Mission, Vision, and Values

WORK SCHEDULE: This position is full-time regular and non-exempt. Hope Center/Pathways is a 24-hour program. Shifts will vary may require working evenings, weekends, and holidays. This position works primarily Day and Swing Shifts but could work a Grave shift occasionally as needed.

AT YOUTHCARE: We value hard work and dedication to helping young people experiencing homelessness move from survival mode into thriving and healthy young adulthood. We also value a sense of humor and respect of each other and the young people we serve. YouthCare serves young people of many racial and ethnic backgrounds, abilities, sexual orientations, gender identities, and religious beliefs, and we seek a workforce that reflects that diversity.

ABOUT YOUTHCARE: YouthCare works to end youth homelessness and to ensure that young people are valued for who they are and empowered to achieve their potential. Founded in 1974, YouthCare was one of the first programs to serve runaway and homeless youth on the West Coast. The goal was to help young people find safety today and build a future for tomorrow. Over four decades, we’ve defined best practices and developed programs that are a national standard for excellence. Using a youth-centered approach, we ensure that young people experiencing homelessness ages 12-24 have the hope, skills, and confidence to gain long-term stability.

COVID vaccinations are mandated at YouthCare. Employees will be required to submit proof of vaccination or have an approved request for medical or religious exemption and an approved accommodation at time of On-Boarding. Please note: Philosophical, political, scientific, or sociological objections to vaccination will not be considered for an exemption or accommodation.

NON-MANAGEMENT EMPLOYEES ARE REPRESENTED BY THE OFFICE AND PROFESSIONAL EMPLOYEES’ INTERNATIONAL UNION (OPEIU) Local 8.

ABOUT HOPE CENTER: This program is a combined emergency shelter and transitional living program serving young people ages 12-17, providing emergency services and a stable residential environment with supportive staff. Residents pursue educational goals and develop the life skills that will help them transition to stability.

POSITION SUMMARY: Under the supervision of the Program Manager, the Program Coordinator - Life Skills is responsible for the daily management of the program site. All housing programs are open 24/7 and per agency licensing requirements, program must maintain safe staff and client ratio to provide services to our clients. In conjunction with other staff, the Program Coordinator – Life Skills’ task is to create a safe and caring environment for vulnerable young people in residence who are preparing to transition to become more self-sufficient. The position requires an individual who can actively contribute to a positive, stable, responsive, and responsible environment for change.

CORE RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Coordinate with internal and external partners for the successful delivery and growth of programming. The type and scope of partners will vary by program.
• Lead classes, workshops, activities with young people. Incorporate youth feedback when designing, delivering, and adjusting programming.
• Complete all necessary reporting, incident reporting, documentation and data collection.
• Comply with the agency’s mandated reporting requirement and report suspected abuse, neglect, or sexual exploitation of minors within the required timeframe.
• Execute Performance Quality and Improvement (PQI) activities and effectively implement practices aligned with accreditation standards.
• Effectively de-escalate youth and/or families in crisis.
• Attend and actively participate in staff meetings, supervision meetings, program incident de-briefs, or other required meetings.
• Participate in all required trainings. Annual training requirements vary by program.
• Act as a professional representative of YouthCare and maintain a professional working environment (office, personal workspace, agency vehicle, etc.).
• Maintain a flexible work schedule and must be willing to be cross trained in providing support, as required by individual program needs.

ESSENTIAL RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Provide on-site supervision of clients while maintaining professional boundaries in providing crisis intervention and counseling to residents. Must learn and apply positive behavior modification techniques and model effective de-escalation and problem-solving skills.
• Provide recreational, educational, skill-building and health and safety activities to assist young people in developing interpersonal relationships, social skills, self-esteem, and confidence.
• Facilitate weekly house meetings with clients.
• Creates and oversees implementation of monthly activities calendar with input from and collaboration with clients and other staff members to ensure activities are age/developmentally appropriate and culturally diverse.
• Schedules, coordinates, and accompanies young people on outings ensuring their safety and well-being and provides support and assistance to staff when not attending the activity.
• Ensure regular maintenance of the agency vehicles; ensure they are operating in good working order.
• Develops and posts program menu, taking into account youth requests, dietary requirements and cultural/religious backgrounds and CACFP requirements.
• Manage and maintain monthly activities and food budget (includes tracking of CACFP) and responsible for purchasing/leasing and acquiring food, supplies and equipment for planned activities within the budget provided and in consultation with the Program Manager and Supervisor.
• At designated times, prepare and cook meals for up to 14 residents and staff.
• Attend and participate in regularly scheduled staff meetings.
• Develop outcome-based life skills curricula for use in milieu, group, and one-on-one settings and conduct weekly life skills classes, groups and outings.
• Work in conjunction with the Case Manager to incorporate individual life skills plans for each young person into service plans and maintain and track progress, reviewing and revising every 90 days.
• Will work floor shifts as scheduled/needed.
• Will support staff on floor/milieu management as needed during float shifts.

