Youth Support Counselor

LOCATION: St. Albans, NY

REPORTS TO: Program Manager

DEPARTMENT: Prenatal, Postpartum and Parenting Group Home 

SCHEDULE: Full Time / Onsite

AGENCY BACKGROUND:

MercyFirst is a not-for-profit human and social service agency that has been serving children and families in need since we were founded by the Sisters of Mercy/Hermanas de las Misericordia in 1894. Today our agency continues to address the emotional and physical needs of children and families in Brooklyn, Queens and across Long Island through innovative treatments and life-changing interventions. We provide community-based prevention and family foster care services, group homes in the community for struggling children and families within the child welfare and juvenile justice systems, and short-term residential services for unaccompanied migrant children. Each year, MercyFirst serves more than 3,000 children, teenagers and families overcome enormous obstacles, re-imagine their futures, and develop their full potential.

PROGRAM BACKGROUND:

The youth in our Prenatal, Postnatal and Parenting group home are girls, ages 13-19 who are in the foster care system and are pregnant or have recently given birth. With only three teen mothers in a group home, we provide each mom with a calm and nurturing environment, an individualized treatment plan to meet their specific medical and emotional needs and opportunities to plan for and learn needed skills for the role as mother for their babies.

POSITION SUMMARY:

The Youth Support Counselor is responsible for supervising and providing emotional support to our teen mothers and their babies/toddlers. After completing extensive training, you will be able to utilize a strengths-based, trauma informed approach to working with our teen mothers to help them learn good parenting skills. This position reports to the Program Manager with additional support from the treatment team and Program Director.

Shift Schedule:

3:00pm-11:00pm

11:00pm-7:00pm (Overnight shift)

Shift assignments are determined by the Program Manager based on the needs of the individual program and required staffing coverage. Youth Support Counselors should be prepared to work shifts assigned to them and may be required to work different shifts as program needs change. Flexibility to work both shift times is expected.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• High School Diploma or equivalent
• 1 year of related experience working with children/youth preferred
• Prior experience with babies and toddlers strongly preferred
• Ability to accurately document children’s activities
• Valid driver’s license strongly preferred
• Ability and willingness to work varied shifts including evenings and weekends
• Must successfully complete all required training
• Understanding and willingness to commit to the agency’s Mission, core values, Sanctuary commitments and Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging (DEIB).

RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Maintain a safe and secure environment for our youth and babies/toddlers
• Maintain consistent daily routines of the living unit in accordance with Agency policy and treatment plan
• Supervise clients’ attendance/participation at structured activities (i.e., school, reaction, chores, meals)
• Implement treatment team recommendations
• Report behaviors believed to be symptomatic or emotional, physical, or psychological disturbances
• Document clients’ behaviors and activities
• Safely transport clients to scheduled appointments, recreation events, etc.
• Assist children in learning independent living skills (i.e., basic hygiene, dress, cooking)
• Assist youth in completing homework assignments and learning parenting skills

BENEFITS/PERKS:

• A comprehensive health insurance package including medical, dental and vision plans for you and your family (fulltime required)
• 403B retirement benefits
• Employer-paid life insurance and long-term disability insurance
• Generous paid time off (vacation, personal, 12 paid holidays for fulltime, sick leave based on hours worked)
• Free employee assistance program through National EAP
• Insurance discounts for our staff and their families
• Trainings to support professional and personal development
• Employee wellness program
• Employee recognition activities

Salary Range:
$20/hour
Hiring Incentive of $1,000 after 500 worked hours

MercyFirst is an inclusive, anti-racist, multicultural organization and an Equal Opportunity Employer who welcomes prospective employees from diverse backgrounds for all levels at the agency. We strive for a workforce that is reflective of the communities we serve, and do not discriminate on the basis of actual or perceived race, color, national origin, alienage or citizenship status, religion or creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, disability, age (18 and over), military status, prior record of arrest or conviction, marital status, partnership status, care giver status, pregnancy, genetic information or predisposition or genetic characteristic, unemployment status, status as a victim or witness of domestic violence, sex offenses or stalking, consumer credit history, or any other status protected by federal, state, and/or city law. This includes, but is not limited to, employment actions against and treatment of employees and applicants for employment.