Youth Support Specialist

Status: Regular, Full-time, Non-exempt

Reports to: Residential Supervisor

Location: Wabash, IN

Position summary: The Family Teacher is responsible for creating and maintaining a structured, home-like residential environment for youth by implementing the Teaching Family Model (TFM) with fidelity and consistency. Serving as a key member of the treatment team, this role provides daily supervision, behavioral teaching, life-skills development, and emotional support to residents while promoting safety, accountability, and relationship building. Family Teachers model healthy values, reinforce positive behaviors, engage in crisis intervention when necessary, maintain documentation and administrative responsibilities, and support a Christ-centered environment consistent with the organization’s mission and core values.

Qualifications:

• An individual with strong convictions who is also in agreement with Josiah White’s mission statement, Statement of Faith, and Code of Conduct. 

• A high school diploma is required. A bachelor's degree in Human Services or a related field is preferred.

• Must be 21 years of age or older.

• Must have a valid driver’s license and proof of vehicle insurance.

Essential job functions:

• Implement the Teaching Family Model (TFM): Apply TFM principles and complete teachings to build social, behavioral, and independent living skills while participating in consultations and certification requirements to ensure model integrity.

• Support Resident Development and Well-Being: Counsel youth on life skills, interpersonal relationships, hygiene, and work habits within TFM guidelines.

• Provide Daily Supervision and Structure: Establish and maintain consistent structure, house rules, routines, chores, and supervision of residents’ living, social, academic, and recreational activities.

• Ensure Safety and Crisis Intervention: Monitor and address resident’s physical and emotional needs, and overall well-being, including basic first aid, medication oversight, and adherence to safety procedures. Utilize trained physical restraint techniques when necessary and respond appropriately to crisis situations.

• Promote Spiritual Development: Foster a Christ-centered home environment by modeling and encouraging biblical values in daily interactions and activities, and support spiritual life programming programming and devotions.

• Collaborate with the Treatment Team and Families: Participate in treatment planning, progress reviews, and documentation to promote resident growth and goal achievement.

• Manage Home Environment: Maintain a safe, nurturing, and therapeutic environment, prepare meals as needed, ensure cleanliness and upkeep of the home, and report maintenance concerns.

• Maintain Documentation and Administrative Duties: Attend required meetings and trainings, and complete required reports, progress notes, logs, financial tracking, and other home-related records accurately and on time.

Work Schedule:  Normal work hours are 7 am to 10 pm on a rotating schedule. This schedule is on a two-week cycle (Example: Week One - 3 days on / 2 days off / 2 days on; Week Two - 3 days off / 2 days on / 2 days off) and includes weekends and holidays as scheduled. Additional hours or workday schedule changes may be required.

Physical Demands & Work Environment: The employee in this role will work primarily in residential cottages or community settings as appropriate to service delivery. Frequent movement within the cottage and throughout campus is necessary. Family Teachers must be able to stand and walk for extended periods while supervising youth and monitoring activities. They must be able to quickly respond and safely implement physical intervention techniques during emergencies or crisis situations. To do so, they must successfully complete Mindset, our crisis and de-escalation curriculum, and CPR/First Aid training, which requires the ability to get on the floor, on knees, and back up. local travel is required.