Youth Development Worker (DCS)

Description

GENERAL FUNCTION: 

The position involves providing support to children/youth through the DCS program as they develop/ maintain skills that enhance the quality of their lives in the community.  

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS: 

In order to perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential function satisfactorily. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities assistance with performing the essential functions of this position. 

1. Supports the child/youth with personal care and daily routines, and in achieving outcomes from the Plan(s) of Care  
2. Understands and practices Support Solutions’ philosophy and values in interactions with the child/youth and community members by using respectful language, connecting them to preferred activities and experiences, and ensuring that they have on-going information from which to make choices. 
3. Helps the child/youth become integrated with the community by ensuring that he/she is included, respected, valued and has a variety of preferred relationships in the community of their choice, while ensuring their Plans of Care and safety is respected. 
4. Assures safe transport and accompanies the child/youth as needed to events, school, and medical appointments utilizing Support Solutions’ (SS) vehicles, personal vehicles, or public transportation. This would include securing alternate transportation in instances where an unpaid support transports a child/youth who presents a safety concern. 
5. Ensures proper use of the child/youth and agency resources including but not limited to personal funds, vehicles, buildings, utilities, telephones, money, equipment, food and supplies. 
6. Attends all training meetings assigned by Support Solutions or DCS. 
7. Cooks and provides meals based on scheduled menus, ensuring nutritional needs are met. 
8. Performs daily activities or teaches the child/youth to do so, such as activities of daily living skills and other personal skills that work toward achieving independence. 
9. Consistently works and documents improvement toward meeting outcomes. 
10. Utilizes electronic records system including completing daily shift notes as required by funding entities. 
11. Encourages customer satisfaction through regular contact with child/youth, families, DCS, and external stakeholders. 
12. Oversees storage and administration of medications based on requirements and Medication Administration standards/SS/DCS standards. 
13. Ensures child/youth is neat and clean with as much assistance from them as possible. 
14. Keeps house clean and does laundry with as much assistance from the child/youth as possible. 
15. Ensures vehicles used for transportation needs is clean and is properly maintained. 
16. Ensures child/youth is able to participate in their religion/faith of choice. 
17. Protects confidentiality of child/youth 
18. Participates in CFTM/IEP meetings, as needed. 
19. Participates in assessments, as needed. 
20. Provide thoughtful decision-making support for the child/youth to ensure their health, safety and best interest while encouraging the child/youth’s emotional and developmental growth. 
21. Performs other job related duties as assigned. 

OTHER FUNCTIONS: 

1. Exhibits behaviors and best practices that are consistent with the vision and values of SS. 
2. Practices safe work habits to eliminate and control potential safety and health hazards and to maintain a safe work environment. Attends all safety training as scheduled. 
3. Work as part of the team to ensure that SS Quality Management principles (Plan, Measure, Assess. Improve) are practiced and achieved. 
4. Operates SS and personal transportation in a safe and healthy manner. 
5. Performs other job related duties as may be assigned by designated and/or authorized staff. 

This job description does not list all the duties of your job. You may be asked by Supervisors, Managers or designated and/or authorized staff to perform other duties. You will be evaluated in part based upon your performance of the tasks listed in the job description. SS reserves the right to revise this job description at any time. The job description is not a contract for employment and either you or SS may terminate employment at any time, for any reason. 

Qualifications

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS: 

Must be 18 years of age and able to read and write effectively. Must have a HS Diploma or GED. Must have a valid driver’s license and maintain a valid driver’s license and acceptable driving record throughout employment with SS.  Must meet state and local requirements regarding criminal background check, sexual offender check, abuse registry, drug screening and felony offender listing. Must meet all training requirements and keep training current. Must be able to perform heavy lifting in the assistance of service recipients with personal care, if applicable. Must have some computer knowledge. 

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS & ABILITIES: 

• Effective verbal and written communication skills 

• Effective organizational skills, able to complete heavy workloads within established time frames, and perform with frequent interruptions and/or distractions 

• Effective interpersonal skills, able to establish and maintain cooperative working relationships with others, ability to interact appropriately with others in various contexts and purposes  

• Must be able to practice confidentiality in all matters pertaining to clients and employees 

• Can perform a variety of duties, often changing from one task to another, in a job that may require significant differences in technology, techniques, environmental factors, physical demands, or work situations 

MEDICAL REQUIREMENTS: 

Employee must also provide any medical records required to comply with regulations in force through any governing entity related to business operations and to meet policy and procedure requirements of Support Solutions, such as TB Skin tests, HEP B vaccinations, Flu vaccinations, etc., and Health Screening.  

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS: 

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by the employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. This position is either part time or full time and may require additional hours over 40 per week. This position works primarily in a home environment, but is also required to be with supported individuals in community settings, work settings, outdoor activities, etc. 

Body Positioning: The employee is regularly required to stand and/or walk for prolonged periods of time. She/he may also be required to sit for short or long periods of time while completing other duties and responsibilities. There is also a requirement to be able to occasionally stoop, kneel, or crouch and to reach with hands and arms. She/he must be able to drive/travel for short periods of time to transport supported person to appointments and community outings and to attend meetings, and trainings.  

Body Movements: The employee must have a full range of body movements including the use of his/her hands, feet, and limbs to perform CPR compressions, abdominal thrusts, CPI techniques, or to pursue on foot a person to prevent them from injury, etc. The ability to bend the body, to reach for objects, and to crouch/stoop, and climb when needed are also required. 

Body Senses: The employee must have command of all five senses: sight, hearing, touch, smell, and taste. Specific vision abilities required include close vision, distant vision, and depth perception. These vision requirements in each area must be sufficient to shift in focus from reading documents to using a computer or tablet for data entry and operating a vehicle. There is also a requirement to talk and listen for prolonged periods both on the telephone and face to face.  

Strength: The employee must have the ability to perform heavy lifting over 50 lbs. to assist total care supported individuals with transferring from or to wheelchair, turning/repositioning a total care person in bed, etc.  

LICENSES/CERTIFICATES: 

• Valid state issued Driver License (CDL- if required for the position.) 

• Must maintain valid Medication Certification throughout tenure. 

• Must maintain valid CPR/First Aid Certification throughout tenure. 

• Must maintain valid CPI or PCM training throughout tenure. 

• Agency insurance coverage for vehicles operated in the course of work at specific locations shall stand as the primary insurance coverage for employees working in that particular home setting. Valid automobile insurance is required for all employees working at homes where the agency does not provide a vehicle and this coverage must be presented prior to transfer to any home where an agency vehicle is not provided. The agency reserves the right to request proof of insurance regardless of the site location or availability of an agency vehicle.