This job description is not intended to cover every aspect of your job at YouthCare. We are a team that works together to meet the needs of our clients and every member of the team is expected to pitch in and help even beyond the specific responsibilities listed in this description.

QUALIFICATIONS –

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS:

• 6-months of similar, full-time experience working directly with vulnerable populations; OR be attending classes at an accredited college or university related to caring for vulnerable populations.
• High School Diploma or GED
• Experience and credentials must comply with program contractual requirements, including but not limited to the Washington State Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF) background clearance process and must be at least 21 years of age. DCYF Clearance must be maintained for entirety of employment when working with under-18 clients.

PREFERRED REQUIREMENTS:

• Bachelor’s Degree or four years of successful experience with young people in a crisis or outreach setting.
• Course work, experience, or training in child or human development, chemical dependency, mental illness, group dynamics, residential treatment, or related experience highly preferred.
• Bilingual

CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT:

• Must be able to provide I-9 supporting documentation for employment.
• Ability to provide a negative TB Test (results must be within one-year of hire date).
• Employees who drive YouthCare vehicles as a requirement for their position, must be at least 21 years old, possess a valid Washington State Driver’s License, meet minimum safe driver criteria established by the agency and our insurance company which includes completion of Defensive Driving and 15-passenger Van trainings. Drivers under the age of 25 must have been licensed for at least 3-years and those operating vehicles with a capacity of 15 or more passengers must be at least 25 years old.
• Ability to obtain a current Food Handler’s Card
• Successful completion of pre-service training as required by the contracting agency. Trainings such as CPR & First Aid (Adult/Child), Bloodborne Pathogens, CSEC and Behavior Management.
• Computer software skills including Windows, Microsoft outlook, Microsoft Word, and Excel.
• Initiative, creativity, reliability, flexibility, thoroughness.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills with good quality spelling, grammar, and punctuation.
• High integrity when dealing with a broad array of cultures and restricted and/or confidential information.
• Ability to coordinate overall program functioning.
• Ability to maintain stable performance under pressure or conflict and handle stress in a manner that maintains teamwork and respect for others and to the agency
• Coachability and willingness to engage in candid two-way feedback as a means of professional growth
• Ability to accurately maintain and produce files, records, logs and reports.
• Ability to establish new partnerships and foster positive relationships with existing partners.
• Ability to maintain professional boundaries with clients while building trust and respect.
• Ability to verbally and physically respond to an aggressive person in ways that de-escalate, establish and maintain staff and young peoples’ safety.
• Ability to develop and lead programming/classes/activities
• Ability and willingness to stay awake and alert during overnight shifts
• May be required to assume responsibilities or duties within the agency not specifically delineated in this job description for short periods of time or on an infrequent basis.
• Commitment to YouthCare’s initiative to build cultural proficiency across the agency. Acceptance of a variety of lifestyles, behaviors, and cultural and spiritual practices.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:

• Ability to perform range of physical motions, exerting up to 50 pounds. Lifting and carrying up to 50 pounds; standing, walking, sitting for long periods of time, kneeling, squatting, and stooping; running for brief periods of time; and go up and down stairs.

BENEFITS: YouthCare provides a competitive benefits package to full time employees including medical, dental, vision, long-term disability, short-term disability, life insurance, 401(k), vacation, paid holidays, and sick leave after successful completion of the 90-day Introductory Period.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYMENT: YouthCare is an equal opportunity employer. Employment decisions are based on merit and business needs and YouthCare is committed to recruiting, hiring, training, and promoting qualified people of all backgrounds, regardless of actual or perceived sex; race; color; religious creed; national origin; ancestry; age; marital status; pregnancy; nursing parent status; physical, mental or sensory disability; medical condition; genetic information; sexual orientation; gender (including gender identity or expression); military or veteran status; or any other basis protected by federal, state and/or local laws. People of Color and Members of the LGBTQ community are strongly encouraged to apply.