Salary: $24.68 Hourly
Location : Social Services Main Hickory, NC
Job Type: Part-Time 85%
Job Number: 01821
Department: Social Services
Opening Date: 09/15/2023
Position Description
Catawba County is committed to making living better through serving adolescents and young adults with multiple and complex needs.
We are seeking an individual who shares our common core values:
Doing what’s right:
- To provide comprehensive social work services in schools and community sites through an aggressive year round outreach program designed to promote well-being, educational attainment, permanence, and independent living skills and prevent or reduce adolescent pregnancy, school drop-out, and homelessness among youth in grades 8-12, including foster youth who live below the poverty level.
Doing what matters most:
- Working with youth to build confidence, teach life skills, teach work ethic and employment skills, model independence and responsibility, promote self-awareness and self-love, promote sexual awareness and reduce teen-age pregnancy, and to offer unique opportunities and experiences that broaden individual perspectives and expose youth to a world of endless possibilities and achievabl dreams.
Doing it together:
- Working cohesively with school partners, local non-profits and local businesses to support and strengthen program and individual goals of youth participants.
Doing it well:
- Striving for excellence in empowering youth to meet their highest potential.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
- This position works 34 hours a week; daily hours are dependent on youth group schedules and various needs of clients served.
- Trainees, those with a Master’s or Bachelor’s degrees in other areas of human services, but do not have the required experience, may be considered. Trainee salary is $41,435.96
- Catawba County Social Services serves as the local Community Action Agency (CAA) for Catawba County. Community Action Agencies provide services to help bring people out of poverty. Community Action Agencies receive federal Community Services Block Grant (CSBG) funding via the NC DHHS/Office of Economic Opportunity (OEO). Catawba County Social Services uses CSBG funds to deliver the Teen-Up program to youth in our community who are experiencing poverty and is committed to making living better by working with youth to provide the education and skill building necessary for them to overcome poverty.
Responsibilities
- Work collaboratively with school and community partners to identify, recruit and screen youth for program eligibility and participation, to include verification of income (must be below federal poverty level)
- Consult with guidance counselors and school officials regarding risk-taking behaviors of program Participants
- Act as liaison between schools and DSS, Health Dept., Mental Health, and substance abuse services based on needs identified in group. Make referrals as needed
- Prepare and provide weekly psycho-educational groups using evidence based practice
- Provide crisis intervention, conflict resolution, experiential learning strategies, and sexuality education and training to youth participants
- Coordinate and arrange opportunities for service learning, career exploration and exposure to post-secondary possibilities and opportunities
- Keep current on trends in adolescent development, community trends, and how they affect the group process
- Provide intervention and support to parents/guardians of youth in the program
- Identify youth for work force program and match with placements based on interests/skills/abilities
- Coordinate summer camp programs with a focus on health, wellness, fitness and self-love
- Make home visits as needed.
- Follow all guidelines of the Community Services Block Grant to include completion of administrative grant tasks and participation in quarterly CSBG Board Meetings
Qualifications
- Master’s degree from an accredited school of social work; or
- Bachelor’s degree from an accredited school of social work and 1 year of social work experience; or
- Bachelor’s degree in a human services field and 2 years of social work experience; or
- Bachelor’s degree in a non-human services field and 3 years of social work experience
ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS:
- Valid Driver’s license with safe driving record
- This position collaborates with school, community and social services partners, so good team work skills and flexibility in working across disciplines is essential.
- Ability to work with a variety of people, public agencies, and professionals
- Strong verbal and writing skills
- Effective knowledge of changing needs of high-risk adolescent population and evidence based practices and interventions
- This is considered Light Work, lifting up to 20 pounds required.
Additional Information
PREFERENCES:
- Master’s or Bachelor’s degree in Social Work
- Strong experience in working with high-risk adolescents
- Experience working with and/or in the mental health system, school system or human service fields
- Direct social work experience or similar experiences
- Knowledge of health, wellness and nutrition
- Persons with bilingual ability (English/Spanish) are encouraged to apply.
