Job Description

Job Location: Woodland Hills Campus - Woodland Hills, CA 91364
Position Type: Full Time
Salary Range: $21.50 - $21.50 Hourly

Overall Function:
The Youth Care Counselor (YCC) provides for the supervision, care and protection of all residents. As a member of the Residential Program’s treatment team, the YCC is an important agent in setting the tone, direction, and priorities of the residents’ treatment plans. The YCC helps develop an atmosphere within the Residential Program where residents can learn to make appropriate choices, improve their judgment, and increase the probability of meeting their treatment goals. A large part of the YCC’s role involves the basic activities which most directly affect residents; their physical and emotional needs; social demands; training and limit setting.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities Include:
- Daily care, protection and supervision of residents.
- Implements discipline and limits within the treatment setting.
- Provides role modeling, understanding, guidance and example in order to promote in the
- Residents have a better understanding of himself/herself and the society in which he/she lives.
- Provided for the residents' emotional and physical well-being.
- Familiarizes self with the principles of behavioral dynamics and group therapy, and to assist residents in handling their problems and working effectively with a group.
- Charts the daily progress and maintains log notations and communications with social worker.
- Drives residents in agency vehicles as requested. As a driver, you must be certified in CPR & First Aid and be able to administer both CPR and First Aid when necessary.
- Logs all incidents.
- Attends and participates in mandatory training and in-services as required.
- Maintains resident records, incident logs and medical log entries.
- Administers and supervises cottage rules and discipline on a consistent level.
- Supervises group outings for shopping, medical appointments, or recreation.
- Assists in the planning and implement recreational programs.
- Participates in and leads group meetings.
- Attends all staff meetings.
- Reports all special incidents.
- Provides tutoring and schooling needs for residents as requested.
- Ability to verbally communicate well with others.
- Other duties as assigned.

Qualifications:
- B.A./B.S. degree required and/or equivalent related experience.
- An educational background that will make it possible to earn the children’s respect and to exemplify the values of education.
- Personal characteristics to be able to work effectively with the children in placement as well as adequate knowledge, skills and experience.
- Ability to be comfortable with the adolescents and be responsive to their needs.
- Ability to accept the children’s parents regardless of their difference in values and standards of conduct.
- Possesses the moral integrity, sense of values and a social commitment of the highest standards as required of all staff dealing with adolescents.
- Able to handle crises.
- Must be able to work the schedule of Sunday (variable time) & Monday - Thursday (7:00 A.M. to 3:30 P.M.).
- Valid California driver’s license; current automobile insurance; have and maintain a clean driving record acceptable to the organization’s insurance company.
- Must be able to be pass a fingerprint background investigation.
- Must be able to pass a TB test, Physical Exam, and Drug Screening.
- All employees, regardless of position, serve as role models for children and adolescents who are served by our agencies. Therefore, each employee must at all times be emotionally stable and able to function effectively with children, adolescents and adults who may have mental or behavioral health problems. The staff must be able to demonstrate appropriate daily behavior, appropriate expression of emotions as well as appropriate role modeling. Hostility, aggression, and unnecessary or inappropriate physical and/or emotional expression are not acceptable.
Physical Demands:
The physical demands described below are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential competencies and job duties of this position. The Human Resources Department will explore reasonable accommodations that could enable an employee who has a disability to perform the essential competencies of the position.
- Stand, walk, sit, stoop, kneel, crouch or crawl, utilize fingers, hands and arms up to 2/3 of the day.
- Lift items and assist clients with lifting items up to 25 pounds 1/3 of the day.
- Clear close and distance vision and be able to adjust the focus.
- Ability to operate a vehicle and recognize all street signs.
- Speak and listen to others in person and over the phone and video conferencing.
- Use keyboard and read from computer screen.
Environmental Conditions:
Ability to adjust to climate, outdoor and indoor conditions such as extreme heat, humidity and cold weather.
Occupational Safety & Health Standards:
Every employee must comply with occupational safety and health standards and all rules, regulations and orders pursuant to Division 5 of the California Labor Code which are applicable to his or her own actions and conduct.
Optimist Policies and Procedures:
- Every employee must comply with all organizational wide policies and procedures and those department specific policies and procedures that apply to this position.
- All agency employees must maintain confidentiality of client and case information and may not access information unless directly related to their job responsibilities and duties. All information in case records shall be confidential and shall be available only to the placement agency staff and personnel who need access for the performance of their duties, otherwise special consent is required.