Residential Counselor, Transitional Housing

How This Role Contributes to the Y’s Mission

As a Residential Counselor, you will support families experiencing homelessness as they work toward stability, independence, and permanent housing. You will help residents strengthen daily living skills, access needed resources, navigate challenges, and maintain progress toward their individual goals.

Under the direction of the Program Manager, you will help create a safe, respectful, and supportive residential environment where families are treated with dignity and encouraged to build a more sustainable future.

This Work Is Right for You If You:

• Have experience supporting at-risk youth, families, or individuals experiencing homelessness.

• Build trusting relationships while maintaining professional boundaries.

• Can provide compassionate support while holding residents accountable to program expectations.

• Remain calm and use sound judgment during conflicts, crises, or emergencies.

• Have experience using positive behavior-support, de-escalation, and problem-solving techniques.

• Communicate clearly and document information accurately.

• Are dependable, observant, organized, and comfortable working independently.

• Can work effectively with people from different backgrounds and life experiences.

• Are available to work a flexible schedule that may include evenings, weekends, overnight shifts, and holidays.

Essential Functions

• Residential Counselors may be scheduled for the following shifts:

  • 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM
  • 4:00 PM – 12:00 AM
  • 12:00 AM – 8:00 AM 

• Support the Program Manager with resident assessments, service planning, interventions, and reviews of resident needs and progress.

• Welcome and orient new residents and volunteers to the program, facility, expectations, and available resources.

• Observe resident interactions and behaviors and communicate concerns, progress, or significant incidents to the appropriate supervisor.

• Support residents in following individualized service, intervention, and transitional housing plans.

• Teach and reinforce independent-living skills, including cleaning, meal preparation, budgeting, grocery shopping, household organization, and appointment management.

• Help residents identify and address social, environmental, and healthcare needs.

• Plan and participate in residential, recreational, and community activities.

• Transport residents to appointments, activities, and community locations as assigned.

• Provide crisis intervention and emergency support and notify the supervisor or on-call contact in accordance with established procedures.

• Complete required assessments, progress notes, incident reports, and other program documentation accurately and on time.

• Conduct routine building inspections and address or report safety concerns and violations of residential guidelines.

• Maintain a safe, clean, positive, and respectful environment in collaboration with residents and coworkers.

• Model appropriate boundaries, respectful communication, conflict resolution, and effective problem-solving.

• Communicate the Y’s mission and program objectives to residents, volunteers, partners, and the community.

• Model the Y’s core values of caring, honesty, respect, and responsibility.

• Perform other job-related duties consistent with the purpose and scope of the position.

Qualifications

• High school diploma or equivalent required.

• Experience working with at-risk youth, families, individuals experiencing homelessness, or other vulnerable populations.

• Experience applying positive behavior-support, de-escalation, crisis-response, or problem-solving techniques.

• Strong communication, interpersonal, observation, and organizational skills.

• Ability to respond appropriately to sensitive situations and maintain confidentiality.

• Basic computer skills and experience using standard workplace software.

• Ability to work a flexible schedule, including evenings, weekends, overnight shifts, and holidays.

• Ability to work effectively with people from diverse social, cultural, and economic backgrounds.

• Ability to meet all required background-screening, training, and transportation requirements associated with the position.

Physical and Work Requirements

• Ability to work in an active residential environment and move throughout the facility.

• Ability to use a computer and other standard office equipment.

• Ability to sit, stand, walk, use hands and arms, communicate effectively, and lift or move up to 50 pounds, with or without reasonable accommodation.

• Ability to enter and work within assigned Y in Central Maryland program environments.