Resident Advisor - Independent Living

Do you want to help make the lives of young adults better?How would you like to work every other week? We provide housing during your work week. Your work week is Tuesday to Tuesday and then have a week off. Think of gas prices right now and the fact that you do not have to drive back and forth to work each day!

This position is a non-exempt, hourly position and the annualized pay is $39,440. Details of pay: $12.00 per hour for the first 40 hours and $18.00 per hour overtime in a pay week. There are two pay periods in a shift; Tuesday through Friday and Saturday through Tuesday. There are opportunities for additional overtime as well.

The primary role of the Resident Advisor (RA) is to oversee the day-to-day care, mentoring, instruction and supervision of the young adults assigned to his/her Independent Living Cottages and retreats including pregnant youth and mothers with their children that are under the Baby Program Care. The Resident Advisor is responsible for monitoring all the aspects of daily cottage life and is, in essence, the primary caring person for the Young Adults and Mothers with children in the Independent Living Cottage.

While on duty, Resident Advisors are required to reside in the cottage of their assigned Young Adults. Resident Advisor’s schedule, duties and responsibilities may fluctuate during the work week in order to address the needs of each Independent Living resident such as driving the resident to school/college, spiritual life events, community involvement, individual personal errands, and community service activities, among others. If there is a break in the schedule, Resident Advisors are free to leave campus during their work week to attend to personal business, provided they can be reached via cell phone to address any urgent/unexpected matter. As a result, hours worked by a Resident Advisor during the work week may vary due to programmed and sudden situations and schedules.

EDUCATION AND/OR EXPERIENCE

• High School Diploma or GED required
• Certified first aid and CPR, preferable (may be obtained during first 3 months of employment)
• Five years’ experience working with at risk adolescents including exposure to youth counseling regarding different life aspects
• Knowledge of Independent Living Rules and Regulations

QUALIFICATIONS

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Excellent communication skills, written and verbal
• Excellent interpersonal skills
• Proficient in computer programs (Microsoft, Outlook, Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Kaleida Care, etc.
• Demonstrated ability to work under a stressful environment including working extended hours as needed
• Ability to make sudden sound judgement and decisions that support youth wellbeing and safety, short and long term
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively with co-workers
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively with a diversity of youth, their needs, challenges and opportunities
• High personal values and standards that serve as model for youth
• Demonstrated ability to work with the treatment team to make decisions on issues related to the Resident/Young Adults in the cottage assigned
• Must have sensitivity to the service population’s cultural and socioeconomic characteristics
• Ability to serve as counsel for a diversity of needs including, but not limited to, schooling/education opportunities and goal planning, work pursuit and education/preparation for interviewing processes, normal personal behavioral situations, such as, drug and alcohol abuse/use and rehabilitation, personal individual self-esteem challenges, relationships conflicts, among others.

CERTIFICATES, LICENSES, REGISTRATIONS

• Valid Florida Driver's License (with passenger endorsement)

PRIMARY DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Responsible for carrying out agency policies and procedures in the cottage and on-campus as dictated by the Policy and procedures Manual and the assigned supervisor
• Responsible for creating an atmosphere conducive to growth and development of Independent Young Adults as individuals and as a cottage group
• Responsible for assisting and mentoring Young Adults in their pursuits to gain independence
• Lead the monthly community meetings to discuss concerns, ideas and implementation of decisions made. Includes chores, household duties, curfew ground rules, relationships, schooling, work commitments, others
• Advise, counsel and follow up on the youth’s wellbeing relating to dating/romance relationships, alcohol and drug abuse, rehabilitation and/or AA Programs, suicide attempts, depression, among other needs and refer youth to corresponding agency resource
• Contact different agency resources for educational and support of youth needs
• Take youth for drug testing appointments, and channel positive results through proper agencies/treatment centers including determining if addiction requires further counseling and follow-up
• Teach, monitor, inspect and ensure that youth follow and learn the proper household chores/activities
• Follow-up with different citizenship requirements including contacting respective agencies and counsel youth for on-time compliance (i.e. work citizenship requirements compliance among others)
• Oversee the maintenance of the cottage, its furnishings, and its grounds
• Plan and provide for the transportation for Young Adults as deemed necessary to various functions and activities and maintaining all necessary maintenance documentation. This includes the planning of driving a group of youth within the same route to and from school, work commitments, personal errands, recreational activities, etc. This may be done throughout the day, evening and late night on a daily basis as applicable.
• Responsible for educating, mentoring and monitoring Young Adults in Independent Living activities to include money/budget management, food management, person appearance and hygiene, health, housekeeping, transportation, education planning, job seeking skills, job maintenance, emergency and safety skills, and knowledge of community resources, interpersonal safety skills, legal issues and housing
• Will advocate for the young adult and participate in preparing them to become independent from the Florida United Methodist Children’s Home
• Responsible for assisting the Residents in the maintenance of the program rules and regulations
• Reporting: prepare Case notes for each youth’s treatment, needs, opportunities and incidents to ensure proper communication flow with next incoming shift staff (changeover)
• Monitor medicine taking to ensure health treatments are not interrupted
• Prepare monthly hygiene reports including the purchase of household supplies, food, maintenance requests, etc.
• Teach and monitor youth cooking and food preparation to ensure safety compliance
• Conduct one-on-one meetings with youth to ensure compliance and education of different life aspects as needed
• Meet and discuss with Case Managers, on a monthly basis, each youth’s treatment program and needs including defining proper adjustments to ensure youth’s safety, health and development

SECONDARY DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Participates in team and department meetings
• Responsible for assisting in the accumulation of data and the formulation of service plans
• Responsible for monitoring, coordinating and supporting auxiliary services (recreational, religious, counseling, etc.) rendered to the Resident
• Participates in in-service training required by regulatory entities and as assigned by the Mental Health Therapist/Director

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES

This position has no supervisory responsibilities.

Job Type: Full-time

Salary: $12.00 per hour

Benefits:

• Dental insurance
• Employee assistance program
• Employee discount
• Flexible spending account
• Health insurance
• Health savings account
• Life insurance
• Paid time off
• Retirement plan
• Tuition reimbursement
• Vision insurance

Work Location: In person

Equal Employment Opportunity

The Florida United Methodist Children's Home is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Race, color, religion, age, sex, disability, marital or veteran status, genetic information or sexual orientation/gender identity, place of national origin and other categories protected by law are not factors in employment, promotion, compensation or working conditions.