Youth Mentor Per Diem REGIONS Site Secure Program

Community Partners in Action • Hamden, CT

5h • Onsite

About The Position

Community Partners in Action (CPA) is hiring a per diem Youth Mentor for its REGIONS Site Secure Residential Treatment Program for male youth in Hamden, Connecticut. The program serves up to 16 youth in a secure residential setting. Its mission is to provide a home-like, trauma-informed, culturally responsive, gender-specific, linguistically appropriate, strengths-based, and relationship-driven environment that supports youth social, physical, and emotional well-being. The program aims to therapeutically interrupt offending patterns, reduce risk factors, and help youth return to their communities better equipped to succeed.

Youth in the program may have histories of violence, significant public-safety risks, complex treatment needs, poor treatment responses, and high risk of elopement. The Youth Mentor provides direct supervision and care, supports daily activities and therapeutic programming, and helps maintain a safe and secure environment. The role requires availability for all shifts, weekends, and holidays, with a commitment of at least 24 hours per month. Mandatory overtime is likely. The position pays $20.00 per hour.

Selected candidates must complete and pass a mandatory 120-hour training curriculum during their first year and at least 40 hours of training annually thereafter. Training includes topics such as ethics and boundaries, suicide prevention, First Aid/CPR/AED, Safe Crisis Management, PREA, and DCF mandated reporting. Safe Crisis Management training includes verbal de-escalation and physical restraint methods. The work may involve exposure to assaultive or abusive behavior and risk of injury, as well as possible exposure to communicable diseases.

CPA describes itself as a mission-driven organization advancing equity, inclusion, systemic change, and criminal justice reform. Benefits eligibility varies according to work schedule. Potential benefits include participation in a 401(k) plan after 60 days of employment, subject to hours worked in the plan year; sick leave earned based on hours worked; and access to an Employee Assistance Program.

Requirements

• Associate’s degree or higher, with experience working with at-risk or court-involved adolescents and in residential treatment programs; a bachelor’s degree in a criminal justice field with a related internship may be considered in lieu of work experience.
• Understanding and knowledge of gender-specific, trauma-informed, culturally responsive, and linguistically appropriate issues and needs.
• Strong interpersonal, communication, emotional intelligence, decision-making, and crisis-management skills.
• Ability to interact effectively with a multicultural population.
• Belief that people can change and that individuals in need deserve quality services and an opportunity to succeed.
• Willingness to work in a hardware-secure environment.
• Valid Connecticut driver’s license and reliable transportation.
• Ability to transport clients to appointments and into the community in mechanical restraints.
• Capacity to become medication-certified and Safe Crisis Management-certified.
• Ability and willingness to work evenings and/or nights, weekends, and holidays, and to work additional hours or overtime as needed.
• Ability to complete and pass the mandatory 120-hour training curriculum during the first year of employment and complete at least 40 hours of training annually thereafter.

Nice To Haves

• Bilingual Spanish/English ability.
• Lived experience; candidates with lived experience are encouraged to apply.

Responsibilities

• Provide direct supervision and care, and assist youth with daily activities, including school and groups.
• Maintain a safe, secure, strengths-based, gender-responsive, trauma-informed, linguistically appropriate, and culturally sensitive environment.
• Maintain accountability for youth locations and implement agency and program policies and procedures governing facility operations.
• Mediate and resolve youth problems using relational and strengths-based practices consistent with policies and procedures.
• Use approved verbal and/or physical de-escalation techniques as needed to address risk of harm to self or others, significant property or program destruction, and escape, while maintaining communication with necessary parties.
• Use program behavior-motivation procedures as needed.
• Use DBT (Dialectical Behavioral Therapy) coaching with youth and conduct groups to eliminate negative behaviors.
• Monitor youth visits and maintain professional boundaries with youth and their families or visitors.
• Maintain and complete accurate logs and forms as required.
• Facilitate therapeutic programming under the supervision of the Rehabilitation Therapist.
• Reinforce youth individual treatment plans and assist with discharge planning as part of the REGIONS treatment team.
• Conduct formal and informal counts and complete internal and external facility security and safety checks.
• Complete all pre-post assignments.
• Serve as a role model for youth and staff by demonstrating pro-social behaviors.
• Promote respect, empathy, mutual support, and belonging, and work to eliminate unconscious bias and discrimination in beliefs, rules, and systems.
• Establish and maintain professional boundaries with staff, youth, and providers.
• Participate in all required training.
• Conduct pat-downs of youth and visitors to maintain security.
• Become proficient in the use of mechanical restraints and apply them when necessary, such as during youth transport.
• Perform other duties as required.
• Work evening and/or night shifts, weekends, and holidays, and additional hours or overtime as needed.

Benefits

• Potential eligibility to participate in a 401(k) plan after 60 days of employment, dependent on hours worked in the plan year.
• Sick leave earned based on hours worked.
• Access to an Employee Assistance Program.
• A supportive workplace environment focused on employee health, wellness, and meaningful work.
• Comprehensive benefits and generous paid time off are described by the agency; eligibility varies by work schedule.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Part-time
• Education Level: Associate degree