THE POSITION
The Department of Human Services, Bureau of Juvenile Justice Services, Loysville Youth Development Center is seeking dedicated counselors to work in the rehabilitation and social development of adjudicated delinquent youth in a state operated facility. This is a vital role that requires a strong commitment to helping youth rehabilitate and develop important life skills. You will have the opportunity to make a positive impact on the lives of these young individuals and help them turn their lives around. It is a rewarding and challenging job that requires patience, empathy, and a passion for making a difference.
Watch this video to see how you can make a difference!
As a Youth Development Counselor, you will actively engage with court-adjudicated youth requiring guidance, instruction, treatment, and specialized services in a secure or restricted setting. You will have an opportunity to provide guidance in social and emotional growth by role modeling values and ideals that elicit a genuine desire in court-adjudicated youth to change behaviors. Comprehensive training will be provided.
In your day-to-day job duties, you will develop, implement, and monitor individual treatment program plans to include individual, group, and family counseling sessions. You will assess and counsel youth about their thought processes, actions, and personal problems to provide insight into responsible behaviors and attitudes. You will address crisis situations to maintain order by verbally and physically intervening with disruptive, emotionally improper, and suicidal youth. Through the utilization of appropriate physical restraint techniques, you will prevent escapes, control aggressiveness, and maintain a safe, secure, or restricted environment.
Interested in learning more? Additional details regarding this position can be found in the position description.
Work Schedule and Additional Information:
- Full-time employment (40-hour work week)
- This is shift work in a 24/7/365 operation, including holidays and weekends with 8-hour shifts. Work weeks are (5) days on and (2) days off. Possible shifts include: 7:00 AM to 3:00 PM; 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM; 2:00 PM to 10:00 PM; and 3:00 PM to 11:00 PM, with no duty-free lunch.
- Overtime and travel will be required as operationally necessary
- FREE Parking!
- Salary : In some cases, the starting salary may be non-negotiable. Selected candidates who are new to employment within the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania will begin employment at the starting annual salary of $61,903.00 (before taxes).
- You will receive further communication regarding this position via email. Check your email, including spam/junk folders, for these notices.
QUALIFICATIONS
Minimum Experience and Training Requirements:
- Five years of experience as a Youth Development Aide; or
- Four years of experience as a Youth Development Aide Supervisor; or
- One year of experience in the care, custody, supervision, activities, leadership or personal guidance of delinquent, pre-delinquent or socially maladjusted youth in an organized program, and a bachelor's degree in the behavioral sciences, special education, juvenile delinquency, or criminal justice; or
- An equivalent combination of experience and training which included one year of experience in the care, custody, supervision, activities, leadership or personal guidance of delinquent, pre-delinquent or socially maladjusted youth in an organized program.
Other Requirements:
- PA residency requirement is currently waived for this title.
- You must be able to perform essential job functions.
Legal Requirements:
- A conditional offer of employment will require a medical examination and drug screening.
- This position falls under the provisions of the Child Protective Services Law.
- Under the Law, a conditional offer of employment will require submission and approval of satisfactory criminal history reports including, but not limited to, PA State Police clearance, PA Child Abuse history clearance, and FBI Fingerprint clearance.
How to Apply:
- Resumes, cover letters, and similar documents will not be reviewed, and the information contained therein will not be considered for the purposes of determining your eligibility for the position. Information to support your eligibility for the position must be provided on the application (i.e., relevant, detailed experience/education).
- If you are claiming education in your answers to the supplemental application questions, you must attach a copy of your college transcripts for your claim to be accepted toward meeting the minimum requirements. Unofficial transcripts are acceptable.
- Your application must be submitted by the posting closing date. Late applications and other required materials will not be accepted.
- Failure to comply with the above application requirements may eliminate you from consideration for this position.
Veterans:
- Pennsylvania law (51 Pa. C.S. *7103) provides employment preference for qualified veterans for appointment to many state and local government jobs. To learn more about employment preferences for veterans, go to and click the Veterans' Preference tab or contact us at
Telecommunications Relay Service (TRS):
- 711 (hearing and speech disabilities or other individuals).
If you are contacted for an interview and need accommodations due to a disability, please discuss your request for accommodations with the interviewer in advance of your interview date.
The Commonwealth is an equal employment opportunity employer and is committed to a diverse workforce. The Commonwealth values inclusion as we seek to recruit, develop, and retain the most qualified people to serve the citizens of Pennsylvania. The Commonwealth does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religious creed, ancestry, union membership, age, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, AIDS or HIV status, disability, or any other categories protected by applicable federal or state law. All diverse candidates are encouraged to apply.
EXAMINATION INFORMATION- Completing the application, including all supplemental questions, serves as your exam for this position. No additional exam is required at a test center (also referred to as a written exam).
- Your score is based on the detailed information you provide on your application and in response to the supplemental questions.
- Your score is valid for this specific posting only.
- You must provide complete and accurate information or:
- your score may be lower than deserved.
- you may be disqualified.
- You may only apply/test once for this posting.
- Your results will be provided via email.