About this role
Be the person who shows up. Be the example. Make an impact.
Looking for a job where no two days are the same—and where the work you do truly matters?
As a Youth Counselor at our STOP Campus in Bertram, Iowa, youll work directly with boys ages 12–17, providing structure, support, encouragement, and consistency during an important time in their lives. This isn't a desk job. You'll be actively involved in their day, helping youth build skills, navigate challenges, make better choices, and recognize their potential.
What is STOP?
Our STOP (Supervised Treatment Opportunity Program) Campus is a structured residential program serving adolescent boys ages 12–17. The program provides a safe, supportive, and highly structured environment where youth can work on behavioral needs, develop positive coping and life skills, build healthy relationships, and prepare for successful transitions back to their families and communities.
At STOP, our goal isn't simply to supervise youth, it's to meet them where they are, hold them accountable, recognize their strengths, and help them move forward.
What You'll Do
As a Youth Counselor, you'll be one of the people our youth interact with most. You'll provide direct care and supervision while building relationships that create opportunities for growth and change.
Your responsibilities will include:
- Build meaningful relationship with youth based on consistency, trust, respect, and appropriate boundaries.
- Provide a safe, structured, and supportive environment while maintaining appropriate supervision.
- Use everyday situations as opportunities to teach problem-solving, communication, accountability, coping, and other life skills.
- Recognize potential problems early and use proactive strategies to help prevent situations from escalating.
- Utilize approved behavior-management and de-escalation techniques to help youth develop healthier responses and behaviors.
- Help youth gain insight into their choices, recognize patterns, and learn to self-identify and self-correct behaviors.
- Understand each youth's individual treatment plan and provide appropriate supervision and treatment interventions.
- Participate in group, behavioral, and life-space interventions and provide appropriate feedback and direction.
- Ensure youths' basic needs are consistently and appropriately met.
- Serve as a positive role model and an agent of change for the youth in our care.
- Safely transport youth to program activities and community resources while following agency transportation and supervision protocols.
- Work collaboratively with your team, supervisors, and other professionals to review progress and provide the best possible programming for each youth.
- Follow medication-management guidelines and established program procedures.
- Develop and maintain knowledge of Behavioral Health Intervention Services (BHIS).
- Complete required documentation accurately and on time, including daily case notes, behavioral documentation, visual checks, and other program records.
If you're looking for more than just a job and want an opportunity to make a difference for youth who need positive, consistent adults in their corner, we'd love to hear from you.
Qualifications
What you need:
You will need to be at least 21 years of age and possess a High School Diploma or GED to qualify. A Bachelor's Degree in a Human Services related field of study is preferred. Additional requirements include:
- Desire to help kids succeed
- Prior experience working with children in a school or mental health setting preferred
- Strong communication and problem solving abilities
- Basic computer skills in a MS Office environment
Apply now for immediate consideration!