Youth Counselor

Job Description

Please Note: This position is located at the Stonewall Jackson Youth Development Center, a secure facility in Concord, North Carolina, Cabarrus County. The mission of this facility os to provide committed juveniles with a safe, secure environment that fosters healthy decision-making and personal responsibility.

The Youth Counselor is responsible for safeguarding juveniles from each other at all times and utilize a range of counseling techniques and skills in crisis interventions to effect individual treatment plans and facilitate group interaction processes. The Youth Counselor is responsible for administering scoring, interpreting a variety of assessment tools to evaluate treatment progress, and reviewing treatment strategies to achieve rehabilitation goals. This role functions as a member of the therapeutic treatment team and participate in the development of individual treatment, educational, vocational and community reintegration programs.

Work also involves planning, orchestrating and supervising juvenile movement; monitoring juveniles to maintain safety; and providing behavioral intervention and restraint as needed.

Bachelor's degree in human services field or related human services field from an appropriately accredited institution and two years of experience working with at-risk youth or an equivalent combination of education and experience.

Note: 
An Associate's degree in mental health, child development programs, or criminal justice, and four years of experience in institution work which emphasized the use of behavior management techniques will be accepted. Shift work is required for this position to include evenings, weekend and holiday hours. 

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Tab/Accordion Items

Selected applicant should have considerable knowledge of:

  • Principles and techniques of working with children who exhibit emotional disabilities, retardation, learning disabilities, developmental disabilities and assaultive and aggressive patterns of behavior
  • Working knowledge and understanding of minority group cultures

Selected applicant should have skill in:

  • Observing, recording and evaluating adaptive, social and psychotic behavior among children
  • Instructing

Selected applicant should have the ability to:

  • Plan, implement and monitor a behavior modification treatment program
  • Establish and maintain effective working relationships with staff at all levels
  • Organize and prepare accurate records, charts and reports and to analyze information
  • Act quickly and efficiently in an emergency situation
  • Communicate effectively in oral and written form, particularly with adolescents and their families

Applicants with a Human Service degree such as Divinity, Education, Health Education, Religion, Political Science, Social Science, Sociology, Special Education, Therapeutic Education, or similar subjects must attach a copy of his/her college transcript for evaluation.  Bachelor's degree in a related Human Services field, such as Criminal Justice, Sociology, Education, Religion or similar subjects shall include 25 semester hours of coursework related to the human services field

  • Hiring salary range $36,761 - $57,493 annual salary
  • Advancement potential through promotional opportunities
  • State retirement plan
  • North Carolina State Employee 401(k) Plan
  • North Carolina State Employee insurance coverage
  • Sick leave and annual leave
  • Workers compensation
  • Specialized training
  • Military training leave
  • Community service leave

Selected applicant must attend and successfully complete and pass the Juvenile Justice Officer Basic Training certification program. The certification requires four weeks to complete and is comprised of classroom and physically demanding training. This training is carried out at regional training centers and requires consecutive overnight stays. In addition the selected candidate must:

  • Have or be able to obtain required certification(s) as a Juvenile Justice Officer (i.e. a diploma)
  • Pass a Criminal Background check and pass a Drug Screening test
  • Pass a Psychological test and pass a Sexual Risk Screening test
  • Pass a Physical
  • Be a US citizen and at least 20 years of age
  • Have a valid driver’s license