Children's Residential Care Counselor I - Extra-Help

About the role

This is an excellent opportunity to serve our community's youth and work with some of Sonoma County's finest trauma-informed youth counselors. Starting salary up to $42.01/hour depending on experience.

Responsibilities

• Carry out the mission of the Department by providing trauma-informed care services to youth in the day-to-day operations of one of the assigned residential programs at VMCC.
• Direct supervision of youth to ensure their safety and well-being.
• Monitor and implement strategies for program participation, engagement, and setting limits.
• Participate in Multi-Disciplinary Team meetings to provide feedback on youth behaviors, engagement, and progress towards goals.
• Provide positive and nurturing experiences to children and youth, while maintaining care and supervision.
• Teach, coach, and provide feedback to youth to help them develop a self-regulation skill set.
• Document youth participation in activities, as well as their strengths, challenges, behaviors, interactions, and application of therapeutic skills.
• Counsel youth to help minimize the trauma associated with separation from family members and/or guardians.
• Plan and implement small and large group activities, study support, and field trip activities.
• Provide coaching, mentoring, and teaching of life skills, social skills, and coping mechanisms using established Trauma-Informed Care methods.
• Utilize Therapeutic Crisis Intervention techniques to de-escalate youth in acute crisis.
• Administer medication to individual children per written instruction from medical providers.
• Build relationships with a variety of youth and their caregivers as they transition out of VMCC.

  Requirements

  The Ideal Candidates Will Possess Many Of The Following:

  • A strong youth development and experiential learning background.
  • Experience in Trauma-Informed Care practices and working with youth who have experienced significant trauma.
  • Multiple years of experience working in a youth residential program, wilderness program/camp, or other environment, requiring strong supervisory facilitation skills, interactive support, and coaching.
  • The ability to develop positive connections with youth while utilizing role-model, problem-solving, and conflict resolution practices.
  • An aptitude for monitoring and intervening in high-risk behaviors, handling crises, and providing consistency and behavioral limits through relationship-based interventions.
  • An understanding of Cultural Competence and diversity.
  • Expertise in teaching and modeling the Department's mission, vision, and values.
  • Strong verbal and written communication skills.
  • The ability to problem-solve and/or negotiate in a fast-paced, dynamic environment.
  • Basic computer skills, including Microsoft Word, Outlook, and Excel.

    Qualifications

    Experience: Experience as a group or youth counselor or other experience related to working with children or youths would provide an opportunity to acquire the knowledge and abilities listed. Education: Completion of sixty semester units at an accredited college with at least nine semester units in child development, sociology, behavioral and social psychology, social casework, social welfare, counseling and guidance, child psychology or a closely related field in behavioral science would provide an opportunity to acquire the knowledge and abilities listed. Two years of full-time experience in a position equivalent to the level of Counselor I with Sonoma County may be substituted for thirty semester units of coursework.

    Skills

    Learns working knowledge of child care services; daily care and nurturing of infants, young children and youth; personal hygiene, grooming; the ability to teach hygiene techniques to children; record keeping; departmental policy, regulations and functions; first aid and CPR; child abuse reporting laws; recreational activities for children and youth; food preparation and service. The Valley of the Moon Children’s Home uses a specific method of interacting with children. Staff is expected to learn and use the prescribed method.

    Benefits

    Salary is negotiable within the established range. Applicants must be willing to undergo a thorough background investigation, psychological evaluation, fingerprinting, criminal history, and a medical and physical abilities examination prior to employment.

    Pay

    Starting salary up to $42.01/hour depending on experience.

    Schedule

    Work different shifts, weekends and holidays.