Youth Care Worker

Techdirt, Inc.; New York (NY); On-site; USD 53,000; Full time

Job summary

An established industry player is seeking a compassionate Youth Care Worker to provide essential support for unaccompanied children. This full-time role involves ensuring the safety and wellbeing of youth in a nurturing environment while utilizing therapeutic intervention techniques. You will engage in various activities, foster relationships, and assist in their personal development. The position requires a commitment to diversity and a passion for making a difference in the lives of vulnerable youth. If you are dedicated to helping others thrive and want to be part of a mission-driven organization, this opportunity is for you.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in relevant fields preferred; high school diploma required.
• One year of experience in a residential treatment program is preferred.

Responsibilities

• Supervise children, ensuring safety and wellbeing at all times.
• Utilize therapeutic techniques and maintain security in the facility.
• Assist youth with personal issues and prepare reports on their progress.

Skills

Therapeutic Intervention Techniques

Crisis Intervention

Relationship Building

Behavioral Observation

Bilingual (English/Spanish)

Education

Bachelor's Degree in Counseling, Criminal Justice, Education, Psychology, Sociology, or Social Work

High School Diploma

Tools

FDNY Certificates of Fitness F01/F07

Job description

Leake & Watts Services Inc | New York, NY 10007

Founded as an orphanage in 1831, Rising Ground has been at the forefront of evolving community needs. Driven by the belief that each of us can thrive when life has hope and opportunity, Rising Ground provides caring support and proven paths to positive change, helping children, adults, and families rise above adversity, and each year, Rising Ground is a positive force in the lives of more than 72,000 individuals annually. We do this through 101 programs across 138 sites, throughout New York City and Westchester. Our strong belief and commitment to diversity is shown not just through our work with supported persons but is integral to the building of a strong staff that reflects the communities we serve. Rising Ground is headquartered in New York City.

About the Role

The Youth Care Worker is responsible for providing direct services and performing various support tasks as part of the youth's daily care. The Unaccompanied Children Program provides temporary residential care and other supportive services to Unaccompanied Children (UC) who are under legal custody of the Federal Government. Working in collaboration with the federal Office of Refugee Resettlement, our program provides a safe and nurturing environment for 205 youth in a Basic Shelter program located at our licensed residential facility in Westchester, Mt Vernon, Queens, Brooklyn, and Bronx, Upper Manhattan, as well as a Transitional Foster Care Program for 143 youth in certified foster homes in the Bronx, Westchester, and Brooklyn. In both programs, we provide therapeutic and educational services and other supports that youth need to achieve success through an array of strength-based and targeted interventions as well as link them with family members and/or other sponsors in the United States so they are able to move forward with their lives and thrive.

What You'll Do:

• Provide supervision of all children in the program, ensuring their safety and wellbeing at all times.
• Utilize the therapeutic intervention techniques received during TCI training, and any other program-related techniques.
• Maintain security in buildings, grounds, and other posts; intervene during emergencies or crisis situations.
• Supervise the movement of the youth inside and outside following the facility policy and procedures, which includes taking periodic counts of youth.
• Monitor, supervise, and participate with youth in various activities (i.e., educational outings, recreational, faith-based services, physical education classes, etc.).
• Interact critically and constructively with other staff members to develop and implement successful intervention techniques.
• Develop effective relationships with youth, co-workers, and team members.
• Assist youth with their personal issues and refer issues to the treatment team group in accordance with the principles of the program.
• Observe and keep staff informed daily of significant behavioral conditions known about an individual and/or the group.
• Assist in preparing reports regarding each youth's adjustment and progress.
• Cover lesson plans created by the POH Educational Coordinator in the different classrooms of the program, as needed.
• Prepare log entries and reports in a timely manner.
• Escort and/or transport youth to predetermined locations.
• Exercise judgment and discretion in the performance of duties within departmental rules, regulations, and policies.
• Weekend and evening shifts.
• Perform other related work as assigned.
• Implement the tenants of PBIS with the children (providing the explanation to the children of the PBIS model, ensuring recording of behaviors and distributing Gotchas).

Your Qualifications

• Preferred - A Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university within one or a combination of the following: Counseling, Criminal Justice, Education, Psychology, Sociology, or Social Work.
• One or more years of work experience in a residential treatment program.
• Two or more years of experience in group work which involved direct care and interaction with youth such as YMCA, schools, recreational facilities, or residential care programs.
• Required: Valid vehicle operator's license with a clean driving record.
• Completion of FDNY Certificates of Fitness F01/F07 (Must take within the first 3 months of employment).
• Bi-lingual (English/Spanish or other languages) a plus.
• High School Diploma.

Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice.

Supervisory Responsibility: No

Work Environment: Residences in the Community areas of Westchester, Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens, and Manhattan. In addition to Day Programs located in the Bronx and Brooklyn.

Position Type/Expected Hours of Work: This is a full-time position, the days and hours of work are the following: 6am - 2pm; 6am - 4pm; 3pm - 11pm; 1pm - 11pm; 10pm - 8am. Each shift includes at least 1 Weekend Day either Saturday or Sunday. Residences are located throughout Westchester, Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens, and Manhattan. Annual salary: $52,410.00.

Additional Requirements

• Authorized to work in the U.S.
• Ability to work in-person in New York City (NY) for at least 3 days or more per week.
• Ability to travel to other Rising Ground sites (if required).

Our Commitment to Diversity, Fairness, and Belonging

Rising Ground is comprised of unique and valued individuals who together make the organization effective in assisting the children, adults, and families who come to us for support. We believe that only when all employees contribute fully as their true selves can Rising Ground's true strength, vision, and values come to fruition. We recognize the ubiquitous social biases and structures that impact and shape the experiences of all people, including our own staff and people supported. Among the many biases present in our society that shape our personal and professional experiences, race, gender, sexual orientation, and gender expression are all factors that can present hurdles. As such, Rising Ground is committed to being an anti-racist and inclusive organization that will actively strive to overcome both systemic and interpersonal biases that perpetuate oppression.

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 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.