Bilingual After School Program Counselor (Part-time Permanent)

Important Notice: Arlington County requires all applicants to thoroughly complete each section of the application, including prior job responsibilities, duties, and supplemental questions. While you may attach a resume, it will not replace a completed application. Incomplete applications will not be considered.

Arlington County Juvenile and Domestic Relations (JDR) District Court Services Unit is seeking a Part-

Time, Bilingual After-School Program Counselor (English/Spanish) to join our team! 

This position will assist with the day-to-day operations of the Young Achievers Program and support the Group Home Counselor II’s managing their caseloads, including interfacing with clients’ families.  This bilingual position will report to the Juvenile Program Supervisor and support and assist with the development and delivery of educational programs, therapeutic interventions, and counseling meetings.

The Young Achievers program consists of boys who are actively on probation and under court-referral. Many clients are at high risk of drug use and overdose, truancy, emotional problems, and delinquency in the community. Even with relief coverage, current staffing levels are insufficient to meet increasing demands for interventions and continuity of services provided by experienced professionals who have a daily connection with the program clients. 

Specific duties include: 

• Supporting families by explaining program’s practices, policies, procedures, and schedules as well as providing information to families about available resources, services, and programs within the community;

• Assisting with the coordination of and participating in multidisciplinary team and staff meetings;

• Ensuring supervision and program continuity when case managers are not present or available;

• Providing crisis intervention;

• Supervising study hall and preparing meals for clients;

• Providing transportation for clients;

• Meeting with parents to discuss youth’s progress and needs and sharing information with program case managers.

• Performing administrative functions such as updating case files, program logs, incident reports, and other administrative functions as needed; and

• Serving as a language interpreter in meetings.

The Ideal Candidate for this position will have the following:

• Experience working in residential or group home settings with youth and families;

• Ability to work in rapidly changing environments;

• Strong sense of initiative;

• An understanding of adolescent growth and development; and

• Experience working with youth with complex trauma, histories of drug and alcohol use, and multi-system involvement. 

Minimum Qualifications: 

• Bilingual capability (English/Spanish)

• Bachelor's degree in Human Services, Education, Psychology, Recreation, Social Work or directly related to supporting adolescent wellness and development; and

• Some experience supervising youths in a group home setting, performing social casework, juvenile probation/justice, youth counseling or related work. 

Substitution: Additional qualifying experience may substitute for the education requirement on a year for year basis. 

Desirable Qualifications: Preference will be given to applicants with one or more of the following:

• Experience working in a gender specific program (all males) in a multilingual and multicultural environment;

• Demonstrable skills and experience in leading psychoeducational or substance use groups for adolescents or creating afterschool or leisure programming for at-risk youth.

• Substance abuse treatment and/or counseling experience; and/or

• Considera