Youth Development Specialist

Reports To: Residential Program Supervisor

About DABSJ:

D.A. Blodgett – St. John’s is a private non-sectarian agency that serves vulnerable children and families from the entire community. Our core objectives are to strengthen families, help children heal from abuse and neglect, provide homes and help kids thrive.

About this Opportunity:

The Youth Development Specialist (YDS) is responsible for ensuring children receiving residential services are physically and emotionally safe while receiving support, empathy, feedback and direction. YDS will serve the population of children who may exhibit: non-compliance with authority, physical aggression, may use self-harm as a means for coping, may be nonverbal, may require assistance with hygiene and other activities of daily living. YDS are responsible for providing effective and therapeutic responses to the challenging emotions and behaviors that led to the need for placement. YDS staff help children and adolescents develop critical internal and external assets to facilitate and support healthier behaviors and emotional regulation, in accordance with individual treatment plans developed by program therapists.

Would you like to help us accomplish our mission as a Youth Development Specialist?

Our ideal candidate will have experience working with children and youth with emotional and behavioral challenges strongly preferred. This includes working with developmentally disabled and cognitively impaired youth (can include youth with classic autism spectrum disorder that exhibit severely restricted functioning levels), and youth with or without substance use or dependency symptoms. A high school diploma required, with some college education in psychology, social work, sociology, youth and family studies or related field preferred. You must have a positive acceptance of supervision in order to learn and be trained in job-related functions. This candidate must have the ability to work with a variety of people both within and outside the Agency. You must be able to promote a positive image for the Agency in the community and in relationship with other Agencies and their personnel. It is required to have a valid driver’s license, good driving record and adequate insurance with a reliable vehicle available at all times. You must Possess an understanding and sensitivity to the client’s socioeconomic characteristics with personal qualities of warmth with the ability to establish meaningful relationships with people from various cultures. In addition, having the capacity to make sound decisions, have effective oral and written communication and good organizational skills is a must. Lastly, you must have competence in computer use and keyboarding skills, a high frustration tolerance level and have assertiveness and self-direction.

Offered benefits and more:

• Medical, Dental, Vision. Life Insurance, Paid Holidays Off, Paid Time Off.
• Structured Pay Increases throughout first year of employment as noted below:
  • $.50 following training – 1 month
  • $.50 – 3 months
  • $.50 – 6 months
  • $.50 – 9 months
  • $1 – 1 year
• 403B Retirement Opportunity.
• Flexible Scheduling.
• Opportunity to learn and grow from working with a diverse population of children and families.
• Access to a robust training system.
• DABSJ is able to provide CEUs for onsite trainings.
• Reimbursement for trainings.
• Support from our robust EAP (emotional, organization skills, financial planning, etc.)
• Work within an environment of creative problem solvers.
• Regular supervision.
• Working within a collaborative division with a wide variety of experience and knowledge.
• Work within a trauma informed environment supported by the Sanctuary Model (trauma informed organizational change model).

D.A. Blodgett – St. Johns is an equal opportunity employer and will not discriminate against employees or applicants for employment. DABSJ does not discriminate on the basis of race, including but not limited to hair texture and protective hairstyles such as braids, locks and twists; culture, ethnicity, religion, national origin, age, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, height, weight, marital status, veteran status, socio-economic status, disability, or other legally-protected characteristics as required by law.

Applicants being considered for hire must pass a central registry clearance check and criminal background check to be eligible for employment.