YOUTH WORK SUPERVISOR

Definition

Under direction of a supervisor in a Children's Residential Treatment Center, Detention Facility, or Group Home, is responsible for supervision and direction of the resident living program during an assigned shift; does related work as required.

Examples of work

• Functions as a team leader of a group of Youth Workers and/or Senior Youth Workers; conducts staff meetings, defines the team's function and member responsibilities, develops integrated team approaches to residents' problems, delegates responsibilities, sets priorities, and organizes work agenda.
• In response to episodes of extreme acting-out behavior, utilizes appropriate crisis intervention and behavior management techniques that may include the physical restraint and confinement of residents.
• Utilizes professional techniques in individual and group supervision; establishes clear expectations, holds staff accountable for their actions, empathizes, deals with resistance, and shares real concerns.
• Establishes procedures for providing ongoing individual and group supervision for resident living staff.
• Investigates unusual incidents, and prepares clear, concise, and accurate written reports.
• Assists the treatment staff in the development of overall therapeutic strategies.
• Assigns, evaluates, and supervises the work of a group of Youth and Senior Youth Workers; confers regularly with other shift supervisors and members of other sections to plan and coordinate a shift's activities with other Center programs.
• Plans, organizes, and assigns the work of the organizational unit and evaluates employee performance and conduct, enabling the effective recommendation of the hiring, firing, promoting, and disciplining of subordinates.
• Prepares written guidelines of job performance for assigned personnel; conducts regular and special performance reviews for each staff member, and takes appropriates action to ensure maximum performance of all assigned staff.
• Schedules youth worker staff to ensure maximum coverage.
• Plans and prepares written activities schedules in accordance with overall guidelines and procedures.
• Participates directly in Resident Living activities, including leisure time, resident training, counseling, group meetings, and other shift functions.
• Inspects, supervises, and assists with housekeeping procedures to ensure maximum sanitation, safety, appearance, and orderliness of the resident living quarters.
• Mediates conflicts among staff and between staff and residents.
• Deals with common staff problems, such as absenteeism, abuse of children, passivity, avoidance of anxiety-producing situations.
• Establishes and maintains record keeping and accountability procedures.
• Analyzes behavior of residents to determine patterns and primary processes.
• Negotiates, monitors, and evaluates behavioral contracts with children.
• Conducts group meetings with residents concerning issues relevant to cottage life.
• Counsels residents on an individual basis concerning specific cottage life problems.
• Conducts safety inspections on a regular basis and takes the initiative to eliminate accident hazards to residents and employees.
• Designs all resident living programs to foster effective learning experiences for the children assigned.
• Prepares written reports on resident progress and confers with representatives of other departments to assess resident progress and plan program objectives for the individual child.
• Conducts investigations of facts and conditions in response to complaints; prepares and submits a factual and complete report with recommendations for review.
• Will be required to learn to utilize various types of electronic and/or manual recording and computerized information systems used by the agency, office, or related units.

Education

Completion of thirty (30) semester hour credits from an accredited college, which shall have included at least twelve (12) semester hour credits in the behavioral sciences.

AND

Experience

Three (3) years of experience in the direct care and/or training of children with social, emotional, psychological, and/or behavioral problems in a residential or community centered program.

OR

Two (2) years of experience in the direct care and/or training of children with social, emotional, psychological, and/or behavioral problems in a residential or community centered program.

License

Appointees will be required to possess a driver's license valid in New Jersey only if the operation of a vehicle, rather than employee mobility, is necessary to perform essential duties of the position.

Appointees may be required to possess a valid Commercial Driver's License (CDL) and applicable endorsements for the class and type of vehicle being operated.

Knowledge, skills and abilities

• Knowledge of general principles of supervision.
• Knowledge of basic theories and practices of human behavior and problems associated to group living facilities.
• Knowledge of psychopathologies and other adjustment and problems of childhood and adolescence, and the appropriate responses to the behavioral manifestations.
• Knowledge of programmatic approaches to behavioral management, including the principles of behavior modification.
• Knowledge of individual and group counseling techniques.
• Knowledge of first-aid and emergency medical care.
• Knowledge of the rules and equipment used in popular games, sports, and other leisure activities and their therapeutic applications.
• Ability to maintain an attitude of objectivity and open- mindedness concerning new approaches and methods of dealing with children's problems.
• Ability to think clearly and act appropriately in an emergency or potentially dangerous situation.
• Ability to counsel staff.
• Ability to assign, evaluate, and supervise the work of others.
• Ability to conduct resident and staff meetings and investigations.
• Ability to keep abreast of new ideas, attitudes, and skills relevant to working with problem children.
• Ability to understand complex concepts of learning and behavior modification, and their application to the client population served.
• Ability to understand and analyze forms of human behavior.
• Ability to work cooperatively and effectively with supervisors, coworkers, and children.
• Ability to participate in recreation activities.
• Ability to design and implement effective learning programs for residents.
• Ability to maintain essential records, reports, and files.
• Ability to prepare required records and reports.
• Ability to conduct safety inspections.
• Ability to learn to utilize various types of electronic and/or manual recording and information systems used by the agency, office, or related units.
• Ability to read, write, speak, understand, or communicate in English sufficiently to perform the duties of this position. American Sign Language or Braille may also be considered as acceptable forms of communication.
• Persons with mental or physical disabilities are eligible as long as they can perform the essential functions of the job after reasonable accommodation is made to their known limitations. If the accommodation cannot be made because it would cause the employer undue hardship, such persons may not be eligible.

Note

The examples of work for this title are for illustrative purposes only. A particular position using this title may not perform all duties listed in this job specification. Conversely, all duties performed on the job may not be listed.

Applicants who do not possess the thirty (30) semester credit hours but who do possess the twelve (12) specific credits as indicated above may substitute additional experience for the remaining education on a year-for-year basis (thirty (30) semester hour credits equals one (1) year of experience).

The responsibility for ensuring that employees possess the required motor vehicle license, commensurate with the class and type of vehicles they operate, rests with the Appointing Authority.