Independent Life Skills Specialist

Position Summary: The Independent Life Skills Specialist serves as a member of the care team responsible for supporting the youth and family in developing daily living, social, and communication skills needed to increase independence and achieve their individualized goals outlined during the Wraparound process. Through individualized, strength-based support, the Independent Life Skills Specialist facilitates skill-building activities and coaching within community settings. This position supports youth in building confidence, resilience, independence, and the skills needed to successfully function in their homes and communities.  

What does the benefits package look like?

At Everstand, we are committed to supporting the health, well-being, and professional growth of our employees. Our comprehensive benefits package includes:

• Generous Paid Time Off: Accrue three (3) weeks of vacation annually, plus two floating holidays and 10 paid company holidays each year—providing 30+ days of paid time off.
• Paid Leave: Paid sick leave and bereavement leave.
• Comprehensive Health Coverage: Medical, dental, and vision insurance with eligibility beginning on your first day of employment.
• FREE Employee Health Insurance: Everstand provides employee-only medical coverage at no cost through Allied Health.
• Retirement Savings: Retirement plan with an employer match of up to 3%.
• Tuition Reimbursement: Eligible after three months of employment, with reimbursement of up to $5,000 annually for approved educational expenses.
• Additional Benefits: Access to a variety of voluntary and employer-sponsored benefit programs designed to support your financial, personal, and professional well-being.

Essential Functions:  

• Model and act in accordance with Everstand’s core values: safety, empathy, relationships, and impact.
• Honor differences, acknowledge uniqueness, and amplify all voices. Model the use of inclusive language.
• Demonstrate and practice Everstand’s leadership mindset, “Choose kindness.  Solve problems and learn together. Make it happen.”
• Participate as an active and contributing member of the Wraparound care team, implementing support in a manner that aligns with Wraparound principles, promotes resiliency, and is individualized, strength-based, culturally competent and family-centered. 
• Communicate with youth and family participants as per standards established with the Wraparound plan, at minimum weekly, maintaining empathy, support, respect and enthusiasm throughout communication efforts.  
• Transport youth to and from skill-building activities within the community.
• Collaborate with the Wraparound care team in partnering with youth and family to support engagement in services, promote youth voice and choice and identify natural supports and resources that will help youth achieve progress towards goal attainment.
• Facilitate individual and group meetings with youth and family participants that promote sharing, learning and growth. These meetings are designed to meet the needs of the youth in a particular context – thus they may be manual led, unstructured topical groups, skill-based groups, or social events.    
• Teach and role model effective communication, self-advocacy, and life skills in a variety of settings (e.g., with informal social network, providers, organizations, courts, etc.).  
• Support the provision of services in community settings.  Services shall be scheduled in a flexible manner to meet the youth and family needs.    

Position Type/ Expected Hours of Work:  

This is a full-time position. Typical office hours are 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., though the schedule requires flexibility based on the availability of youth and families served. This position regularly requires long hours and occasional weekend work. This position is eligible for flex schedule and telework with supervisor approval per Everstand policy and procedures. This position is non-essential during inclement weather. 

Travel is primarily local during work, although some out-of-area and overnight travel may be expected by personal vehicle and/or agency vehicle dependent upon supervisor approval. Frequent local travel will be required within the home communities of the youth and families served.  Talent will follow company procedures for work-related travel and expenses. 

Minimum Required Qualifications: 

• High school diploma or GED with a minimum of two years’ experience working with this population  

Additional Eligibility Qualifications: 

• Must pass new hire orientation successfully and maintain up to date training hours in compliance as required and thereafter    
• Ability to problem solve. 
• Ability to work independently.    
• Knowledge of normal and abnormal human growth and development  
• Ability to assess family strengths, level of functioning, and service needs.  
• Ability to assess children’s and youth’s strengths, levels of functioning, and service needs. 
• Ability to analyze case information and reach a sound decision based on objective information.   
• Ability to pass the verbal/written portion only of Therapeutic Crisis Intervention certification.   
• Ability to demonstrate the possession of a valid driver’s license prior to employment and ability to maintain the license with less than 7 points and operate a motor vehicle thereafter.  
• Ability to pass CPS/UII, and criminal background checks prior to employment, and as required. Ability to pass a Tuberculosis Screening and Pre-Hire Drug screening prior to employment and as required.   
• Must be 21 years or older prior to employment. 

Other Duties: 

Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities and activities may change at any time with or without notice.  

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