Are you looking for meaningful work? Do you want to make an impact on the world? Mercy Home for Boys & Girls is looking for you! We have been voted one of the top 100 places to work in Chicago since 2012!How You'll Make an Impact:There is nothing that brings greater life satisfaction than helping others. As a Youth Care Worker, you will act as an advocate, role model and coach for the Youth who live in our residential program. You can change the trajectory of their lives! Do you have several years of work or volunteer experience working with youth? Are you empathetic with strong listening skills? Are you adaptable and have good communication skills? We want to talk to you!In this Role, you will:
- Remain awake and aware of milieu
- Position chair/ workstation in order to ensure a clear view of the youth bedrooms at all times.
- Conduct bedroom checks at a minimum of every 30 minutes, with visual sight of each youth to ensure their safety. Check on a more frequent basis (i.e. every 15 minutes) based on program needs or supervisor request.
- Log accurately and timely, in the program logbook, all bed checks as well as any other/ youth activity
- Be responsible for timely and accurate communication (e.g. incident reports, contact with Youths' families, log entries, e-mail, and contacts with on-call supervisor).
- Engage with youth in daily routines and activities.
- Build a therapeutic relationship with Youth and their families
- Develop and implement each Youth's individual Treatment Plan
- Work collaboratively with School Resources, Career Resources and After-School Program co-workers to support Youth in those areas
- Communicate timely and accurately (e.g. contact with Youths' families, log entries, incident reports, email, contact with on-call supervisor)
- Provide supportive supervision, guidance, and role modeling for the Youth, as well as engage with Youth in daily routines and activities in the milieu
- Develop and support creative interventions for Youth
- Participate in supervision meetings
- Work with assigned advocate(s) including weekly Advocate meetings, as well as weekly family contacts
- Employ all aspects of de-escalation and behavior management techniques as outlined in Crisis Prevention Institute (CPI) protocol
- Provide transportation for Youth and their family systems as necessary
- Learn, align with, and execute the treatment philosophies, modalities, and practices of the Agency
What we need from you:
- Be at least 21 years old
- High School diploma or GED required; Bachelor's degree preferred.
- Ability to stay awake and alert during hours of rest for the Youth.
- At least two years of experience working with youth
- A valid Illinois driver's license (or ability to get one upon hire), ability to drive a van, maintain a clear driving record and retain driving approval through the Department of Children and Family Services
- Good interpersonal, oral, and written communication skills
- Maturity and sensitivity to cultural and individual differences
- Ability to maintain confidentiality
- Experience with Microsoft Office, as well as the willingness to become proficient in other software packages and programs
- Ability to attend required Agency trainings and maintain necessary training compliance
- Ability to lift and/or move up to 40 pounds, and with proper training, physically restrain youth
- Commitment to the mission, values, and goals of the Agency
Basics Information / Schedule DetailsThis position is full time 40 hrs per week. Monday-Thursday overnights 10pm-8amWhy You Will Love Working Here:Mercy Home for Boys & Girls prioritizes professional development and training to support our co-workersWe have been voted by the Chicago Tribune as one of the top 100 places to work in Chicago for nine consecutive yearsBenefits include Medical, dental and vision coverage; a 403b retirement savings plan with matching contributions; vacation and sick time, as well as tuition reimbursement and student loan repayment assistanceMercy Home for Boys & Girls is an Equal Opportunity Employer and is committed to Diversity and Inclusion