Current Openings

Position Summary:
Responsible for the center’s recreation program. Plan and provide recreational activities for youth placed in Type II Residential Care Center. Responsible for implementing the daily schedule of activities.


Essential Functions:

• Provide positive and effective group educational and recreational activities.
• Embrace philosophical approaches in Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) and staff code of conduct for interaction standards to deliver treatment informed programming.
• Develop daily schedules in line with the six-month programming schedule.
• Uphold and promote a positive and supportive culture for youth and staff.
• Serve as a positive mentor for youth placed in residential care.
• Maintain relationships with external service providers for community service, job readiness, and other rewarding community activities.
• Work as a fully trained staff always providing active supervision of youth within assigned staffing ratios.
• Manage monthly activity inventory for supplies associated with programming requirements and keep supplies organized.
• Facilitate value added groups such as sex education, healthy relationships, fatherhood curriculums.
• Host club activities such as book club, garden club, fitness club and chess club etc.
• Complete activity preparation daily for shifts to ensure all necessary recreational supplies are available.
• Transport youth to offsite activities and maintain a positive reputation in the community for the program.
• Collaborate with the clinical team to ensure youth’s emotional and behavioral health needs are met through programming treatment plans.
• Provide leadership and field training for Youth Treatment Specialists to co-facilitate activities on shift.
• Work with the Quality Assurance team to review annual schedules and conduct program improvement projects to ensure programming is updated and current.
• Administer medication and ensure staff are aware of medication changes in collaboration with medical providers and nursing staff.
• Maintain and document community service completion for individuals/agencies outside of the program providing services for/associated with youth receiving services.
• Provide staff coverage for vacations, call ins and staff shortages.
• Maintain confidentiality within all written and verbal communications.
• Keep appropriate documentation for all funding sources.
• Adhere to state licensing/certification requirements.
• Adhere to WCS Policies and Procedures.
• Other duties as assigned.

Minimal Qualifications:
A high school diploma required, bachelor's or associate degree from a college or university with a focus on child and youth care work or in a social or behavioral science field preferred.

• Be at least 21 years old (at least 2 years older than the oldest resident).
• At least 3 years of experience in public or private institutional childcare for the type of population the center serves.
• At least one year of experience as a supervisor or satisfactory completion of at least one course for credit in supervisory skill development and personnel management or have 40 hours of documented in-service training involving supervisory skill development and personnel management.
• Have 2 years of experience in licensed institution childcare and be certified as a child and youth care worker meeting standards of the national organization of child and youth care workers association.
• Knowledge and skills to work with population age 12-17.
• Ability to display cultural competence by responding respectfully and effectively to people of all cultures, languages, classes, races, ethnic backgrounds, religions and other diversity factors in a manner that recognizes, affirms and values the worth of clients.
• Valid driver’s license, automobile, and insurance sufficient to meet agency requirements.
• Meet all the employee requirements including references, criminal background check, drug test, and driver’s license check.

Work Relationship and Scope: Reports directly to the Assistant Program Director.  Has contact with a wide variety of individuals including clients and family members, other program staff, vendors, and other collateral contacts, neighbors, funders, Milwaukee County Delinquency & Court Services Division (DCSD), Children’s Court officials, MPS staff and administrators, staff of youth serving agencies and the public.   

Personal Attributes: Follow agency Code of Conduct and Leadership Code of Conduct; adhere to established policies and procedures of the agency and of all funding sources; conduct self in an ethical manner; maintain professional and respectful relationships with program staff, other WCS staff, people served by the program and all external persons and agencies involved with service provision; sensitivity toward cultural, ethnic and disability issues; demonstrate commitment to agency values and mission.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: Working knowledge of positive child/youth development; patience and understanding of difficult life situations; the ability to interact with escalating youth and/or parents in a calm and professional manner; ability to follow oral and written instructions; ability to respond appropriately in crisis situations; proficient with Microsoft Word and Excel; perform basic computer functions; uses time efficiently and effectively; ability to multi-task; sensitivity towards cultural, ethnic and disability needs.    

Working Conditions:

•  State-Licensed Residential Care Center, Type II
•  Local travel as required fulfilling essential functions of the position.
•  Ability to manage young clients who have experienced a great deal of trauma and express trauma through behaviors.
•  Ability to lift 30 pounds.
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Working Hours: The hours are 1:00pm-9:00pm with flexibility for daytime hours as needed for meetings.

Physical Demands: Duties require possible activity while monitoring or interacting with youth in the program.  Staff may be required to use physical intervention in extreme situations.  Driving required. 

PM21