
Strong direct service professional skills, including: o Commitment to empowering others to solve their own problems o Belief in a nurturing family as the ideal environment for a person and that person have the capacity to grow and change, o Ability to develop respectful relationship with persons served to help them gain skills and confidence, o Ability to collaborate with coworkers and other professionals, and o Ability to maintain a helping role, intervene appropriately to meet service goals, and set appropriate limits.
Necessary stamina and temperament to work with children and youth (birth – 18 years of age) who are experiencing crisis and/or emotional behavior disorders.
Strong written and verbal communication skills.
Ability to add, subtract, multiply, and divide in all units of measure using whole numbers.
Ability to communicate with children, parents, police, CPS, and staff.
Ability to care for children through nurturing and provide age-appropriate discipline techniques.
Ability to collaborate cooperatively with team members.
Patience and emotional stability.
Non-judgmental, positive attitude.
Flexibility, creativity, and dependability.
Ability to appropriately manage confidential information.
Ability to understand and consistently implement policies and procedures of the agency.
Ability to provide appropriate care and supervision of youth at all times.
Ability to interact and work cooperatively and effectively with other personnel and students.
Ability to interact with clients with sensitivity and responsiveness to cultural and socioeconomic characteristics in the service population.
Ability to complete 20 CEU’s annually
Ability to regularly stand, use hands to handle or feel objects or children; reach with hands and arms; and talk or hear.
Ability to walk and occasionally sit; climb or balance; and stoop, kneel, crouch or crawl.
Corrected hearing and vision within normal range.
Ability to successfully complete the CPI course and conduct physical interventions as taught by the instructor. Examples: (a) wrapping arms around child’s limbs and maintain clasped hands against opposing pressure; (b) kneeling to break a child’s fall while arms are wrapped around a child; and (c) ability to assume a sitting position while arms are wrapped around a child.
Ability to be awake and alert for an entire shift, which may be up to 10 to 12 hours.
Ability to regularly lift and/or move up to 50 pounds.
Ability to perform a variety of physical demands based on activity level of clients.
Ability to work in outside weather conditions while performing the duties of this job.
Ability to actively participate in a wide range of activities including but not limited to basketball, swimming, fishing, volleyball, movies, staffing, team meetings, etc.
Ability to safely operate a vehicle.

Responsibilities

Supervision: Maintain visual supervision and know where children and youth are at all times through implementation of the program schedule, positive interactions with youth, and participating in activities with the youth.
Structure: Maintain integrity of the program structure and ensure the therapeutic environment of the program by following the program schedule, helping youth meet outside expectations, and providing learning opportunities and experiences for the youth. Adhere to contractual requirements. Provide medication management according to program procedures.
Relationship Building: Develop and maintain effective therapeutic relationships by treating youth with respect, providing positive feedback, and displaying empathy.
Therapeutic Intervention: provide therapeutic intervention. Identify and use opportunities for teaching life skills in everyday activities.
Documentation: Effectively communicate written information (client files, medication logs, pass reports, caseworker calls, etc.) throughout shift to establish and maintain an accurate record of each child’s placement. Maintain accurate records needed by agency (incident reports or restraint reports, etc.)
Professionalism: Promote a professional, positive work environment by reporting to shifts, trainings, and meetings on time, following agency protocols, and being flexible to meet client and program needs.
Crisis Management: If trained in CPI, Handle crisis using CPI and other techniques in a way that positive therapeutic relationships are maintained. Document crisis situations according to agency policy and procedure.
Residential Ecology: Implement agency Policies and Procedures, licensing, and accreditation standards, and maintain a clean and aesthetic environment.
Perform other duties as directed by supervisor.
Complete training necessary to perform consistent with program and agency staff development plans including identification of training appropriate to this position; and taking the responsibility for scheduling and attending appropriate training.
Complete 24-hour checklist training, defensive driver training, car seat and transportation training and orientation prior to working independently with youth.