Youth Mentor - 1st Shift

Job Title

Youth Mentor: REGIONS Site Secure Residential Treatment Program for Male Youth Phase II, Hamden, CT

1st Shift (8:00 am - 4:00 pm)

$25.85 per hour

One of the oldest organizations of its kind in the country, Community Partners in Action (CPA) was founded 150 years ago to champion criminal justice reform and advocate for preserving the dignity of those in and out of prison. Through our programs that include reentry and housing, youth initiatives, a nationally recognized Prison Arts Program, and holistic alternatives to incarceration, we provide a long‑term impact that positively transforms individuals and society ually serving nearly 5,000 individuals throughout Connecticut, our work is possible due to partnerships with and support from individuals, government, private funders, organizations, and businesses.

CPA is guided by our BEDI (Belonging, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion) culture. WE ARE COMMITTED to building and maintaining an inclusive, equitable workplace and COMPELLED to have a constructive impact on criminal justice reform in CT that ends racial inequities and ensures the humanity and dignity of those interacting with the system. Read more about our BEDI culture at (Use the "Apply for this Job" box below)./

The REGIONS Site Secure Program is a secure residential treatment program for up to 16 male youth. The mission of the program is to provide a home‑like environment with a trauma‑informed, culturally responsive, gender‑specific, linguistically appropriate, strengths‑based, and relationship‑driven milieu for the youth to help them improve their social, physical and emotional well‑being. Our vision is to therapeutically intervene in the cycle of offending to reduce the youths risk factors and prevent them from transitioning into the adult justice system.

Our treatment philosophy is individualized, designed to help the youth develop a positive self‑image, learn effective coping skills, experience success, gain confidence, build positive relationships, achieve behavioral changes and re‑enter their communities better equipped to succeed. The high‑risk youth in this program will likely have a history of violence, be at significant risk to public safety, demonstrate chronic and persistent patterns of violent or public safety offenses, and exhibit escalating antisocial sophistication.

Their AWOL risk is high in the context of low treatment amenability; if they elope, they will likely engage in violent or public safety offenses.

• Associate’s degree or higher with experience working with at‑risk or court‑involved adolescents in residential treatment programs. A Bachelor’s degree in criminal justice with a related internship may be considered in lieu of work experience.
• Understanding and knowledge of gender‑specific, trauma‑informed, culturally responsive, and linguistically appropriate issues and needs.
• Strong interpersonal, communication, emotional intelligence, decision‑making, and crisis‑management skills; ability to interact effectively with a multi‑cultural population.
• Belief that people can change and individuals in need deserve quality services and an opportunity to succeed; willingness to work in a hard‑wired secure environment.
• Valid CT driver’s license and reliable transportation; ability to transport clients to appointments and into the community in mechanical restraints; capacity to become medication and SCM (Safe Crisis Management) certified; able to work additional hours and/or overtime as needed.
• Bi‑lingual ability (Spanish/English) preferred.
• Candidates with lived experience are encouraged to apply.

Selected candidates will be required to complete and pass a mandatory 120‑hour training curriculum within their first year of employment. Training sessions will be conducted during standard hours (8:00 AM to 4:00 PM). Thereafter, employees must complete a minimum of 40 hours of training annually. Required trainings include, but are not limited to:

• Ethics and Boundaries