Youth Empowerment Specialist (Overnight) - Covenant House Georgia

OVERVIEW:

Covenant House Georgia builds a bridge to hope for young people facing homelessness and survivors of trafficking through unconditional love, absolute respect, and relentless support. Our doors are open 24/7 and our high-quality programs are designed to empower young people to rise and overcome adversity, today and in the future.

PURPOSE OF POSITION:

The overall goal of the position is to create and maintain a healthy, safe, supportive and structured environment; and to empower youth to learn healthy ways of behaving and interacting with others. Youth Empowerment Specialists facilitate opportunities for learning, growth and development. They enhance and support the quality of services provided through case management as well as run the day to day functions of our residential programs. All duties should be performed within the framework of the Mission Statement, Five Principles and policies and procedures of Covenant House Georgia.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

Covenant House Georgia reserves the right to unilaterally modify, remove, or add to any of the following:

• Uphold Covenant House Georgia standards of conduct, policies and procedures at all times
• Exercise and role model healthy verbal and non-verbal communication
• Employ milieu management techniques to heighten safety, promote structure and help residents learn healthier ways of thinking, interacting, and behaving independently and/or in a group settings.
• Attend and participate all scheduled or mandatory meetings, trainings and supervision sessions as requested
• Adhere to all confidentiality requirements and standards
• Supervise all interior and exterior areas of the facility by conducting rovers to ensure the facility is safe and secure at all times
• Ensure adequate supervision of youth either inside or on Covenant House Property by engaging in active milieu management
• Assist residents in planning appropriate community based and leisure activities
• Assist residents in preparing for daily routines, the completion of all household tasks, and in maintaining a clean and healthy living area
• Provide support services for Case Managers, Interns and Supervisors including but not limited to the following:
• Follow-up on identified goals and objectives as assigned by their case manager
• Ensuring that the resident case plans are carried out within the established timeframe
• Completely document residents’ files, incident reports, log book, and other documents in a timely manner
• Enter Activities/Services in ClientTrack and Efforts to Outcomes as necessary and as required by grants
• Facilitate groups and community meetings
• Promote effective and efficient utilization of resources
• Ensure that usernames/passwords for Client Track remain active
• Develop knowledge of the current community resources and referrals
• Maintain ethical and professional boundaries with all residents
• Assist youth in cleaning facility as needed
• Report all maintenance concerns to the Facility Manager and Supervisor immediately
• Participate in all safety related drills
• Prepare all meals for residents per schedule and follow food distribution procedures
• Participate in daily group activities and outings
• Submit receipts for all petty cash expenditures to the Supervisor
• Responsible for submitting completed time sheets by requested deadline
• Follow all department procedures for resident schedule, shift transition, food preparation, intervention, and on-call utilization
• Seek and accept supervision and continuing education
• Perform all other tasks as requested by the Coordinator and CHGA administration
• Drive agency or personal vehicles to transport items and/or persons (valid Georgia Driver’s License with acceptable driving record as required by insurance company).
• As needed, in the absence of a supervisor, complete shift transition report and transition all necessary information to the Supervisor of the next shift

Ability to:

• establish and maintain an effective working relationship with co-workers, supervisors, representatives of other agencies, and the public.
• communicate well (verbal and written) with client, staff and external relations.
• handle multiple tasks and projects.
• be flexible, amiable, & willing to work as a team
• work a flexible schedule as needed
• travel as needed for training or to fulfill job requirements
• lift and move objects typically weighing 5-35 pounds
• work standing, walking, and/or sitting a minimum of 8 hours per day/shift
• demonstrate sufficient health, ability, experience, and education to perform the assigned duties with or without accommodation

Have strong:

• computer skill and knowledge of web base data systems
• organizational skills
• crisis management intervention skills required with an ability to defuse physical and verbal confrontations
• critical thinking and problem solving skills required
• Must be able to work independently with minimal supervision

SUPERVISORY DUTIES: There are no supervisory responsibilities with this position

EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE: Bachelor’s degree in Human Services Field with a minimum of 2 years’ experience, Associate’s Degree with a minimum of 3 years’ experience, or HS Diploma with 5 years’ experience working with at-risk youth required; minimum of 2 years’ experience working in a residential setting desired; knowledge of mental health and substance use is required; CPR and First Aid certification desired.

OUR COMMUNITY

Our critical mission demands that we have all voices at the table. A team of diverse people, perspectives, and experiences is smarter, stronger, and more effective for our young people. At Covenant House, every team member is valued, respected, heard, and supported, and we welcome honest and courageous self-reflection on any aspects of our work that are based on biased or outdated viewpoints. We deliberately create opportunities for our staff to grow and thrive.

Covenant House is an Equal Opportunity Employer and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any kind: CH is committed to the principle of equal employment opportunity for all employees and to providing employees with a work environment free of discrimination and harassment. All employment decisions at CH are based on business needs, job requirements, and individual qualifications, without regard to race, color, religion, belief, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran status, family or parental status, disability status, or any other status protected by the laws or regulations in the locations where we operate. CH will not tolerate discrimination or harassment based on any of these characteristics and encourages all qualified applicants to apply. If you are fun, dynamic, and hardworking, come join our awesome international team in an organization with a heart!