Youth Counselor

About the role

Works as scheduled in Healing Homes, providing supervision, support, and direction to children to foster their positive growth and development. Maintains a hazard-free, clean, and orderly household; prepares meals to conform to menus; completes all required logs, forms, and reports; participates in meetings as scheduled; and accompanies groups or individual children for outside activities or appointments.

Responsibilities

• Provide a warm, homelike atmosphere by establishing an individual relationship with each resident, focusing on their positive growth and development.
• Provide individualized care and supervision of each resident.
• Ensure an orderly schedule for residents by supervising daily activities: wake-up, school or other program attendance, mealtime, study time, assigned Healing Home chores, and bedtime.
• Monitor individual appointments for each child to ensure punctual attendance.
• Monitor each youth's physical well-being, ensuring suitable clothing, adequate food, and all required medical treatments, including dispensing medication.
• Communicate and enforce Healing Home rules with each child; apply discipline as outlined in Healing Home procedures in a fair and objective manner.
• Accompany and transport children to outside activities (including supervised recreation) and appointments as required.
• Maintain a hazard-free, clean, and orderly household by promptly reporting maintenance problems and completing assigned household chores.
• Prepare meals and snacks under the direction of the Household Coordinator according to posted menus.
• Hold petty cash and other valuables of the home as assigned, dispensing according to Healing Home procedures.
• Complete all required paperwork, such as incident reports, AWOL reports, medical logs, medication logs, and other reporting for the Healing Home.
• Participate in meetings as required and ensure that treatment/permanency plans are carried out daily.
• Organize and facilitate independent living skills groups in the residence.
• Record client progress regarding independent living skills development.
• Participate in the service planning and review process.
• Deliver services in accordance with service goals and objectives, employing trauma-sensitive practices.
• Provide counseling and support, crisis intervention, and behavior management.
• Ensure adherence to medication regimens.
• Report incidents, occurrences, or untoward events to the supervisor immediately and complete appropriate paperwork.
• Complete all assigned documentation in a timely fashion.
• Assist in residence household duties (general cleaning, laundry, shopping, meal planning, and preparation); train and supervise children in developing these skills.
• Attend supervision and meetings as scheduled.
• Perform other job-related duties as assigned, consistent with the scope, responsibilities, and level of the position, and in compliance with applicable laws, regulations, and organizational policies.

Skills & Characteristics

• Must be open to trauma-informed training and maintain a trauma-informed environment.
• Must demonstrate sensitivity to the needs of clients in crisis.
• Must demonstrate responsiveness to cultural differences and a commitment to cultural competency.
• Proven skills in cooking, household maintenance, interpersonal communication, physical stamina, and adaptability to unique needs.

Requirements

• High school diploma or equivalent.
• Valid NYS driver's license.
• Flexibility to work a 10-hour shift based on program needs.
• Must obtain S95 & F-07 fire safety certification within the first 3 months of employment.
• Demonstrated experience in providing support, nurture, and guidance to children in a structured environment (1-year professional childcare experience).
• Experience working with youth with serious emotional disturbance.
• Experience working with diverse communities and knowledge of multicultural issues, including race, class, ethnicity, sexual orientation, religion, and gender expression.

Benefits

• Paid vacation, sick, personal days, and holidays.
• 403(B) retirement plans with employer contribution.
• Health, dental, vision, and life insurance.
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP).
• Flexible spending account (Dependent Care, Medical, Parking, and Transit).
• Employee Appreciation Programs and Events.
• Tuition Assistance Program.
• Professional Development opportunities.
• Gympass Discount.
• Verizon Wireless Discount.
• BJ’s Membership discount.
• Discounts on Broadway tickets, movie tickets, theme parks, sporting events, gift certificates, and more.

About Heartshare

For over 150 years, Heartshare has been dedicated to championing and empowering New Yorkers society has too often overlooked and underestimated. To learn more about Heartshare, visit www.heartshare.org or follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube, Instagram, and Facebook.