Youth Counselor
About the job
- A high school diploma or equivalent is required.
- Confidence working with challenging youth behaviors is required.
- Ability to set and maintain appropriate boundaries is required.
- Ability to remain calm and professional during conflict or escalation is required.
- Strong communication and teamwork skills are required.
- Ability to read, write, hear, and speak in English is required.
- Ability to pass a background check, including fingerprinting, is required.
- Ability to perform physical escorts and/or restraints when required for safety is required.
- Reliable transportation is required.
- Willingness to work in a hands-on environment is required.
- Build positive relationships with youth while maintaining clear professional boundaries.
- Supervise and support youth throughout daily activities.
- Set expectations and consistently follow through.
- Address challenging, disruptive, or defiant behaviors calmly and confidently.
- Use communication, redirection, and de-escalation techniques.
- Support recreational, vocational, and life-skill activities.
- Participate in treatment goals through observation, interaction, and limit setting.
- Communicate with teammates to maintain consistent expectations and care.
- Complete required documentation and reports.
- Respond appropriately to crisis situations and follow safety procedures.
- Experience with youth, residential care, behavioral health, education, coaching, juvenile services, criminal justice, or direct care is helpful but not required.
About the company
Woodward Academy provides residential treatment for male youths who are adjudicated delinquent or CINA. It offers programs that redirect delinquent or negative behaviors toward positive, socially acceptable patterns by introducing students to a normative culture and delivering behavioral and cognitive change through structured treatment services. The facility operates in a safe, controlled environment and is accredited by The Joint Commission. Its goal is to help students learn, develop, and apply skills that guide them toward positive futures. How it differs from competitors: it combines a normative culture model with comprehensive residential treatment and accreditation to ensure consistent, structured support focused on long-term behavioral and cognitive change rather than short-term interventions.
Company Size
51-200
Company Stage
N/A
Total Funding
N/A
Headquarters
Woodward, Iowa
Founded
1995
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Simplify's Take
What believers are saying
- Four 2026 National Merit Finalists reinforce academic selectivity and college-placement strength.
- Woodward North won Alpharetta's 2026-2027 School Garden Support Program, expanding hands-on learning.
- Five 2025-2026 football All-State honors and multiple athletics awards strengthen student-life recruiting.
What critics are saying
- Tuition reached $36,350 for middle and upper school in 2026, limiting affordability.
- Niche lists 2,447 students, while Woodward claims 2,703, showing data inconsistency.
- Elite Atlanta private schools like Lovett and Westminster intensify admissions competition each year.
What makes Woodward Academy unique
- Two-campus Atlanta network spans College Park and Johns Creek, widening feeder reach.
- Woodward serves Pre-K through 12th grade, retaining families across the full pipeline.
- 2026 Maymester ran eight international programs, signaling unusually deep experiential offerings.
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Benefits
- Health Insurance
- Dental Insurance
- Vision Insurance
- Life Insurance
- Disability Insurance
- Health Savings Account/Flexible Spending Account
- Paid Vacation
- Paid Holidays
- Parental Leave
- Wellness Program
- Employee Assistance Program
- Mentorship Program