As of 7/1/2022:
You will find that Catawba County has one of the best benefits packages around. Our Human Resources staff are dedicated to keeping in touch with trends in benefits on both a local and national level, listening to employees’ suggestions regarding benefits, and continually reviewing to ensure our benefits package is of good quality and meets the needs of both our employees and our organization. Available benefits include:
Health Care
- Health: For a small bi-weekly premium, employees may choose between a traditional (co-pay) health plan and a high deductible health plan coupled with a Health Savings Account (HSA). Coverage may also be purchased for spouse, child(ren), or family.
- Dental Insurance: At no cost to full-time employees, the County covers preventive, routine, and non-routine care. Coverage for the same benefits may also be purchased for spouse, child(ren) and family. In addition, a $2,000 benefit toward orthodontia coverage is provided for children up to age 19.
- Vision Care: Coverage is available, at group rates, for employee and dependents, with 2 plan options to choose from.
- Supplemental critical care and accident insurance plans: These optional coverage plans are available at a nominal cost.
- Flexible Spending Accounts: Pre-tax accounts which can be used to pay for qualified out-of-pocket medical, dental, vision expenses.
Employee Wellness
- Employee Health Clinic (EHC): An employee medical clinic, available to all County employees, which operates 40 hours a week. Services provided include acute care, first aid, evaluation and care for workers’ compensation injuries, pre-employment screenings, health education, and behavioral health referrals. Services offered both in person and through telehealth. Acute care available to employee’s children ages 5-17 regardless of health insurance coverage and for employee’s adult children (ages 18-26) or employee’s spouse if covered on the county’s health insurance.
- Wellness: The County recognizes the importance of our health and well-being. We maintain a very proactive and effective Wellness Program, including reimbursement and discounts for gym membership, incentives for physical activity, on-site nutrition counseling, free exercise opportunities, wellness education and more.
- Employee Assistance Program: Counseling services are available to all County employees and immediate family members in the home. Services are provided in a private and confidential setting (in-person or virtually). The County provides coverage for the first six visits.
Work Life Balance
- Annual Leave: Full-time employees earn from 10-21 days annually based on years of service. Service credit from other NC and Local Governments in the retirement system may be transferred to the County.
- Sick Leave: Full-time employees earn one day (8 hours) of sick leave per month. Sick leave from other NC and Local Governments in the retirement system may be transferred to the County.
- Holiday Leave: Throughout the year, 11 days of paid leave are provided in recognition of holidays.
- Flexible work schedules.
- Time off for activities that support our local schools.
- Continuing educational assistance.
- Discount tickets to recreational venues.
- Employee appreciation days/activities.
- Tax-free flexible spending account to pay for dependent care.
Financial Security
- Local Governmental Employees Retirement System: For employees assigned to work 20 hours per week or more in a benefitted position, participation in this program is automatic. Employees contribute 6% of their salary, which is tax deferred. After (5) years of creditable service, you become fully vested in the retirement system. Employees may also take advantage of individual and group retirement counseling through the Human Resources department.
- 401K: The County provides a 2% contribution plus an additional 1% match (up to 3% total contribution by the County). Our sworn law enforcement officers receive a flat 5% contribution to their 401k.
- Other Tax Deferred Programs: Other tax-sheltering programs are available through IRS Code 125 (Cafeteria Plan), and a 457 supplemental retirement plan (Deferred Compensation).
- Longevity Pay: After 5 years of creditable service, employees receive an annual longevity payment that is paid every year thereafter. This lump sum payment rewards employees for their length of service to Catawba County. The amount is based on years of service.
- Life Insurance: Death benefit equal to one times employee’s annual salary with a minimum coverage amount of $25,000. Optional supplemental life insurance coverage is also available for both employee and dependents through payroll deduction at group rates.
- Short Term Disability: Available at no cost to employees, benefits are available after a 55-day waiting period.
- Long Term Disability: Available through payroll deduction at group rates.
- Eligibility for membership and financial services at State Employees Credit Union (SECU)/Local Government Federal Credit Union (LGFCU).
01
What is your interest in this particular Social Worker position? What is your experience in this specific area of social work?
Required Question