Alternate House Parents - Omaha, NE

Summary

A House Parent is responsible for meeting the physical, emotional, social, academic and spiritual needs of youth residents within a family environment in a respectable and efficient manner in support of the Home’s Mission Statement and for professionally representing the Home.

Essential Job Functions include the following.  Other duties may be assigned.

• Awakens youth each morning and ensures they are dressed, fed and ready for school or other activities including church and recreational activities.
• Gives instruction to youth regarding desirable health and personal habits and represents a desirable role model to youth.
• Supervises and inspects youth’s daily chores and kitchen jobs in order to maintain building maintenance standards.
• Assists and encourages youth with educational problems in order to achieve academic goals.
• Disciplines youth and recommends other measures to control behavior such as motivational system which involves teaching interactions, both positive and negative, and recording points earned on youth cards at end of each day/week.
• Prepares various reports such as weekly progress reports, school reports, treatment plans, cottage operating budget, incident reports, etc.
• Accompanies youth to meals in dining room or prepares food in cottage, when necessary.
• Attends staff meetings, training sessions, parent/teacher conferences and school open houses.
• Plans and leads recreational activities such as cottage outings.
• Performs various tasks such as telephone duty, handling incoming mail, counseling, recording petty cash, etc.
• Performs any other duties and/or tasks that may be assigned on an as needed basis.

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 individual with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Minimum level of high school diploma or GED.  College education desirable.
• Must be married and at least 21 years of age.
• Must possess a valid driver’s license with good driving record and automobile liability insurance
• Ability to effectively interact with sensitivity and responsiveness to cultural differences present in the organization’s service population, both individually and in groups.
• Must have an understanding of youth and their different behaviors.
• Ability to handle stress and exercise self-control.
• Knowledge of psychological and sociological aspects of youth desired.
• Must have the ability to implement the motivational system in a positive and effective way.
• Must be able to be certified and able to perform “Nonviolent Crisis Intervention.
• Basic knowledge of first aid and safety and be able to obtain CPR certification.
• Ability to handle multiple tasks efficiently and to organize work to meet proper deadlines.

Physical Requirements:

The incumbent must be able to finger, grasp, feel, walk, climb stairs, sit, see, hear, and speak.  Must be able to effectively operate the current computer system, telephone system, other office equipment and washers and dryers.  Must be able to operate an automobile and van and possess a valid driver’s license, automobile liability insurance and a good driving record.