Youth Care Assistant (Full-TIme)

The Youth Care Assistant provides direct care and supervision to a group of youth in a cottage setting. The Youth Care Assistant teaches and models social, academic, and independent living skills. The Youth Care Assistant relieves Cottage Parents during their time off and, when doing so, handles the day-to-day operations of the cottage. When scheduled to work with the Cottage Parents, assists the Cottage Parents working under their direct functional supervision.

The Youth Care Assistant is responsible directly to the Unit Director. Work performance is reviewed through regular supervisory conferences and performance evaluations.

This position is eligible for overtime pay.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

The following duties and responsibilities are given as examples of the various types of work performed in this position.  Other duties and responsibilities may be assigned.

1. Demonstrates attentiveness, alertness, and discretion of each aspect of the Youth Ranches program while interacting and supervising youth.  Helps provide a safe and caring environment.
2. Demonstrates resourcefulness and thriftiness in the wise stewardship of the cottage and programs resources including all equipment, buildings, and vehicles.  Ensures cottage, campus grounds and other assets are maintained at Youth Ranches’ standards.
3. Demonstrates availability, benevolence, and responsibility by providing support to other cottage staff during the daily cottage schedule. Assumes the responsibilities of Cottage Parents in their absence.
4. Abides by agency policies in discipline, family and youth rights, child abuse and maintaining confidentiality of youth and other program information.
5. Practices virtue and truthfulness in keeping the Unit Director and other cottage staff informed of all programs related activities and concerns.  Communicates effectively with direct care staff during change over and keeps other staff informed of pertinent youth information and campus events.
6. Practices punctuality, thoroughness, and orderliness in completing required paperwork such as daily logs, daily youth psychosocial (BHOS) notes, Medication Administration Records (MAR), weekly and monthly cottage paperwork, incident reports, and time sheets.
7. Encourages youth’s active participation in work programs, educational, chapel and recreational activities.
8. Displays dependability, flexibility and availability when faced with change and displays a willingness to assist other staff members or programs as needed or requested by Unit Director.
9. Exercises discretion and appropriate judgment to always be an appropriate role model for our youth and fellow staff members including work program, cottage outings, Chapel, and campus events. 
10. Helps facilitate the Moral Spiritual Character Development of youth in the cottage.
11. Participates in and practices Trust Based Relational Intervention (TBRI) techniques.
12. If applicable, provides awake supervision during sleep hours for assigned cottage.

    EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS

    This position requires a high school diploma or equivalent. Must be at least 21 years of age. Direct experience with youth in an educational or residential care setting is preferred for all levels.