Youth Mentor

Location: Hamden, CT

Salary: $26.63 per hour

About the Organization

One of the oldest organizations of its kind in the country, Community Partners in Action (CPA) was founded nearly 150 years ago to champion criminal justice reform and advocate for preserving the dignity of those in and out of prison. Through programs that include reentry and housing, youth initiatives, a nationally recognized Prison Arts Program, and holistic alternatives to incarceration, CPA provides a long-term impact that positively transforms individuals and society at large. Annually serving over 4,000 individuals throughout Connecticut, our work is possible due to partnerships with and support from individuals, government, private funders, organizations, and businesses.

CPA is guided by our BEDI (Belonging, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion) culture. We are committed to building and maintaining an inclusive, equitable workplace and compelled to have a constructive impact on criminal justice reform in CT that ends racial inequities and ensures the humanity and dignity of those interacting with the system. Learn more about our BEDI culture.

About the Program

The REGIONS Site Secure Program is a secure residential treatment program for up to 16 male youth. The mission of the program is to provide a home-like environment with a trauma-informed, culturally responsive, gender-specific, linguistically appropriate, strengths-based, and relationship-driven milieu for the youth to help them improve their social, physical, and emotional well-being.

Our vision is to therapeutically intervene in the cycle of offending to reduce the youths' risk factors and prevent them from transitioning into the adult justice system. Our treatment philosophy is individualized, designed to help the youth develop a positive self-image, learn effective coping skills, experience success, gain confidence, build positive relationships, achieve behavioral changes, and re-enter their communities better equipped to succeed.

The high-risk youth in this program will likely have a history of violence and be at significant risk for future violence. They may pose a significant risk to public safety and demonstrate chronic and persistent patterns of violent or public safety offenses. The youth may present with multiple complex needs that are challenging to treat, a history of poor treatment attitude and response, and exhibit escalating antisocial sophistication. Their AWOL risk is high in the context of low treatment amenability, and if they elope, they will likely engage in violent or public safety offenses.

Responsibilities

• Interact effectively with a multi-cultural population of at-risk or court-involved adolescents in a residential treatment setting.
• Transport clients to appointments and into the community, including in mechanical restraints as needed.
• Provide trauma-informed, culturally responsive, and gender-specific care.
• Manage crises and make sound decisions under pressure.
• Work additional hours and/or overtime as needed.

Requirements

• Associate’s degree or higher with experience working with at-risk or court-involved adolescents and in residential treatment programs. A Bachelor’s degree in criminal justice with a related internship may be considered in lieu of work experience.
• Understanding and knowledge of gender-specific, trauma-informed, culturally responsive, and linguistically appropriate issues and needs.
• Strong interpersonal, communication, emotional intelligence, decision-making, and crisis management skills.
• Ability to work in a hardware-secure environment.
• Valid CT driver’s license and reliable transportation.
• Capacity to become medication and Safe Crisis Management (SCM) certified.
• Willingness to work the schedule: Wednesday - Sunday, 8:00 am - 4:00 pm, with Monday and Tuesday off.

Bilingual ability (Spanish/English) preferred. Candidates with lived experience are encouraged to apply.

Training

• Selected candidates must complete and pass a mandatory 120-hour training curriculum within their first year of employment. Training sessions are conducted during standard hours (8:00 AM to 4:00 PM).
• Employees must complete a minimum of 40 hours of training annually.
• Required trainings include, but are not limited to:
  • Ethics and Boundaries
  • Suicide Prevention
  • First Aid / CPR / AED
  • Safe Crisis Management
  • PREA (Prison Rape Elimination Act)

Pay

$26.63 per hour

Schedule

Wednesday - Sunday, 8:00 am - 4:00 pm, with Monday and Tuesday off.