Youth Care Worker - Emergency Shelter (Full Time)

LifeWorks of Austin, TX is looking for full-time Youth Care Specialists to join our Emergency Shelter team! A Youth Care Worker (YCW) provides care and services to youth, typically ranging from ages 13-19, living in a 24-hour licensed residential facility. A YCW helps maintain safety and compliance of the residential facility, monitors, supervises, transports, and helps meet the basic needs of youth in a way that positively supports their development and individual goals.

Responsibilities

• Supervises clients and the facility by overseeing their care and safety through the core values and mission of the organization.
• Ensures client safety and engagement services by:
  • Consistently interacting with clients using LifeWorks’ client-focused and strengths-based approaches, supporting day-to-day activities of youth, and relating to clients as they move toward their individual goals.
  • Assisting clients with day-to-day needs including case management, school activities, job search activities, transportation, cleaning activities, meal preparation, and administration of daily medications.
  • Coordinating and helping with transportation for clients to outings, including staff-led community-based activities, client appointments, job interviews, and emergency room visits.
  • Engaging in conversations with youth regarding topics such as race, identity proclamation and exploration, substance use, mental health, healthy boundaries and habits, and self-sufficiency while maintaining professional boundaries and client confidentiality.
  • Demonstrating the ability to provide youth with positive coping methods while supporting healing from trauma through a healing-centered approach.
  • Managing emotions and performing in high-pressure and/or crisis situations with calm, care, and unconditional positive regard for youth.
  • Managing emotional, physical, and verbally escalated situations by applying approved behavior modification techniques to de-escalate youth, as well as physical restraints utilizing “Handle with Care” techniques when necessary.
• Follows DFPS Minimum Standards for incident reporting, implementation of safety plans, and action plans in coordination with team members, including case managers.
• Distributes, documents, and observes clients in receiving prescribed medications, including a basic understanding of psychotropic medications as learned in trainings.
• Coordinates and completes intake and discharge of client services, including consent for services and risk assessment for supervision guidelines.
• Completes Initial Orientation, including explanation of services, client rights and responsibilities, policies, and guidelines.
• Follows health and safety guidelines per DFPS minimum standards and LifeWorks safety planning.
• Ensures program compliance by:
  • Completing regular perimeter walks, room checks, facility/room searches, and ongoing visual checks of the facility.
  • Documenting and maintaining daily written records of client whereabouts, incidents, behavior, progress, activity engagement, school attendance, medications, and incidents through daily notes, logs, and incident reports while maintaining client confidentiality.
  • Communicating effectively with team members and the client support team while maintaining client confidentiality.
  • Conducting drills in accordance with Emergency Preparedness and Response Planning.
  • Maintaining cleanliness within licensing standards, including cleaning common areas, offices, and kitchen.
  • Engaging in and completing all required trainings, meetings, and professional development plans, including monthly supervision with a supervisor.

Requirements

• High school diploma, GED, or equivalent.
• 1+ year of related experience or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Proficient in MS Office including Word, Excel, and Outlook.

Benefits

• 24 PTO days per year (accrued).
• 11 paid holidays per year.
• Premium-free employee medical plan with $100 per month HSA contribution (plus other affordable employee or family medical, dental, and vision options).
• Retirement savings plan with 50% match on the first 6% of contributions.

Pay

$22.00 per hour.

Schedule

Full-time, 12-hour shifts with multiple schedules available.

About Lifeworks

With more than 50 years of experience working with youth experiencing homelessness, youth aging out of foster care, young adults, and young parents, LifeWorks is committed to solving youth homelessness through housing, mental health, education, and workforce services. Our vision is a Central Texas where every young person has a place to call home, a sense of belonging, and the support to pursue a life they love. We provide a full range of support services for vulnerable youth, ensuring that every young person has access to a safe home, the chance to heal, and opportunities to learn and work. Through innovative problem-solving, shared accountability, and evidence-based solutions, we are relentless in achieving real, sustainable, and measurable results for the clients we serve. A career at LifeWorks offers opportunities to grow professionally while making an immediate, lasting impact on the lives of youth and families in our community.