What are the responsibilities and job description for the Recovery Advocate position at YSS?
YSS is looking for an enthusiastic, resilient, detail oriented, approachable Recovery Advocate to join our Youth Recovery House (YRH) team! The Recovery Advocate's primarily responsibility is to support each and every participant from their first day to months after they leave the program.
Responsible for the daily living routine and general management of the program, the Recovery Advocate will supervise, provide support, and establish rapport with participants, while providing an atmosphere of safety and mutual respect. The Recovery Advocate will work to ensure all basic needs of the participants are met, and that they are provided with a safe, stable environment in which to work towards self-responsibility and sobriety. Additional responsibilities include:
- Preparingthe facility for new admissions.
- Orientingnew participants to the program and facility and making bedroom and bathroom assignments.
- Supervisingunpacking, appropriately searchingparticipants and their belongings, and inventoryingparticipants belongings.
- Assistingparticipants with securing basic needs such as food, clothing, bedding, personal care products, etc.
- Encouragingparticipants to maintain personal hygiene through proper care of body,clothing, and living quarters.
- Distributingmedications at appropriate times.
- Conducting an assessment of the participantrelated to education, life skills and job training needs.
- Establishingcase management for each participant.
- Developingtreatment plan goals; ensuringthe participant has the resources needed to accomplish said goals, and advocating for the participant to have access to additional resources and support.
- Reviewingparticipants crisis prevention plan regularly andupdatingasneeded.
- Creating a transition home plan with the participant, guardians, residential counselor/therapist, and education or job training opportunities, including setting up aftercare appointments.
- Following up with participant after discharge to provide extra support.
- Completing all paperwork/documentation in a timely fashion and entering data daily, including intakes, services, case notes, assessments, inventories, discharge paperwork, follow-up contact notes, etc.
- Maintainingcollateral contacts related to family/supports, referral workers, education, life skills, and connections to job training opportunities.
- Helping plan and carry out group activities and special events: birthdays, graduations, etc.
- Collaboratingwith residential leadership and clinical team, keeping staff informed about the status of each participant and any significant program changes.
- Supervisingmentors and 12 Step Contacts and and identifies substitute staff to cover when not available.
- Participating in a rotating "on-call" system.
Please note that this description is not intended to be a complete list of the responsibilities required for this position. Duties may change at any time, with or without notice.
For more about Recovery Services at YSS, please visit https://www.yss.org/program/ember-recovery/.
What you can expect in return...
In addition to having the opportunity to do meaningful, mission-driven work, YSS also offers the following:
Benefits provided to ALL YSS staff:
- An exciting, welcoming workplace
- Bright, collaborative, supportive, colleagues
- Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
- Employee recognition/years of service program
- Training opportunities
- Personal wellness programs
- Pet insurance discounts
- Qualification for the PSLF
Benefits provided to FULL TIME staff include:
- Medical, dental, vision, and life insurance
- Supplemental accident, critical illness, and hospital indemnity insurance
- Accrued PTO, plus paid time off for holidays, your birthday, and volunteering
- Retirement options (terms apply)
We want to create a world where youth are valued and empowered to stand strong. To do this, we ask our staff to embrace YSS core values - Commitment, Collaboration, Compassion, Innovation, Integrity, and a Can Do Spirit. Additionally, we ask for the following:
MUST HAVES - Required Qualifications
- A Bachelors degree or higher.
- Two (2) or more years of full-time experience in the human services field. Experience may include:
- Knowledge of the needs of youth ; the needs of youth facing substance use and dependency; and an understanding of chemical dependency treatment interventions and other intervention strategies available to address these need.
- Individuals in recovery should have at least two years of current, continuous sobriety before applying for this position.
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Travel, including transporting clients, is required for this position. For YSS insurance purposes, you must:
- be 21 years of age,
- have a valid, state-issued, drivers license,
- have a clean driving record, and
- have adequate insurance coverage per YSS policy.
SHOULD HAVES - Preferred Qualifications
- Bachelors degree in a human services field.
- Collaborative and able to work effectively with others regardless of backgrounds, identities, and goals.
- Able to convey information effectively, regardless of setting or audience; able to initiate conversation; experience with public speaking.
- Able to think and act quickly to resolve complex problems using creative/critical thinking, resourcefulness, and tact
The IDEAL Candidate:
- Is patient and calm under pressure and able to deal with challenging situations witha good attitude.
- Can establish and maintain positive and effective working relationships.
- Speaks a language(s) in addition to English.
- Has the ability to draw on their own lived experience to support others on the journey to stability, recovery, and healing.
About YSS...
One of Iowa's oldest and largest, youth-serving, nonprofit organizations, YSS's mission is to create hope and opportunity by putting kids first. Our programs impact tens of thousands of youths and families each year. We offer education to build healthy minds and bodies; counseling to overcome lifes challenges; and stability to focus on the future. Our diverse leadership team brings together a wide range of specialties and expertise, all dedicated to our mission.
Headquartered in Ames and located across Iowa, our sites are not cookie-cutter modelswe tailor our services to fit the highest needs of each community. And we are still growing. YSS is constructing Ember, a 50-acre recovery campus in Central Iowa that will offer shelter, crisis stabilization, and residential addiction treatment for youth and young adults.
Our goal is to create a continuum of caretogether, with programs give youth the tools they need to succeed their entire lives. Work for YSS and you too can have a positive impact in the lives of young people.
Helpful to Know
YSS is an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to fostering a diverse, equitable, and inclusive workplace. We believe that our strength lies in the unique perspectives and backgrounds of our employees. We strive to create an environment where all individuals are treated with respect and have equal opportunities to succeed. Our ongoing efforts to promote diversity and inclusion are central to our mission, and we are dedicated to continuous improvement in these areas.
YSS is a nicotine-free workplace.
The YSS Hiring Process
Communication with applicants is done primarily via email from our Paycom system. Please check your messages regularly. If you dont see messages in your inbox, please check your spam/junk folder. If you have questions about your application, please email recruitment@yss.org.
1. Application - All applicants are required to complete an online application. The application is considered complete when all questions have been answered, all required documents (resume, waivers) have been submitted, and the application has been electronically signed.
2. Assessment As they are received, applications are reviewed for education, experience, and licensure (if required). If the required qualifications are not met, the application will be declined.
3. Interview Depending on the number of applications received, we may choose to do initial phone interviews. Otherwise, we will move directly to in-person or Zoom interviews.
4. References Applicants moving forward after their interview are asked to submit three references, which YSS then contacts.
5. Pre-employment Screening Applicants are required to submit background check waiver forms at the time they apply. YSS conducts a Single Contact Repository (SING) background check on all final candidates. All offers of employment at YSS are contingent upon clear results of the SING. The SING provides authorized organizations online access to Iowa Criminal History and Sex Offender Registry information held by the Department of Public Safety/Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI), Department of Human Services (DHS) Central Abuse Registry for Child Abuse (CA) and Dependent Adult Abuse (DAA), as well as Professional License information. YSS also requires a clean driving record for positions that provide transport. Verification will be done through the records of the state that issued the current license.
6. Offer Applicants selected for hire will receive a formal offer of employment via email with instructions of how to reply.
7. New Hire Meeting - The offer email will provide details on how to set up this meeting. You must schedule and attend this meeting before you can begin working or getting paid.
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