Job Title: Youth Care Specialist (various positions)
Reports to: Shift Supervisor
Department: Residential
Exempt: No
POSITION OVERVIEW
Supervise and mentor resident male and female youth ages 10 – 17 in the short-term residential shelter setting.
KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES
The most important knowledge, skills, and abilities are listed for Youth Care Specialist:
Knowledge:
- Customer and Personal Service- Knowledge of principles and processes for providing youth and families with personal services. This includes youth with needs assessment, meetings quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
- Crisis Intervention –Knowledge of principles, theories, models, and procedures for counseling of physical/mental/emotional/behavioral dysfunctions.
- English Language – Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
- Education and Training – Knowledge of principles and methods for medical instruction for individual purposes.
- Knowledge of principles and processes for providing youth and families with personal services.
- Knowledge of Microsoft Word and data processing
Skills:
- Excellent interpersonal skills.
- Excellent written and oral communication skills
- Excellent attention to detail.
Abilities:
- The ability to communicate effectively in simple and precise terms with clients and co-workers.
- The ability to interact with persons of diverse backgrounds with tact, courtesy, and poise.
- The ability relate to customers or clients in difficult situations.
- The ability to give full attention to what people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
- Ability to adapt quickly to changes in procedures, conditions and to interruptions which disrupt the workflow.
POSITION DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Occupational tasks and duties are listed for: Youth Care Specialist
- Maintain acceptable attendance and punctuality of no more than three (3) unscheduled occurrences within a 90 day period.
- Ensure that all required training classes and training hours are completed in accordance with YCC, DJJ and DCF standards.
- Ensure work performance meets quality and quantity standards as outlined in the job description.
- Must complete at least six (6) file reviews per performance review cycle.
- Emergency Drills – Must complete at least six (6) drills per cycle – to include First Aid Drill, Fire Drill, Alternative Drill to ensure compliance with emergency drills.
- Must complete weekly health and safety inspections – 6 per year/1 per cycle.
- Must complete intake and release paperwork – at least two (2) per evaluation year.
- Must conduct at least six client groups per review cycle.
- Must attend at least 10 out of 12 Residential Staff Meetings during the review year.
- Monitor and ensure that Medication, Medical and Mental Health processes are followed with minimal errors.
- All other duties as assigned.
EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE
High School Diploma and a minimum of six (6) months related experience; preferably working in a residential shelter with at risk youth. A valid Florida driver’s license and safe driving record is required.
MATHEMATICAL SKILLS AND REASONING ABILITY
Basic and/or advanced computational skills may be necessary.
PHYSICAL DEMANDS
This is a position which requires walking, interacting, monitoring and engaging youth in various positive activities and diffusing challenging situations that will occur. Little to moderate lifting of less than 25 lbs. may be required.
WORK ENVIRONMENT
- While performing the duties of this job, the employee is occasionally exposed to outside weather conditions.
- The noise level in the work environment is moderate.
