Youth Specialist Job Description
Youth specialists work in facilities that cater to the emotional and mental wellness of children and young adults.
Their main duty is to improve their wards’ social and psychological welfare, in order to ensure that they lead good lives.
As a youth specialist, you have to make sure that you are understanding and patient. At times, you will be dealing with juvenile delinquents, which is why sensitivity matters a lot.
Specifically, a youth specialist facilitates behavioral modification programs. Ensuring security and discipline is part of his or her work. Also, it is important for youth specialists to be able to supervise youths in order to ensure their safety.
Apart from supervision, a youth specialist makes sure that necessary documentation is prepared and completed.
Assisting in the treatment and rehabilitation of residents in accordance with treatment plans is another area that youth specialists need to be well-versed.
Here is a list of duties particular to the position of a youth specialist:
Youth Specialist Duties & Responsibilities
• Confer with parents or guardians in order to determine residents’ problems and limitations.
• Interview residents to determine their specific personalities.
• Check residents’ care plans to figure out a care package.
• Provide one on one assistance in meeting set goals.
• Develop individual service plans.
• Coordinate home visits.
• Observe residents’ behavior in order to determine efficacy plans.
• Provide family members with information on problematic issues.
• Observe and record information such as behavior and progress.
• Provide an accurate summary of each resident’s daily behavior.
• Establish a safe environment for residents.
• Assist residents in participating in daily activities.
• Perform duties, for example, meal preparation, medication administration, and activities organization.
• Monitor overnight activity as instructed.
• Maintain unit environments.
• Assess youths in order to determine signs of negativity, such as self-harm, and suicidal thoughts.
• Coordinate home visits for assigned youths.
• Create and maintain documentation.
• Ensure that the facility is safe for resident activities.
• Advise parents and guardians about safety rules and regulations for youths at home.
• Accompany residents to doctors’ appointments, and therapy.
• Create a schedule of interesting activities for residents.
• Follow plans in order to ensure treatment and rehabilitation of assigned youths.
• Follow plans in order to ensure treatment and rehabilitation of assigned youths.
• Assist in searching rooms for non-permissible items such as drugs and weapons.