News

 

 Position: Youth Assistance Program Counselor 

 Status: Salaried, Exempt

 Reports to: Clinical Program Manager

 Salary: $45,000 – $50,000

 Position Description

 The Youth Assistance Program Counselor is a community partner-based role, responsible for working with         adolescents to provide screening, brief intervention, and, when appropriate, referral to treatment. This position   conducts small and large group prevention/education discussions, and programs and works collaboratively with   Boys   and Girls Club of Nashua and Project Succeed staff on substance use and mental health services and   policies

 This position is based at the Nashua Boys and Girls Club. but reports to The Youth Council Agency, and is a full-  time,   40-hour per week position. The YAP’s schedule during the school year is 11:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m., and 9 a.m. – 5:00   p.m. during school summer break with a paid 30-minute lunch. The Youth Council offers employee benefits including   health, dental, disability, and life insurance, and paid time off.

Organization Description

TYC has been helping Greater Nashua families build the skills necessary to support children and teens since 1974.    Our work to support families is done through evidence-based counseling and programming on-site, in schools, and throughout the community.

Responsibilities

Clinical

• • Provide assessments and brief interventions to youth, and families as applicable.
  • Conduct time-limited individual and group counseling sessions, at The Boys and Girls Club and The Youth Council offices during the summer.
  • Facilitate prevention/education discussions and programs.
  • Implement evidence-based programming and tools.
  • Ensure paperwork is completed in a timely manner.
  • Collaborate with Boys and Girls Club staff.

Administration

• • Track and report information for funders.
  • Support fundraising and other resource development for TYC, including working at agency fundraisers and special events.
  • Partner with colleagues and represent TYC through local collaborations.
  • Collaborate as a staff to foster and support a positive and healthy work environment.

Special Projects

• • Support agency operations as needed through special projects, such as support for court diversion and groups for youth.

Qualifications

• • Bachelor’s in psychology or human services required, Master’s-level New Hampshire License-eligible Clinical Mental Health Counselor or Social Worker strongly preferred.
  • 1-2 years of relevant professional experience preferred.
  • Certified Prevention Specialist, or ability to obtain certification within 2 years from date of hire.
  • Ability to communicate internally and externally effectively and respectfully.
  • Experience with Microsoft Suite.
  • Ability to manage a demanding workload and consistent follow-through.
  • Flexibility to work independently and collaboratively with all levels of staff.
  • Flexibility, creativity, and love for people; commitment to recognizing, understanding, celebrating, and utilizing differences in a multicultural community.

To apply, please email cover letter and resume to Director of Finance, Administration & Development Faith Ayala at fayala@tycnh.o

This article by Executive Director Casey Caster appeared in TYC’s Youth + You email newsletter. 

A few weekends ago, as my family bounced between social obligations, weekend chores, and a round of COVID testing to confirm we avoided the latest surge in cases, my 4-year-old peered up at me and said, “Mom, take a rainbow breath.” 
Puzzled, I asked how. 
Stretching her arms wide, she drew a long, slow breath, circling her arms above until her palms met overhead. Exhaling, she let them to float down in an exaggerated arc. By the time I took my rainbow breath, she was in the other room feeding a leftover peanut butter sandwich to the dog.

In the weeks since, news headlines blasted the tragic loss of young lives inside a Texas school building and its fallout. Trying to process the debates and discussions, I’ve returned to that advice—a simple self-regulation strategy passed down by a preschooler from a local YMCA teacher who probably had no idea of its impact. (Most days, I’m sure the teachers question whether my daughter listens at all.)

And that’s the thing: each of us who interacts with a child at some point in our day has an opportunity to support and empower that child. We may not notice, but they’re watching, listening and mimicking how the adults around them react and interact during times of stress and adversity.

Undoubtedly, professional mental health support for youth is crucial and under-capacity. The work of The Youth Council’s clinicians and professionals is changing lives even as I write this. This school year, we’ve added two additional school-based Student Assistance Program counselors to serve Nashua’s middle schools and provided social-emotional programming and group counseling for nearly 100 students at the Nashua School District’s new Project Succeed alternative suspension program housed at the Boys and Girls Club of Greater Nashua.

At TYC, we also view parents, caregivers and others who work with children in our community as critical pieces in the puzzle to supporting youth mental health. This month’s newsletter includes resources to help you have age-appropriate conversations about tragedies such as the recent mass shootings, a link to the Trevor Project to share this Pride Month with LGBTQIA+ youth and youth allies, and information about summer youth support groups being held here at our office.

As the staff and board here spend time this summer reflecting on the 2021-22 school year, I’m certain one of the themes that will emerge is gratitude: for our community partners, our supporters and all the parents, caregivers, teachers, administrators doing their best for youth in our community. Thank you for being here with us.

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