Group Home Youth Counselor (Full Time)

About the role

VHBG' Group Care Services is licensed by the Department of Social Services and aims to create the most natural environment for our youth that still provides them with the supports they need to overcome past trauma, build relationships, and work on transitioning to a more permanent environment. We work directly with the child’s agency that placed them with us (typically the city or county department of social services) to make decisions that are in their best interest. Youth are able to leave our campus to spend time with their families, attend summer camps, gain employment, and participate in other extracurricular activities. We have been able to give the youth who come here the opportunity to have a childhood and experience the joy in life.

Core duties and responsibilities

• Responsible for the sight and sound supervision and engagement of youth on and off-campus
• Document daily activities, behaviors, contacts, and interventions
• Provide a therapeutic, family-style treatment environment for youth according to the model and standards developed by VHBG
• Professional communication with teachers, parents, caseworkers, and probation offices, etc. for the youth
• Attend bi-weekly treatment team meetings and other meetings as assigned
• Assist with transportation such as youth employment, athletic events, doctor’s appointments, youth home visits, etc.
• Work a two week rotating schedules with alternating evening and weekend hours
• Follow approved Behavior Support Plans for each child
• Embrace agency commitment to open communication in both giving and receiving information and feedback

Job Specifications (KSA’S)

• Ability to perform job in accordance with the organization’s policies & procedures
• Able to adapt to change and demonstrate flexibility in work schedules as the need arises (e.g. staffing crisis, inclement weather/natural disasters)
• Able to “Lead” by example
• Possess strong interpersonal skills and the ability to work with all levels of individuals internally and externally
• Possess excellent organizational, time management, and strong analytical skills to organize and coordinate a varied workload and identify priorities
• Able to adapt to change and demonstrate flexibility
• Social Perceptiveness - Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do
• Active Listening - Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times
• Learning Strategies - Selecting and using training/instructional methods and procedures appropriate for the situation when learning or teaching new things
• Instructing - Teaching others how to do something
• Monitoring - Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action
• Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively
• Coordination - Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions
• Service Orientation - Actively looking for ways to help people
• Ability to learn theory and implement it in appropriate practice
• Bring positive energy, innovation and new ideas to the environment
• Have a solution focused mentality

Physical/Mental Requirements

• Must be able to stand for long periods of time
• Must be able to lift, crouch, reach, handle, push and pull
• Must be able to move objects weighing up to 50lbs
• Must be able to remain calm and focused in a loud environment
• Must be able to perform restraint procedures

Experience and Education

• High school diploma or equivalent required
• Bachelor’s degree preferred
• Minimum of 6 months working with children or adolescents required
• One year of experience working with youth in a group home facility is preferred
• Clinical experience working with youth is preferred

About the Culture at VHBG

VHBG's leadership team encourages employees to bring their authentic self to work, whatever that means for that employee. We do this through unbiased recruiting practices, advocating for employees to participate in our inclusion ambassador council, implementing employee feedback and offering training opportunities focused on diversity, inclusion and equity. VHBG nurtures belonging and retains a highly engaged workforce in order to achieve the best experience and outcomes for our clients. VHBG is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. We do not discriminate based upon race, religion, color, national origin, genetic information, age, gender (including pregnancy and childbirth), sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status, status as a protected veteran, disability, or other status protected under federal, state, or local law.