Youth Development Counselor - North Central Secure Treatment Unit (NCSTU)

Are you looking for an opportunity to make a positive impact on young people? Do you possess strong mentoring skills and compassion that can help youth overcome challenges in a safe, secure, and structured environment? The Department of Human Services (DHS), Bureau of Juvenile Justice Systems (BJJS), North Central Secure Treatment Unit is seeking hard-working, enthusiastic, and dedicated Youth Development Counselors who are willing to roll up their sleeves and develop meaningful relationships with residents that encourage positive change. If you want to work with a team committed to empowering court-adjudicated youth to build bright futures, then this is the perfect opportunity for you! Apply today!

Watch this video to see how you can make a difference!

As a Youth Development Counselor, you will actively engage with court-adjudicated youth who require guidance, instruction, treatment, and specialized services in a secure or restricted setting. You will develop, implement, and monitor individual treatment programs, as well as conduct individual, group, and family counseling sessions. You will assess and counsel youth about their thought processes, actions, and personal problems to provide insight into responsible behaviors and attitudes. You will address crisis situations and maintain order using verbal and physical intervention with disruptive, emotionally improper, and suicidal youth. In addition, you will use appropriate physical restraint techniques to prevent escapes, control aggressiveness, and maintain a safe, secure, or restricted environment. This role requires the ability to provide guidance that will influence values and ideals to enable court adjudicated-youth to develop a genuine desire to change social and emotional behaviors.

Interested in learning more? Additional details regarding this position can be found in the position description.

Work Schedule and Additional Information:

• Full-time employment, 40 hours per week
• The North Central Secure Treatment Unit operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. Varying 8-hour shifts will include 7:00 AM to 3:00 PM, 3:00 PM to 11:00 PM, and 11:00 PM to 7:00 AM. You will work 5-days on and 2-days off, with no duty-free lunch. Your schedule may change based on operational needs.
• Overtime and travel as needed
• Free parking
• Telework: You will not have the option to telework in this position.
• Salary: Selected candidates who are new to employment with the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania will begin employment at the starting annual salary of $63,301.00 (before taxes).
• You will receive further communication regarding this position via email. Check your email, including spam/junk folders, for these notices.

QUALIFICATIONS

Minimum Experience and Training Requirements:

• Four years of experience as a Juvenile Justice Specialist (Commonwealth job title or equivalent Federal Government job title, as determined by the Office of Administration); or
• Three years of experience as a Juvenile Justice Specialist Supervisor (Commonwealth job title or equivalent Federal Government job title, as determined by the Office of Administration); or
• One year of experience in the care, custody, supervision, activities, leadership, or personal guidance of court adjudicated or socially maladjusted individuals in an organized program, and a bachelor's degree in the behavioral sciences, special education, juvenile justice, or criminal justice; or
• An equivalent combination of experience and training that includes one year of experience in the care, custody, supervision, activities, leadership, or personal guidance of court adjudicated or socially maladjusted individuals in an organized program.

Other Requirements:

• You must be willing to accept employment at North Central Secure Treatment Unit and commute to this location in Montour County.
• PA residency requirement is currently waived for this title.
• You must be able to perform essential job functions.

Legal Requirements:

• A conditional offer of employment will require a medical examination and a drug screening.
• This position falls under the provisions of the Child Protective Services Law.
  • Under the Law, a conditional offer of employment will require submission and approval of satisfactory criminal history reports including, but not limited to, PA State Police clearance, PA Child Abuse history clearance, and FBI Fingerprint clearance.

How to Apply:

• Resumes, cover letters, and similar documents will not be reviewed, and the information contained therein will not be considered for the purposes of determining your eligibility for the position. Information to support your eligibility for the position must be provided on the application (i.e., relevant, detailed experience/education).
• If you are claiming education in your answers to the supplemental application questions, you must attach a copy of your college transcripts for your claim to be accepted toward meeting the minimum requirements. Unofficial transcripts are acceptable.
• Your application must be submitted by the posting closing date. Late applications and other required materials will not be accepted.
• Failure to comply with the above application requirements may eliminate you from consideration for this position.

Veterans:

Telecommunications Relay Service (TRS):

If you are contacted for an interview and need accommodations due to a disability, please discuss your request for accommodations with the interviewer in advance of your interview date.

The Commonwealth is an equal employment opportunity employer and is committed to a diverse workforce. The Commonwealth values inclusion as we seek to recruit, develop, and retain the most qualified people to serve the citizens of Pennsylvania. The Commonwealth does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religious creed, ancestry, union membership, age, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, AIDS or HIV status, disability, or any other categories protected by applicable federal or state law. All diverse candidates are encouraged to apply.

• Completing the application, including all supplemental questions, serves as your exam for this position. No additional exam is required at a test center (also referred to as a written exam).
• Your score is based on the detailed information you provide on your application and in response to the supplemental questions.
• Your score is valid for this specific posting only.
• You must provide complete and accurate information or:
  • your score may be lower than deserved.
  • you may be disqualified.
• You may only apply/test once for this posting.
• Your results will be provided via email.