YOUTH SPECIALIST - Male, Full Time 2nd Shift, Tues-Sat 3pm-11pm

Jackson County; Jackson (MI); On-site; USD 31,000 - 32,000; Full time

Job summary

Jackson County is seeking a full-time Youth Center staff member for a 2nd shift (Tuesday–Saturday, 3 PM–11 PM) in Michigan. The role includes ensuring safety, supervising residents, managing security checks, and supporting educational activities while maintaining calm and de-escalating crises.

Requirements include a high school diploma or equivalent, 1+ year relevant experience, a valid Michigan driver’s license, and CPR/AED/first aid certification; willingness to certify in approved physical

Qualifications

• High school diploma or equivalent plus 2 years in a facility or child care setting, OR 30 college semester hours.
• Minimum one year experience with delinquent or emotionally troubled youths or families.
• Ability to work in a highly stressful environment; maintain calm demeanor and deescalate situations.
• Valid Michigan Driver’s License; CPR, AED and first aid certification; certified in approved physical management system or willing to certify.

Responsibilities

• Supervise residents and ensure security measures are met with routine checks and camera monitoring.
• Monitor resident behavior and intervene in crisis situations per policy and procedure.
• Operate and monitor electronic security and communication equipment.
• Organize group activities and support teachers in classrooms.
• Document resident behaviors daily and draft disciplinary reports for review.
• Assist with homework, daily housekeeping, and room searches as needed.
• Escort residents and visitors during visitation and ensure health/hygiene practices.
• Transport youths to medical facilities or other appointments as required.

Education

High school diploma or equivalent

Associates degree preferred

Job description

Position Summary

This is a full time (Male Only), 2nd shift position with a primary schedule of Tuesday through Saturday, 3 pm to 11 pm.

Additional scheduling may be required to meet mandated staffing levels to ensure safety and security of the facility, staff and residents.

Base rate is $22.28 hourly; top rate listed of $22.78 hourly includes 50 cent shift premium.

Position Description

RESPONSIBILITIES:

• 1. Striving towards a High Performing Organization, Youth Center employees will be actively engaged, thinking leaders, meeting the mission, vision and values of the department.
• 2. Closely supervises residents of the Youth Center to ensure that adequate security measures are met including making security checks, taking resident counts, doing room checks, and monitoring security cameras.
• 3. Monitors residents for changes in behavior that may indicate potential crises situations. Intervenes when necessary in crisis situations in accordance with policy and procedure guidelines for physical and mechanical restraints, room confinements, or other appropriate action.
• 5. Operates and monitors electronic security and communication equipment.
• 6. Organizes and directs participation in group activities such as games, arts and crafts, gym events, outdoor activities and other activities.
• 7. Documents resident behaviors and actions daily. Drafts disciplinary reports for review of Shift Supervisor.
• 8. Assists teachers by serving as an aide in the classroom and dealing with disciplinary matters as necessary. Assists residents with their homework.
• 9. Instructs and supervises the residents in the performance of daily housekeeping chores and cleaning duties. Performs various housekeeping duties such as vacuuming, distributing laundry, emptying trash, and shoveling snow.
• 10. Performs room checks as required when residents are secured in rooms, searches for prohibited items on residents, in rooms, and throughout the facility, and performs regular counts of potentially dangerous items.
• 11. Makes referral when residents are in need of medical attention. Provides basic CPR, AED and first aid on residents as appropriate.
• 12. Acts as a positive role model and provides informal one-on-one counseling to assist residents in decision‑making. Discusses various matters of concern with youths and serves as an empathetic listener on topics such as family problems, court hearings, homework and general interpersonal relationships.
• 13. Leads small group sessions in discussion of topics such as assertiveness skills, self‑defeating behaviors, self‑esteem, and related topics. Leads effective parenting classes for parents. Leads meetings which may include lining‑up guest speakers.
• 14. Conducts intakes of residents to gather information, search residents for contraband, and assess residents potential for suicide and health concerns, and provides orientation on Youth Center policies and procedures.
• 15. Escorts and monitors residents and visitors during visitation.
• 16. Ensures good health and hygiene practices are followed by residents.
• 17. Distributes and supervises meals.
• 18. Transports youth by vehicle to medical facilities, to and from home, other placements and other appointments as necessary.

Qualifications

Education: Shall have a minimum of a high school diploma or its equivalent and 2 years of work experience in a facility or child caring institution, OR have completed 30 semester hours of college or equivalent quarter hours. Associates Degree or equivalent in human services or closely related field preferred.

Experience: Minimum of one year of experience dealing with delinquent or emotionally troubled youths and/or families, which may have been in an intern or volunteer capacity.

Other Requirements: Employees must be able to perform work in a highly stressful work environment: employees must exude a calm demeanor and ability to handle, mitigate, and deescalate volatile situations. Regularly required to deal with highly volatile and angry individuals (i.e. yelling, cursing, verbal confrontations, threats, etc.). Valid Michigan Driver’s License. Must be certified or be able to become certified in CPR, AED and first aid. Must be certified in approved physical management system or be able to become certified in approved physical management system.

Physical Requirements

This job requires the ability to perform the essential functions contained in this description. These include, but are not limited to, the following requirements. Reasonable accommodations will be made for otherwise qualified applicants unable to fulfill one or more of these requirements:

• Driving to various sites to transport youths
• Ability to move desks, beds and other furniture to conduct security checks
• Ability to step up on elevated surfaces, such as beds or stools, to conduct room searches
• Reaching, bending and stoooping to perform security checks, housekeeping and other tasks
• Extended periods of walking throughout facility
• Ability to physically restrain youths
• Hearing ability to use auditory monitoring system
• Lifting and carrying containers for meals, laundry bags and other items weighting up to 35 lbs
• Visual acuity suficient to monitor control cameras and security panel, distinguish colors on the control panel, and provide other forms of resident supervision

Working Conditions

Possible exposure to physical assault by youths; Exposure to youths with various states of cleanliness and hygiene; Exposure to various bodily fluids; Exposure to communicable diseases of youths.