TIL - Youth Specialist

Rising Ground; New York (NY); On-site; USD 35,000 - 55,000; Full time

Job summary

Rising Ground is seeking a dedicated staff member for its youth residential programs in New York. The role supports daily living and essential treatment services, ensuring adherence to program schedules, policies, and therapeutic crisis intervention (TCI) practices.

Responsibilities include supervising residential clients, maintaining a safe environment, documenting records, and assisting with intakes and transitions.

Qualifications

• Must have a minimum of a high school diploma or GED.
• Bachelor’s degree preferred.
• Computer skills and strong written and oral communication skills required.
• Bi-lingual preferred.
• Must be flexible to work all shifts, including at least one weekend day.

Responsibilities

• Maintain shift coverage and primary supervision and support of residential clients.
• Create a safe, dignified, orderly atmosphere by enforcing rules and procedures.
• Respond to emergencies with appropriate staff and authorities as needed.
• Perform daily maintenance and meal service in resident areas.
• Maintain accurate records and documentation in hand-written and digital forms.
• Conduct intakes with new clients and provide building tours and resource info.
• Inspect living quarters and common areas during rounds.
• Maintain professional boundaries and client confidentiality.
• Ensure clear communication of priorities to all staff and shifts; attend meetings.
• Provide front-d desk duties and control access to facility for clients and staff.

Skills

Computer skills

Written communication

Oral communication

Bi-lingual

Education

High school diploma or GED

Bachelor’s degree preferred

Job description

Job Summary

To ensure all daily living needs and essential treatment services are provided to youth. This involves the implementation of following and adhering to all program scheduling, policies and procedures and staff utilizing Therapeutic Crisis Interventions (TCI) in all programs components and interactions.

Job Responsibilities

• Maintain shift coverage and primary supervision and support of residential clients.
• Set and contribute to a safe, dignified, orderly atmosphere by enforcing program rules, policies, and procedures.
• Respond appropriately to emergencies including contacting appropriate staff and supervisors, interacting with police, fire, and medical personnel as needed.
• Perform daily maintenance duties such as cleaning and maintaining communal areas (hallways, kitchen, lounge, main office, computer room, staff bathrooms) and preparing/serving resident meals.
• Maintain thorough and accurate records, files, correspondence, and statistics; complete necessary documentation (hand‑written and computer based/data entry) in a timely, accurate, complete, and legible manner, including notations in the shelter log, bed roster, incident reports, late arrivals, sign‑in sheets, showers and laundry schedules, and any other forms used or directed by a supervisor.
• Perform intakes with new incoming clients, reviewing program agreements and rules, providing a building tour, and sharing information about local resources as provided in each program’s resource binder.
• Conduct regular rounds of the facility, inspecting client living quarters, bathrooms, common rooms, building entrances and exits.
• Maintain appropriate professional boundaries with clients and staff; respond to client requests; observe and adhere to client confidentiality standards.
• Ensure effective communication of priority information to all necessary staff and shifts; participate in staff and shift‑change meetings as required.
• Provide front‑desk and reception duties in a professional and courteous manner, including relaying timely and accurate messages; limit access to the facility to clients, staff, and authorized visitors and service providers.

Other Duties

• Act as a role model – guiding clients and facilitating the development of daily living skills, self‑care, personal interaction, social relationships, and constructive time management.
• Maintain and promote a cooperative, harmonious, teamwork environment, interacting with clients and staff in a professional and courteous manner.
• Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice.

Qualifications

Candidate must have a minimum of a high school diploma or GED. Bachelor’s degree preferred.

• Computer skills and strong written and oral communication skills required.
• Bi‑lingual preferred.
• Must be flexible to work all shifts, including at least one weekend day.

Work Environment

This position is based at one of our Transitional Independent Living (TIL) Facilities; Residential programs for Runaway/Homeless youth between the ages 16–20 or our Homeless Young Adults (HYA); a residential program for homeless young males between the ages 21–24 (HYA).

Position Type / Expected Hours of Work

This position is in a 24/7 program. Additionally, evening and weekend hours will be required. Available shifts are based on program need.

Shift Hours: 2 Morning shifts 7 am–3 pm, 2 Evening shifts 3 pm–11 pm, 2 Overnight Awake Shifts 11 am–7 am.

• Shifts will be assigned after completion of TCI & NEO (New Employee Orientation).

Travel

Occasional travel may be required.

Physical Requirements

Must be able to pass Therapeutic Crisis Intervention (TCI), including the physical portion.

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY STATEMENT

It is the policy of Rising Ground that the Agency wholly complies with equal treatment of all employees and applicants for employment without unlawful discrimination as to an individual’s perceived or actual race, creed, color, national origin, alienate, citizenship status, gender, gender identity, age, disability, marital status, partnership status, sexual orientation, ethnicity, religion, or veteran status in all employment decisions, including but not limited to recruitment, hiring, compensation, training and apprenticeship, promotion, upgrading, demotion, downgrading, transfer, layoff and termination and all other terms and conditions of employment.