FEATURED JOB OPENING: Family Teaching Couple (Houseparents) - Kissimmee, FL

We are seeking a Family Teaching Couple in Kissimmee, Fl. The Teaching Couple is a married couple that provides warm and caring professional parenting interactions for 4 youth ages 15-21 that in in foster care. The Teaching Couple will live on-site at the group home. Interactions and responses to youth are informed by knowledge of the complex issues faced by youth in foster care and by an understanding that youth need to be equipped to resolve their family issues and to prepare themselves for future success.

Essential Job Functions: Create an intentional community of learning, emphasizing the value of education and promoting active involvement in a variety of learning activities. This includes full involvement with processes that prepare youth for adult living, afterschool programs, summer programs, daily homework completion, and reading for enjoyment. Document all serious incidents and turn in to supervisor within 24 hours. Administer medications as directed by physician and maintain up to date and accurate records of all medications administered. Ensure youth are available for all appointments for therapy, medical, dental, etc. If an appointment must be missed the Teaching Couple will notify the appropriate person with as much advance notice as possible. Work with the supervisors to maintain a weekly schedule of activities for youth in the home. Work cooperatively with team members to insure responsibilities are being carried out.

Working Conditions: Must be able to work extended hours when necessary. May be required to provide awake-night staffing in emergency situations. Must regularly be on call for the group home children when on duty but children in care are away from the home. Must be able to see, hear and respond to youth in multiple settings. The Teaching Couple will work five days a week, with two days (8 hour shifts) off per week and one weekend monthly. The Teaching Couple will accrue 2 weeks of paid vacation per year. The Teaching Couple salary will be $42,500 per couple per year plus $400 per month towards health insurance costs. The Teaching Couple will live on-site at the group home. The Teaching Couple will both be employed by Grace Landing and neither will be able to have other employment.

Job Requirements: A minimum of a high school diploma is required, plus one or more years of experience in working with children or youth. Must be at least 30 years of age. Must be a married couple. Must pass fingerprinting and background checks including abuse hotline registry. The Teaching Couple reports directly to Group Home Director.

Skills: Must be well organized and self-motivated. Must be able to prioritize and meet timelines, completing assignments and projects in a timely manner. Must have excellent oral and written communication skills. Must have knowledge of computer programs such as Word, Outlook, Quicken and Excel. Must demonstrate the ability to work with others on a team. Must improve skills over time through training and professional development processes.

SUMMARY:
Provides individual and group guidance services to residents by performing the following duties.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES include the following. Other duties may be assigned.

·         Meets weekly with the Independent Living Coordinator (ILC) or Director

·         Assists residents in their personal and social adjustments through daily contact in the home.

·         Assist residents develop a resume and set goals to complete employment applications and periodically take them to look for jobs

·         Introduce residents to volunteer opportunities

·         Supervises housing activities and compliance with Grace Landing Rental Policy and Code of Conduct

·         Meet with residents weekly to review past goals and set new goals

·         Facilitates weekly Bible studies with the residents

·         Brings willing residents to a church service every week and seeks out additional opportunities for residents to get involved in the church community

·         Assists residents in creating and implementing goals for school, work, volunteering, and personal

·         Performs curfew checks and weekly housing inspections

·         Investigates reports of misconduct and attempts to resolve or eliminate causes of conflict among residents

·         Identifies possible student concerns and refers them to the ILC

·         Assigns discipline as necessary

·         Assists residents during move-in, emergencies, fire drills, and threatening weather situations

QUALIFICATIONS
To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required.  An individual must also maintain a job outside of Grace Landing in order to fully model the skills necessary to successfully live independently. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE
Must maintain a cumulative academic grade point average (GPA) of 2.0.

LANGUAGE AND SKILLS
Ability to read and interpret documents such as safety rules, operating and maintenance instruction, and procedure manuals.  Ability to write routine reports and correspondence. Ability to speak effectively before groups of young adults.

REASONING ABILITY
Ability to define problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS
The physical demands described hereare representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently, required to stand, walk, climb stairs, sit, talk or hear, and smell. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, color vision, and ability to adjust focus.

WORK ENVIRONMENT
The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.