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Job description
Juvenile Program Worker/Cook - Long Creek Youth Development Center, South Portland
Grade 16: $26.56/hr - $31.89/hr (this rate includes $1.00/hour direct care stipend.) This rate does not include any applicable shift differentials or overtime.
Job Class Code: 5216
Open: September 25, 2026
Close: October 09, 2026
Be that influence of change in the lives of Maine's justice-involved youth. A Juvenile Program Worker (JPW) at Long Creek Youth Development Center is more than a traditional Youth Correctional Officer role. The detained and committed juvenile residents of Long Creek are up to 21 years old, often with a history of trauma and concurrent mental health and substance use disorders, chronic behavioral issues, and/or aggression. We recruit moral, ethical, and dependable candidates as JPWs to be a role model, life coach, and a positive, supportive adult that can be missing in their lives. JPWs blend youth correctional officer and social worker responsibilities and provide direct supervision, safety, security, assistance, and accountability.
If you enjoy a challenge, thrive in high-pressure situations, have confidence that you will make a difference, and want to join a team of like-minded professionals dedicated to the transformation and treatment of juvenile residents, read on to learn more.
As a Juvenile Program Worker - Cook, your work will involve preparing and serving approximately 180 meals per day. Responsibilities include monitoring security of assigned areas, instructing and training residents in kitchen sanitation and basic food preparation, serving food, and assisting the Correctional Cook Supervisor. This position will also cover juvenile program worker's duties in the units when needed. To affect change in those in our care, a JPW is also a role model, life coach, and positive, supportive adult. A JPW truly can impact Maine's justice-involved youth towards a better path.
Minimum Requirements to Apply
At least 18-Years-Old.
HS Diploma or Equivalent (HiSET, GED, etc.).
Valid driver's license to apply, Maine driver's license upon hire.
No serious criminal or extensive motor vehicle records. See Automatic Disqualifiers.
Work/Life Balance
A base schedule of working 7 out of 14 days per pay period ADDS UP TO HALF OF THE YEAR OFF!
We are a 24/7/365 secured facility with 12-Hour shifts, Night, Weekend, and Shift Differentials, Premium Overtime Pay, and Merit and Longevity Increases.
NO MANDATED OVERTIME ON YOUR SCHEDULED DAYS OFF unless in extremely rare, emergency cases.
Duties
We believe that compassion plays a vital role in the transformation process and seek candidates who are able to foster positive relationships with juvenile residents while maintaining appropriate boundaries. As a Juvenile Program Worker, you are responsible for ensuring the safety and security of all individuals under your care. This includes enforcing rules and regulations, monitoring juvenile resident behavior, utilizing crisis de-escalation techniques, and assisting residents in obtaining pro-social skills.
Responsibilities Include
Be a mentor, act as a role model, and encourage positive pro-social change in juvenile residents.
Provide a safe and secure environment for adjudicated and detained youth.
Assist juvenile residents in meeting appropriate standards of behavior.
Ensure residents' compliance with rules and regulations.
Communicate with and de-escalate juvenile residents exhibiting difficulty interacting within the milieu.
Promote a normalization culture within Long Creek's total learning environment.
Supervise, guide, and motivate juvenile residents to maintain a safe and healthy environment.
Perform searches of living quarters and areas, buildings, and grounds to prevent possession of contraband.
Transport juvenile residents to court, appointments, and daily activities.
Observe and report individual and group interactions and resident participation in treatment programs.
Update logs, maintain detailed records, and share information to support the rehabilitation process.
Counsel, support, and advise residents regarding peer interactions, rules, and regulations, health and safety standards, and treatment strategies.
Utilize pro-social communication, de-escalation techniques, and skills obtained through training provided to maintain safety and security.
Evaluate the potential for negative interactions and respond with trauma-informed interventions and behavior management.
Desirable Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
To successfully perform the assigned work once hired, one must possess certai
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Worksite address
south portland, ME, 04106, US
Who can apply
Review the original listing for work authorization, qualifications and employer requirements.