Evening Support Youth Specialist

ABOUT ORANGEWOOD FOUNDATION

Founded: 1981

Mission: To strive for equity for our youth by valuing and supporting the life they envision.

Values: Trust, Respect, Empathy, Inclusion & Advocacy

JOB DESCRIPTION

Employment Classification: Full-time, Non-exempt, Hourly, Sun-Thursday 3pm-11:30pm

Reports to: Youth Dormitory Support Specialist Supervisor

Department: Youth Connected Program-Dorms

Program Summary: Youth Connected Program includes foster family agency and on-site dormitory which collaborates with mental health service providers, Samueli School, government agencies, and other partners.

Position Summary: Responsible for supervising youth in foster care that may exhibit trauma responses. Assisting youth using a trauma-informed approach to reach their greatest potential and develop the educational/career skills they will need to be successful young adults. This will be provided in a combination of a smoke free, safe and stable family-style dorm, and resource home environment. Work is performed under the direction and supervision of a Youth Dormitory Support Specialist Supervisor.

When considering this job opportunity, please be aware that the role may involve high stress levels due to mitigating participant crises and potential exposure to vicarious trauma. It is essential to prioritize self-care and seek appropriate support when needed.

Major Areas of Responsibility:

Provides for moral/spiritual/educational/career development in a family-style environment including, but not limited to the following:

• Discusses and monitors academic performance of youth that attend Samueli school or other school with youth during appropriate times emphasizing the importance of education.
• Assists and guides youth in preparing for post-secondary, or vocational education, or other and identifies alternatives and develops career plans.
• Teaches and models youth the importance of obeying societal norms and laws which may include but not limited to substance use, appropriate language, respect for others, etc.
• Attends/ or takes transports youth to community service projects, religious services, medical/dental/therapy visits and other events as needed using their own vehicle.
• Supports other housing sites through coverage as needed and appropriate, especially during summer sessions, and holiday breaks or when youth are not at YCP dorms.

Teaches and counsels youth on appropriate skills and behaviors including, but not limited to the following:

• Acquires, maintains, teaches, and demonstrates knowledge of evidence-based practices and trauma-informed care through use of verbal and body language.
• Identifies, models, and teaches skills, prioritizing target behaviors.
• Builds strong rapport with youth while also maintaining boundaries and professionalism.
Teaches youth everyday independent living skills and employment skills and self-care habits either in a natural setting or through available resources. These may include but not be limited to cooking,
• ing for a job, obtaining an identification, etc.
• Provides feedback and rewards youth with praise for practicing and displaying appropriate behaviors and implements appropriate consequences for inappropriate behaviors.
• Evaluates youth's current and target behaviors and measures progress

Provides and fosters a caring, and safe environment including, but not limited to the following:

• Provides appropriate and healthy emotional support by using praise, affection, and empathy (e.g., facilitates celebrations and demonstrates compassion).
• Monitors youth activities, including family visits, and observes interactions for appropriate social skills and safety.
• Supporting youth with learning how to cook meals and will help prepare/coordinate meals for the youth.
• Will provide general cleaning assistance of the dorms as needed while also directing youth and modeling for them to clean their own space as well.

Acts as a liaison for consumers, outside agencies, and internal personnel including, but not limited to the following:

• Ensures client-centered, trauma-informed service planning, including effective advocacy and collaboration with coworkers and members of the Child and Family Team.
• Communicates with supervisor and social workers on youth strategies, behaviors, and progress.
• Prepare timely and accurate documentation which includes but is not limited to SIR’s, daily notes, medication logs, etc.

Serves as a role model in carrying out the Orangewood Foundation mission including, but not limited to the following:

• Creates atmosphere of enthusiasm and commitment.
• Directs all actions to reflect the values: trust, respect, and compassion.
• Executes Orangewood Foundation policies and procedures.
• Communicates directly with internal and/or external customers to assure proper resolution of concerns and satisfaction of inquiries, and speaking positively of Orangewood Foundation decisions, processes, and programs to other staff and outside consumers.
• Establishes and maintains an environment that encourages teamwork, interdependence, and ethical behavior and does not participate in gossip.

Knowledge, Skill, and Experience Requirements:

• Bachelor’s Degree in relevant field preferred. High school diploma or equivalent and two years’ experience working with at-risk youth.
• Willingness to work flexible hours in order to assist the program with youth activities.
• Must be computer-literate and be able to understand and effectively use electronic health record/database systems.
• Strong written and oral communication skills.
• Comfortable presenting oneself in community settings.
• Must be able to successfully complete and maintain required certifications and training including, but not limited to, Therapeutic Crisis Intervention, Nurturing Parenting, First Aid/CPR, and other evidence-informed practices.
• Position will be provided appropriate cross training in order to be equipped to support other housing programs, as needed, and during summer sessions/holiday breaks.
• Ability to be proactive in a busy environment and work independently on occasions.

Additional Requirements:

• Must be a minimum of twenty-one years old.
• Possess a valid California driver’s license and proof of automobile insurance. Position requires DMV clearance. In addition, since YCP is a license program, any vehicle commonly used for smoking may not be used to transport youth.
• Pre-employment screenings include criminal background check, FBI/DOJ fingerprinting, TB test, drug screen, and previous employment verification.

Essential Qualities:

• Understanding of and passion for the Foundation’s mission, vision, values.
• Enjoys working directly with youth, volunteers, community partners, etc.

Working Environment/ Physical Requirements:

Family-style, school dormitory for foster youth, 7th-12th grade, with medical, behavioral, mental health issues, and the potential for verbal and physical threats. Community settings, both local (such as school and recreation) and community-based to facilitate transportation. Staff is subject to outside environmental conditions occasionally, inside conditions frequently, with protection from weather conditions but not necessarily from temperature changes. The work includes constant interruptions in an environment of moderate to high noise level.

Staff must maintain proficiency in Nonviolence Crisis Intervention, as well as First Aid/CPR, requiring regular and sustained bending, lifting, pulling, stooping, hand and arm pressure, sitting and/or laying prone on the floor for extended periods. To facilitate youth activities and transports, staff must be able to safely drive vehicles transporting one or more youth to events, family visits, etc., in heavy, prolonged traffic (more than one hour each way).

• Frequent carrying, up to 20 pounds.
• Frequent bending, stooping, twisting, turning, and squatting.
• Frequent pushing/pulling up to 50 pounds and 25 feet.
• Frequent climbing of stairs (in a three-story dormitory)
• Regularly lifting floor to waist and floor above shoulders.
• Regularly sitting, 1 to 10 hours per day.
• Regularly standing, 1 to 10 hours per day.
• Regular use of fine motor skills for such activities as writing, note-taking, typing, and craft-making.
• Normal or corrected vision needed for driving, supervision of youth, observation of discrete skills, and documentation.
• Normal or corrected hearing to insure proper supervision and campus safety.
• Normal sense of smell to detect client hygiene issues, infant hygiene needs, and environmental safety issues.
• Normal ability to speak to teach skills, give feedback, discuss strategies, and converse on telephone.
• Work occasionally requires exposure to blood-borne pathogens.
• Stamina to work 12-hour shifts and drive for up to four hours.

Modification to work schedule may be made based on need of the Foundation.

Orangewood Foundation is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race (including hair texture and protective hair styles such as braids, locks, and twists), religious creed (including religious dress and grooming practices), color, national origin, ancestry, physical disability, mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, marital status, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding and/or related medical conditions), gender, gender identity (including individuals who are transgender and/or transitioning), gender expression, age, sexual orientation, reproductive health decision-making, military and veteran status, or any other protected group, in accordance with all applicable federal or State laws.