Life Skills Specialist - Residential Program for Youth

Provides day to day execution of life skills to the Residential Treatment Center; facilitating the cottages and day program individuals from our school in acquiring the life skills needed to seek independence in the community.

Primary Duties & Essential Functions:

1. Job Knowledge
    a. Ability to exhibit strong leadership skills and work ethic.
    b. Knowledge of community-based resources throughout the Capital region.
    c. Background includes working with teenagers and young adults.

2. Quality of Work
    a. Strong Communication Skills.
    b. Ability to participate in meetings with internal and external providers.
    c. Actively attend and participate in supervision, training opportunities, and agency/community committees.
    d. Monitor and administer Life Skills inventories, IL assessment tools, knowledgeable of transition planning assessment guide            and monitor and maintain data of all IL programming.
    e. Develop and maintain IL groups per regulation requirements in addition to feedback from young adults and their interests.
    f. Liaison with SUNY Albany Professional Development program/OCFS Youth engagement team.
    g. Teach Life Skills.

3. Attitude - Creates a safe, therapeutic environment of care of all individuals served.

4. Initiative - Self-starter with the ability to manage their time effectively.

5. Dependability - Committed to program specific responsibilities.

6. Interpersonal relations
    a. Ability to communicate and interact with all individuals/ families/ service providers and staff
        members appropriately and effectively.
    b. Attend required meetings for the development of the individuals in our care.
    c. Exhibit working knowledge of agency policies and procedures.
    d. Attend all required training internally and externally.
    e. Provide appropriate supervision to all individuals served.

7. Planning and organizational skills
    a. Proficient in Microsoft, excel etc. and the ability to present data gathered.
    b. Ability to complete documentation as required.

 Abilities and Working Conditions:

•  Must be available to work a 40-hour work week.


•  Must be able to lift 25 pounds.


•  Must be able to stand and run for moderate periods of time.


•  Must have a valid drivers’ license, minimum of one year.


•  Willingness to respond to the needs of a culturally diverse population.

Vanderheyden is committed to the National Sanctuary Model - a blueprint for clinical and organizational change which, at its core, promotes safety and recovery from adversity through the active creation of a trauma-informed community.  The Sanctuary Model's focus is not only on the people who seek services, but equally on the people and systems that provide those services.

 Vanderheyden, as an Equal Opportunity Employer, does not discriminate in its hiring or employment practices on the basis of gender, race or ethnicity, color, national origin, religion, age, disability, military or marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, prior arrest or conviction record or any other category protected by applicable federal, state or local laws.