The Tennessee School for the Blind (TSB) is a state of Tennessee K-12 public school that provides free, appropriate, and individualized educational services to eligible students. We are a safe environment that promotes independence and a positive self-image. We provide information and technical assistance to families, schools, and agencies serving all Tennessee children who are visually challenged. TSB is seeking a youth service worker to assist in the care of our residential students and participate in our mission to help blind and visually impaired students become contributing, participating members of society.

Job Overview

This is a 10-month (through the school year) position starting July 29, 2024. Currently hiring for second, and split shifts. Split shift eligible for a $150 per month differential.

Summary: Responsible for the care, oversight, and safety of special needs students at the special schools. This includes personal care (hygiene, dressing, feeding, etc.), housekeeping of cottages (organization, cleaning, etc.) leisure, recreation, and support of school activities (homework assistance, etc.). Third-shift duties include overnight supervision and room checks.

Distinguishing Features: This is the entry-level classification of the youth service worker series. An employee in this class is assigned to work in an institutional setting providing special needs student supervision. The youth service worker series work 10 months out of a year from August through May and work a shift schedule. This class differs from the youth service worker II in that an incumbent of the latter serves as the lead cottage contact and performs clerical recording keeping and procurement duties of a cottage.

Preferred Qualifications

Education and Experience: Education equivalent to graduation from a standard high school and two or more years of college. Experience working in a residential setting with children and/or persons with special needs.

Work Activities

Judging the Qualities of Things, Services, or People:

• Reports to families on student progress on daily living activities.

Making Decisions and Solving Problems:

• Collaborates with other cottage staff to address student needs.
• Seeks staff support for student issues that they cannot address by themselves (illness, behavioral issues, schoolwork, etc.).

Resolving Conflicts and Negotiating with Others:

• Helps resolve conflict between the students through mediation techniques.

Training and Teaching Others:

• Instructs students in activities of daily living such as personal hygiene, cleaning, organization, kitchen skills and cooking.
• Supports students in the development of appropriate social interaction skills and development of recreation and leisure activities.

Thinking Creatively:

• Creates opportunities for students to develop daily living activities (monthly cottage meals, establish cottage daily living routines, plan community engagement activities as needed).

Providing Consultation and Advice to Others:

• Consults with students’ educational team as needed to provide information to help assist with educational development.

Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards:

• Evaluates daily living activities to determine sufficiency in skills and gives feedback to students in order to modify tasks as needed to accommodate disabilities.

Documenting/Recording Information:

• Keeps records of students work in the area of activities of daily living.
• Maintains call logs to students families.
• Documents student behavioral incidents, accidents, and illnesses.

Getting Information:

• Obtains information from staff and families on student issues, disabilities and progress on skills as needed to maintain student profile.

Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships:

• Establishes meaningful working relationships with coworkers, supervisors, and families of students.
• Maintains confidentiality of student information.
• Establishes and maintains respectful and professional relationships with students.

Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings:

• Monitors cottage to determine maintenance needs and reports issues to maintenance department as needed.
• Monitors student surroundings to determine safety and adjust as needed.

Interacting With Computers:

• Uses electronic office productivity software (Word, Excel) to perform daily tasks as needed.
• Checks cottage emails and personal work account daily.
• Enters time and leave requests in electronic databases as required.

Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates:

• Maintains professional written and verbal communication with coworkers, supervisors, and families of students.

Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work:

• Assists in organizing cottage meetings with students to discuss cottage activities, meal planning, and to address student issues as needed.

Communicating with Persons Outside Organization:

• Communicates with families as needed to discuss progress on daily living activity skills, behavioral updates/issues, student scheduling, etc.

Performing Administrative Activities:

• Checks cottage mailbox daily and disseminates mail to students.

Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge:

• Attends staff trainings at start of school year and mandatory in-services as required.
• Maintains first-aid CPR certification.

Performing General Physical Activities:

• Serves as a sighted guide to students around campus as needed.
• Provides physical assistance to students as needed with showering, diapering, dressing, feeding, toileting. This may include picking up students and student limbs.
• Assists students with ambulatory equipment as needed. This may include transfer from wheelchair to chair or bed.
• Swims with students during recreation activities.

Operating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or Equipment:

• Assists with operation of ambulatory equipment as needed.
• Operates motor vehicle to transport students to outings.

Handling and Moving Objects:

• Carries and handles boxes during cottage move-in and move-out.
• Handles objects as needed as part of daily living activity training.

Competencies (KSA’s)

Competencies:

• Integrity and Trust
• Problem Solving
• Organizing
• Time Management
• Conflict Management
• Written Communications
• Approachability
• Boss Relationships
• Composure
• Ethics and Values
• Listening
• Patience

Knowledge:

• Basic knowledge of clerical duties, such as word processing, managing files and records, and email.

Skills:

• Basic organizational skills
• Basic teaching and coaching skills
• Basic time management skill
• Basic keyboarding skills
• Basic social perceptiveness skills
• Basic judgment and decision making skills
• Active listening skills
• Active learning skills
• Service orientation skills
• Basic verbal and written communication skills
• Basic swimming skills

Abilities:

• Basic oral expression ability
• Basic written expression ability
• Basic oral comprehension ability
• Basic written comprehension ability
• Basic problem sensitivity ability
• Stamina – ability to stand for up to nine hours with intermittent sitting breaks.
• Static strength – ability to pick up at least 40 pounds and up to 80 pounds with assistance.
• Ability to visually monitor safety of students.
• Ability to auditory monitor safety of students.

Tools and Equipment Used

• Computer
• Phone
• Vehicle
• Printer
• Kitchen equipment
• Washer and dryer
• Household cleaning equipment
• Mobility aides

Other office related equipment as required

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: From $2,700.00 per month

Benefits:

• 401(k)
• 401(k) matching
• Dental insurance
• Health insurance
• Life insurance
• Retirement plan
• Tuition reimbursement
• Vision insurance

Shift:

• Day shift
• Evening shift

Experience:

• Caregiving: 1 year (Preferred)

Work Location: In person