Shelter Worker (#TS9252)
$23.24-$28.25 Hourly / $4,028.50-$4,896.67 Monthly / $48,342.06-$58,760.08 Yearly

Under immediate supervision, provides supervision, care, and evaluation of troubled, abused and/or neglected youth in a residential care facility; assists in implementing activities; monitors and records behaviors; and does related and other work as required in accordance with Rule 3, Section 3 of the Civil Service Rules.

Shelter Worker is a single-position classification. Incumbents work closely with other staff in dependent children's care facilities, learning to identify and resolving difficult situations involving troubled youth from diverse cultural and ethnic backgrounds. Incumbents work under close supervision within established guidelines and parameters as determined by management. Incumbents are assigned duties that will provide an orientation and training to Intensive Services, the Family Services Unit, or the Visitation Center.

• Learns to assist Shelter Counselors in overseeing the daily activities and behaviors of children within a care facility; assists in the scheduling, and implementation of on-site and off-site activities; assists in ensuring the safety and proper care of children during outings and routine activities; assists in conducting daily counts of children to ensure safety and knowledge of their whereabouts.
• Assists in the assignment and the development of children's work assignments; reviews work of children to ensure its completion; learns to work with children to identify and promote desired behaviors; ensures compliance with rules and regulations relating to the safe and orderly operation of the shelter.
• Consults with supervisory and lead staff to determine appropriate intervention strategies to meet children's physical and emotional needs; with supervision and guidance, applies approved techniques within established guidelines.
• Assists in processing new children to the unit, providing orientation, and treating for medical conditions as required; assists children in obtaining daily living items and personal grooming items; provides guidance in living skills and assists in preparing children for their release from the shelter.
• Cleans and sanitizes common areas; sorts, launders, and stores donated and personal items for children; ensures the work unit is ready for the next shift.
• Identifies and reports safety issues, hazards, and health concerns requiring correction; reports items needing repair; takes immediate action to eliminate or reduce safety hazards; prepares records of actions taken and forwards to appropriate person for review or further action.
• Assists in providing basic medical first aid to injured children; records details of injuries and actions taken; drives children to medical facilities such as emergency rooms and clinics for treatment or scheduled appointments.
• Picks up, delivers, unloads, and stores needed supplies and donated items; drives children to activities and functions.
• Directs visitors to appropriate offices and provides needed information; receives phone calls for residents and staff; takes messages and routes to the proper person.

License:  Possession of a valid California driver's license.

Special Requirement:  Must pass fingerprinting as required by State Law.

Education:  Completion of 30 semester units at an accredited college or university, including at least 6 semester units in the social or behavioral sciences.

General principles of human behavior, both normal and abnormal; basic group and individual counseling techniques; basic psychological theories, terminology, treatment methods; causes, effects, and symptoms of juvenile delinquency; general report writing and composition principles; basic child physical, mental and emotional growth and development; basic principles and techniques of first aid; accepted principles and practices of public relations.

Read and understand written materials; prepare and maintain legible files, records, and logs; write clear and concise reports; make and record observations accurately; clean assigned areas to meet health and safety needs; learn to effectively use and apply observation, counseling, and intervention skills and techniques to evaluate and recommend needed action for dependent youth; assess potentially dangerous situations accurately; make sound decisions requiring independent judgment; work with hyperactive, troubled, and developmentally delayed youth from ethnically diverse backgrounds; provide minor medical aid; learn to perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation as required; learn, apply, and adhere to policies, procedures, rules and regulations governing interactions with youth and the operations of a residential facility for children; operate a variety of office equipment and home appliances to perform assigned duties; plan and implement a variety of activities to meet the children's needs; drive a vehicle in the performance of assigned duties; establish and maintain effective relationships with others contacted in the performance of assigned duties.

Mobility-Constant walking; frequent driving and climbing stairs; occasional operation of keyboards, pushing/pulling, bending/squatting and running; Lifting-Frequent lifting of heavy objects or people; occasionally able to lift 5-70 pounds; Vision-Constant use of good overall vision and field of vision/peripheral; frequent reading/close-up work and eye/hand coordination; occasional depth and color perception; Dexterity-Frequent writing and reaching, occasional grasping, holding, and repetitive motion; Hearing/Talking-Constant talking/hearing in person; frequent hearing/talking on the telephone; Emotional/Psychological-Constant concentration and working weekends and nights; frequent decision making, public contact and dealing with emergency situations; occasional exposure to hazardous materials, trauma, grief and death; Environmental-Constant exposure to noise.