CharityVillage

Direct Care Worker – Residential Programs

Reporting to:

Residential Supervisor

Summary:

Under the leadership of a Residential Program Supervisor, supervise a group of up to eight youth with identified mental health issues and behavioral difficulties in a residential treatment setting, ensuring their physical, emotional and mental well-being by maintaining a safe environment, developing supportive professional relationships, building on client strengths, promoting growth though teaching and modeling new and/or more effective adaptive skills.

Competencies:

• Adaptability - adapts and responds to changing conditions, priorities, technologies and requirements including intense and stressful situations
• Client focused - provides superior service to clients including youth and their caregivers
• Communication - expresses and transmits information verbally and in writing with consistency and clarity dealing pleasantly and effectively with a wide range of people of different ages, ethnicities and cultures in potentially emotionally charged situations
• Cultural Sensitivity - promotes an inclusive environment
• Problem Solving - able to analyze situations, identify key issues, develop and implement practical solutions in complex situations and mitigate safety concerns using the available tools and information to support decisions and solutions
• Professionalism - demonstrates professional standards of conduct
• Results Oriented - able to focus on desired outcomes and the means by which they are achieved
• Teamwork - works cooperatively and effectively with others and participates actively in group activities fostering a team environment
• Flexibility; able to respond appropriately to changing working conditions and scheduling

Job Duties:

• Create and maintain a normalized living environment that is safe and secure

• Provide consistent structure with reasonable expectations

• Respect and protect the rights of clients, including privacy, dignity, independence, autonomy and self-determination and the choice and practice of individual values, beliefs, religion, and cultural practices

• Maintain appropriate personal boundaries

• Maintain professional appearance, demeanor, and attitude at all times

• Model and encourage the development of adaptive skills including anger management, conflict resolution and problem solving

• Encourage open communication, listen, encourage, nurture and validate feelings

• Support the implementation of service plans and report progress

• Implement safety plans and de-escalate and contain serious maladaptive behavior to ensure all clients and staff are safe and to limit destruction of property using Understanding and Managing Aggressive Behavior techniques

• Act as an advocate for youth as necessary

• Dispense medications following proper procedure and reporting requirements

• Support clients and their teacher in the residentially based classroom

• Participate in recreation, craft and social activities which may involve transporting clients

• Record information using logs books, write reports, track petty cash expenditures

• Maintain professional appearance, demeanor, and attitude at all times

• Report any known or suspected incidents of abuse to the proper authorities

• Work cooperatively with collateral agencies

• Perform household duties including grocery shopping, cooking, laundry, minor repairs, decorating with and for clients

Job Requirements:

• Diploma in a Child and Youth Care, Social Service or Human Services Worker program from a provincially recognized college or an equivalent as determined by the agency using the OCSWSSW Registered Social Service Worker equivalents
• Related experience and ability to work with children, youth and their families/caregivers
• Clear police check and vulnerable sector screening
• Valid Class G driver's license with a clear driving abstract
• Valid UMAB, CPR and First Aid Certification

Working Conditions:

• Work hours and schedules set by the Supervisor and as described in the Collective Agreement including days, afternoons, nights, weekends, and statutory holidays
• Perform work in various program settings including the residential setting, agency vehicle, classroom, or in the community
• Use an agency credit card retaining and submitting receipts
• Drive agency vehicle as necessary
• Maintain certifications in UMAB and Standard First Aid/CPR
• Attend and participate in team meetings, in-service trainings, and professional development opportunities
• Participate in supervision as well as annual performance reviews
• Intermittent physical activity including walking, standing, sitting, lifting, and supporting clients

The above job description reflects the major aspects of the job and shall not be construed as a detailed description of all work requirements inherent in the job. All positions may be assigned other job related duties as required from time to time.