Residential Counselor

Wayside Youth; Somerville (MA); Hybrid; USD 43,000 - 52,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Tuition reimbursement

Training & CEUs

PTO with wellness days

Job summary

Wayside Youth & Family Support Network is hiring Residential Counselors to directly supervise and engage with youth during daily routines, activities, and recreation.

You will support skill-building, participate in trainings including MAP, and ensure a safe, clean, and nurturing living environment with a collaborative staff team.

Qualifications

• High School diploma or equivalent required.
• Ability to supervise and engage youth in daily activities.
• Willingness to obtain required certifications via trainings.
• Evenings and weekends availability.
• Valid driver's license required.

Responsibilities

• Directly supervise and engage with youth/residents in activities and daily routines.
• Support skill building for all youth/residents through collaborative team work.
• Show yourself to be a willing learner in trainings and maintain necessary certifications.
• Facilitating recreational activities for clients, working with the staff team to ensure the program structure while providing positive role modeling for youth.
• Safe client transportation and medication administration once MAP certified.
• Assist the program in providing basic needs for clients, such as regular meals, a safe and clean living environment, recreational activities, and appropriate hygiene.

Skills

Communication

Risk management

Youth support

Flexibility

Driver license

Evenings/weekends

Team collaboration

Education

High School diploma or equivalent

Job description

Posted Thursday, September 3, 2026 at 4:00 AM

Show your passion by empowering youth and families when joining the Wayside team!

Wayside is one of Massachusetts' most respected youth and family-serving agencies, supporting more than 6,000 youth and families annually across Central, Eastern, and Northeastern regions.

We invest in our employees' wellness with comprehensive benefits, including tuition and training reimbursement, a PTO package with 3 wellness days, 9 paid holidays, and up to 3 weeks of vacation in the first year. Enjoy a learning environment with free training, CEUs, and more, along with exceptional medical benefits, financial health supports, and career development opportunities.

Residential Counselors

Salary Range:

$20.50 - $21.50/hour depending on experience + sign-on bonus (half paid after 6 months of employment and half paid after 1 year of employment/pro-rated for part-time).

Wayside Youth & Family Support Network has open positions where you can begin to build a career! No college degree necessary! Wayside provides a warm work environment with team focused management that places value on healthy work dynamics. A perfect job for folks who like to be busy, creative and offer innovative care to youth and families.

Schedule: This position requires coverage for Tuesday-Saturday second shift (2:00 PM-10:00 PM) OR Sunday-Thursday second shift (2:00PM-10:00PM).

What You Will Do:

• Directly supervise and engage with youth/residents in activities and daily routines.
• Support skill building for all youth/residents through collaborative team work.
• Show yourself to be a willing learner in trainings and maintain necessary certifications.
• Facilitating recreational activities for clients, working with the staff team to ensure the program structure while providing positive role modeling for youth.
• Safe client transportation and medication administration once MAP certified.
• Assist the program in providing basic needs for clients, such as regular meals, a safe and clean living environment, recreational activities, and appropriate hygiene.

Competencies/Traits of Our Superstars:

• High quality communication skills show an ability to connect with others, approachability, being respectful to others, able to communicate with others at all levels.
• Ability to manage risk.
• Dynamic ability to support youth.
• Demonstrates flexibility and creative thinking (i.e. ability to adapt and adjust to changing work situations, processes, and procedures).
• Valid drivers’ license required - motor vehicle background record checks will be completed.
• High School degree or equivalent required.
• Evenings and weekends required as part of scheduled shifts.
• Coverage of holiday shifts.
• Participation in mandatory stay late coverage rotation.

We will train you in : Motivational Interviewing; Courageous Conversations; Trauma Informed Practice, Therapeutic Crisis Intervention, CPR and First Aid