Youth Engagement Support (YES) Staff

Organization Type: Non-Profit, Faith-Based

Position Type: Full-Time; Non-Exempt Hourly

Department: Girls’ Residential Program

Direct Report: Direct Care Staff Supervisor

Hours: 40 hours per week; 24-hour staffing schedule includes night and day shifts, and rotating weekends.

Salary: Competitive pay and benefits.

Education: Bachelor’s degree in psychology, sociology, social work, education or a related field.

Experience: Minimum two years of related experience, such as mental or behavioral health experience with adolescents and families.

Professional Qualifications:

  • Documentation of references (at least two professionals and one personal) that attest to the person’s capability to perform the duties of the position and to the person’s suitability of working with or around youth and vulnerable populations

  • Strong clinical documentation, interpersonal communication skills, administrative, organizational, and computer skills including use of email and Microsoft Office suite of products

Position Summary: The Youth Engagement Support (YES) Staff serves as a team member embedded within the direct care team. This position is responsible for the daily care, engagement, and supervision of program participants at the Girls’ Residential Program (GRP). This position partners with the therapeutic, educational, and life skills staff to meet organizational goals and individual participant goals.

Participants we serve have experienced long-term complex trauma as well as the majority have experienced long term disruptions in placements since being placed in the foster care system at a very young age.  Staff will be trained on Trust-Based Relational Intervention Model (TBRI) and required to use this model in their everyday interactions with participants and peers.  TBRI will be the foundational communication and behavior model for all staff and participants. The YES staff will work closely and collaborate with team members across multidisciplinary focus areas in the treatment of participants with behavioral health diagnoses including anxiety, depression, posttraumatic stress disorder, substance abuse and more.  It is common for the participants to struggle with feelings of hopelessness, suicidal thoughts, feelings of anger or sadness and more. 

The YES staff engages directly with participants to help implement the treatment plan as prescribed.  The position involves assisting participants with activities of daily living and self-care.  To improve participant skills, the staff members provide a supportive environment by modeling and encouraging positive behaviors and de-escalating negative behaviors.  Reporting and recording participant progress with various interventions is also an important part of the job.

Engaging with the youth supports their development, well-being, and program goals:

  • YES staff must fully engage and participate with youth in outdoor recreational activities at a minimum of 3 times per day

  • YES staff will fully engage in indoor activities with youth at all times

  • YES staff will rotate in supporting youth in school during school hours

Duties and Responsibilities (include but are not limited to):

Staff Coordination

  • Provide direct therapeutic engagement and supervision to participants, with guidance from multidisciplinary team

  • Follow all Micah’s Promise policies and procedures, as well as what is outlined in the Participant Handbook (dress code, procedures for hygiene, medicine administration, etc.)

  • Report and record participant progress with various interventions

  • As needed, document any critical incidents that occur on assigned shifts

  • Daily activities include:  

    • Nutrition, meal planning, meal preparation required

    • Fitness

    • Medication logs, training, and adherence to policies and procedures

    • Participating in training

    • Pro-social activities

    • Academic assistance

    • Facilities maintenance and record keeping

    • engagement in ALL indoor and outdoor activity

    • Assist in life skills to include, at minimum, instructing how to do laundry, general house cleaning, etc. 

    • YES staff will prepare the meals and eat with the girls in a family-style setting

Maintaining Program Structure

  • Lead skills building groups and activities during non-school hours

  • Model behavior management and de-escalation skills to participants and staff on shift

  • Actively engage with participants in a group or one-on-one setting to ensure stability in the center and decrease the likelihood of critical incidents

  • Follow the schedule laid out in the program

  • COMPLETE 15-MINUTE BED CHECKS FOR PARTICIPANTS DURING SLEEPING HOURS

  • Complete grocery shopping, meal planning, and meal preparation for participants

  • Administer and document medication use of participants

  • May administer random drug screens

  • Ensure adherence to program guidelines

  • Provide safety checks

  • Complete accurate and detailed documentation daily

  • Assist with security and security support as needed. 

  • Perform routine cleaning

  • Provide care to program participants without regard to race, gender, sexuality, ethnicity, religious or spiritual beliefs

  • Provide culturally competent care for participants who have a history of trauma

  • Observe the emotional state of participants and relay any issues or concerns to the clinical team

  • Observe the physical state of participants and relay any issues or concerns to the HSP team

  • Actively participate and engage with youth and volunteers in program activities

  • Perform administrative functions as needed, including completing accurate and detailed documentation daily

Participant Stabilization

  • Coordinate with the HSP team for new participant room assignments

  • Coordinate new participant orientation

  • Manage action plans and provide weekly participant summary reports to the HSP team

  • Document balanced living tracking sheets in the participant’s files daily

  • Facilitate leadership groups with participants

  • Use time on shift to engage with participants and develop intentional relationships

  • Cultivate an atmosphere of mutual respect through words and behaviors using TBRI language and training

  • Lead by example in modeling the characteristics of a Mission Driven Professional

  • Provide direction and encouragement to program participants

  • Practice and teach healthy boundaries to program participants

  • Provide support and crisis intervention as needed

  • Embody the spirit of a lifelong learner

Position Requirements:

  • Moderate local travel required related to participant and program needs, to include accompaniment to doctors and dental visits, field trip activities, as well as occasional travel for training

  • Travel also required as needed for Emergency Room visits

  • Ability to lift objects up to 25 pounds and drive company vehicle as needed

  • Ability to administer therapeutic holds as governed by policies and procedures of programs

  • Satisfactory criminal history background check

  • Clean Motor Vehicle Record

  • Documentation from a licensed physician or other licensed healthcare professional of a health screening examination

  • Current evidence of successful completion of a biennial training program in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and a triennial training program in first aid which have been offered by a certified or licensed healthcare professional; such programs shall be completed within the first year of employment

  • Participation in all required training courses and competency in areas of training content

  • Engages in lifelong learning

  • Remains teachable

  • Never have been shown by credible evidence (e.g., a court or jury, a department investigation, or other reliable evidence, or through a civil case) to have been accused of stalking a child (under 18 years of age) or have a civil restraint order against you, to have abused, neglected, sexually exploited, or deprived a child or adult or to have subjected any person to serious injury as a result of intentional or grossly negligent misconduct as evidenced by an oral or written statement to this effect obtained at the time of application and evidence of having made efforts to obtain and evaluate references from previous employers.

Skills:

  • Strength-based tendencies

  • Crisis management

  • Analysis, evaluation, and objective critical thinking

  • Initiative for effective administration and organization

  • Efficiency and time management across multiple priorities

  • Communication and collaboration

  • Discretion and confidentiality for sensitive or restricted information

  • Relationship management across GRP residents, staff, and partners

Character Qualifications:

  • Service driven

  • Relationship focused

  • Sense of ownership and stewardship

  • Problem solver

  • Professional

  • Detailed

  • Team player

  • Reliable independent contributor

  • Proactive

  • Flexible

  • Positive attitude

  • Enthusiastic

  • Persistent