Life SKills Teacher I/House Couple - Omaha, NE

Position Summary

A Life Skills Teacher I is responsible for meeting the physical, emotional, social, academic and spiritual needs of youth residents within a family environment.  This should occur in a respectable and efficient manner in support of the Home’s Mission while professionally representing the Home.

Essential Functionsinclude the following.  Other duties may be assigned.

·         Ensures youth  are dressed, fed and ready for school, employment, wellness, 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.

·         Adheres to in home nutritional plans and invests in youth wellness program.

·         Supervises and inspects youth’s daily chores in order to maintain building maintenance standards.

·         Assists and encourages youth with educational challenges in order to achieve academic goals.

·         Disciplines youth and recommends other measures to control behavior using the motivational system which involves teaching interactions, both positive and negative, and recording points earned on youth cards at end of each day/week along with natural and logical consequences.

·         Prepares various reports such as weekly progress reports, school reports, treatment plans, cottage operating budget, incident reports, etc.

·         Accompanies youth to meals in dining hall or prepares food in home, when necessary.

·         Attends staff meetings, training sessions,family team meetings, therapeutic meetings, or court hearings, etc..

·         Plans and leads recreational activities such as cottage outings.

·         Performs various tasks such as telephone duty, handling incoming mail, counseling, recording petty cash, communication with guardians/collaterals, transporting to appointments, scheduling appointments, etc.

Required Experience:

·           High school diploma or equivalent required. College degree preferred.

·           Must be married and at least 21 years of age.

·           Minimum of 2 years’ job-related experience, preferably in a youth services department, or an equivalent combination of education and experience that provides the required knowledge, skills and abilities.

·           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 effectively interact with sensitivity and responsiveness to cultural differences present in the organization’s service population, both individually and in groups. 

·           Must possess a valid driver’s license with a good driving record and current auto insurance, and the ability to pass an extensive background check.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

Knowledge:

English Language— Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.

Clerical— Knowledge of administrative and clerical procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, designing forms, and other office procedures and terminology.

Customer and Personal Service— Knowledge of principles and processes for providing client and customer services. This includes customer/client needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.

Psychology— Basic knowledge of human behavior and performance, learning and motivation; Demonstrates an understanding of individual differences in ability, personality, and interests;

Safety and Security— Knowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective organizational security operations for the protection of people, data, property.

Skills:

Active Listening— giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.

Speaking— talking to others to convey information effectively.

Time Management— managing one's own time and the time of others.

Coordination— adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.

Critical Thinking— using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.

Judgment and Decision Making— Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.

Social Perceptiveness— Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.

Monitoring— Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.

Reading Comprehension— Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.

Abilities:

Oral Comprehension— the ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.

Oral Expression— the ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.

Deductive Reasoning— the ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.

Problem Sensitivity— the ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem.

Speech Recognition— the ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.

Written Comprehension— the ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.

Inductive Reasoning— the ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).

Written Expression— the ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.

Performance Standards:

Home Management

·         Ensure a clean, safe, and well-maintained home

·         Home should be free of dirt and/or stains on floors, rugs, walls, windows, furniture, etc.  

·         Clothing, recreational equipment, dishes, etc. should be put away in their proper location 

·         The yard, porches, and sidewalks should be free from leaves, dirt, and other debris 

Program Integration Skills

·         Program components are executed according to program protocol

·         Consistency is evident across the population

Cooperation

·         Establish a positive rapport with guardians, probation officers, school personnel, administrators, etc.

·         Professional, cooperative relationships with coworkers, campus departments, and other consumers

·         Positive attitude

Administrative Skills

·         Punctuality, attendance at meetings, quality of reports, budget management, and treatment planning

·         Relevant documentation maintained according to agency standards
 

Competencies:

Accountability—The ability to make commitments to action, and keep those commitments. Seeks responsibilities that add value beyond the normal scope of the job. Takes personal responsibility for mistakes or omissions.

Teamwork — Collaborates positively with other team members, giving and accepting constructive criticism. Proactively shares appropriate information with team members and customers.

Job Knowledge— Has sufficient job knowledge to perform job requirements. Learns new techniques quickly and properly, and applies them to work appropriately.

Communication— Receives direction and feedback well from others. Informs supervisors, managers and co-workers of key issues as appropriate. Contributes to a suitable communication environment by valuing the ideas and contributions of others. Demonstrates respect for all individuals regardless of their background or culture. Is sensitive to confidentiality.

Reliability— Is punctual and adheres to attendance standards consistently. Completes projects assigned on a timely basis. Exhibits strong work ethic, honesty and integrity in all aspects of the position.

Physical Demands:

·         Frequent computer usage

·         Must be able to effectively operate the telephone system and other office equipment. 

·         Must be able to deal with normal levels of stress

·         The incumbent must be able to finger, grasp, feel, move, sit, see, hear, and speak. 

·         Frequently required to stand, reach with hands and arms, climb or balance

·         The employee must regularly lift and/or move up to 10 pounds, frequently lift and/or move up to 25 pounds, and occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds

Working Conditions:

·         Frequent deadlines

·         Workload may fluctuate throughout the year

·         Typical office environment

• Regular and punctual attendance at the assigned work location is required.