Youth Mentor - 2nd Shift

Community Partners in Action • Hartford, CT

7d • Onsite

About The Position

Community Partners in Action (CPA) is seeking a Youth Mentor for the REGIONS Staff Secure Residential Treatment Program for Male Youth in Hartford, CT. This program provides a home-like, trauma-informed, culturally responsive, gender-specific, linguistically appropriate, strengths-based, and relationship-driven environment for up to 8 male youth. The goal is to improve their social, physical, and emotional well-being, therapeutically intervene in the cycle of offending, reduce risk factors, and prevent transition into the adult justice system. The program aims to help youth develop a positive self-image, learn coping skills, gain confidence, build positive relationships, achieve behavioral changes, and re-enter their communities successfully. The youth in this program may have a high violence risk, but it is not likely to be chronic or of later onset. They are amenable to treatment and at a reduced risk to public safety.

Requirements

• High school diploma/GED or higher.
• Experience working with at risk or court-involved adolescents.
• Experience in residential treatment programs.
• 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 multi-cultural population.
• Must share the belief that people can change and individuals in need deserve quality services and an opportunity to succeed.
• Must have and maintain a valid CT driver’s license and have reliable transportation.
• Must be able to transport clients to appointments and into the community.
• Must have the capacity to become medication and SCM (Safe Crisis Management) certified.
• Must be able to work additional hours and/or overtime as needed.
• Selected candidates will be required to complete and pass a mandatory 120-hour training curriculum within their first year of employment.
• Thereafter, employees must complete a minimum of 40 hours of training annually.
• The training program includes Safe Crisis Management, which involves both verbal de-escalation techniques and physical restraint methods used to maintain the safety of both youth and staff during crisis situations.

Nice To Haves

• An associate or bachelor’s degree in the criminal justice field with a related internship may be considered in lieu of work experience.
• Bi-lingual ability (Spanish/English) preferred.
• Candidates with lived experience are encouraged to apply.
• Bi-Lingual individuals are strongly encouraged to apply.

Responsibilities

• Provide direct supervision and care and assist youth with daily activities including school and groups.
• Maintain a safe, strengths-based, gender responsive, trauma informed, linguistically appropriate and culturally sensitive environment.
• Promote a culture of respect, empathy, mutual support and belonging, working to eliminate any unconscious bias or discrimination in our beliefs, rules and systems.
• Maintain accountability for the location of youth at all times; have knowledge of and implement all agency/program policies and procedures governing facility operations.
• Mediate and resolve youth problems. Handle all situations in a manner consistent with relational and strengths-based practices, and in accordance with policies and procedures.
• As necessary, utilize approved verbal and/or physical de-escalation techniques to eliminate youth’s harm to self, harm to others, significant property/program destruction and escape, maintaining communication with necessary parties.
• Utilize program behavior motivational procedures as needed.
• Use DBT (Dialectical Behavioral Therapy) Coaching with the youth and conduct groups to eliminate negative behaviors.
• Monitor youth visiting, maintaining professional boundaries with youth and their families/visitors.
• Maintain and complete accurate logs and forms as required.
• Facilitate therapeutic programming under the supervision of the Rehabilitation Therapist.
• Reinforce the youth’s individual treatment plan and assist with discharge planning as part of the REGIONS treatment team.
• Conduct both formal and informal counts, and complete internal and external facility security and safety checks.
• Complete all pre-post assignments.
• Knowledge of universal precautions and related issues including risk of communicable diseases.
• Serve as role model to youth and staff modeling pro-social behaviors.
• Establish and maintain professional boundaries with all staff, youth and providers.
• Participate in all required trainings.
• Conduct “Pat Downs” of Youth and Visitors to maintain security.
• Perform all other duties as required.
• Applicants must be able and willing to work evening and/or night shifts, weekends and holidays. Mandatory overtime is likely.

Benefits

• Medical and Dental insurance through Cigna
• 401k Eligibility after 60 Days of Employment
• Life Insurance, Short-and Long-Term Disability at NO cost to you
• Generous Vacation, Personal, and Sick Time
• 13 Paid Holidays
• A commitment to employee health & wellness
• The opportunity to make a difference and be a part of a team dedicated to systemic change and criminal justice reform

What This Job Offers

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