Youth Care Counselor (Reli

CounselorIncludes callIncludes weekendsPart-Time

Listed compensation

$19.50–$24.50 /hr

The week · per this posting

Ask the employer about time off.

Posted 6mo ago · Verified live

Job Description

  • Location: Austin, TX 78758 (Main Campus/Off-Campus)
  • Program: Residential Treatment Center / Group Home Program
  • Status: Part-Time, Hourly, Non-Exempt
  • Reports To: Cottage Therapist/Supervisor

The Settlement Home for Children is a nonprofit in Austin that provides structured, trauma-informed care to youth who have experienced trauma. For more than 100 years, we have evolved to meet the changing needs of young people through a continuum of care that includes residential treatment, clinical services, and coordinated community supports.

As a Relief-Team Member, Youth Care Counselor, you will support the daily implementation of individualized care plans by maintaining a safe, structured, and therapeutic environment that promotes skill development and long-term stability. You will provide professional and consistent supervision for youth in our care while helping them meet treatment goals and navigate day-to-day life in a group home setting.

In This Role, You Will

  • Provide direct care, supervision, guidance, and protection for residents in your cottage
  • Implement treatment plans and support residents in developing skills to meet behavioral goals
  • Facilitate structured recreational, leisure, and enrichment activities for residents
  • Ensure accurate documentation of daily behavior, incidents, medical needs, treatment observations, and cottage activities
  • Support residents in attending school, work-training, or other scheduled activities
  • Transport residents safely to appointments, family visits, and other required activities
  • Provide crisis intervention and participate in on-call support as scheduled
  • Work collaboratively with cottage and program teams to maintain a consistent and therapeutic environment
  • Operate within the boundaries of organizational policies, procedures, and licensing standards
  • Participate in physical restraints when required in accordance with training and safety protocols

Required Qualifications

  • At least 21 years old
  • High school diploma or GED required; some college preferred
  • Valid driver’s license and clean driving record (including at least 3 years of a valid license; drivers under 21 cannot have any violations, and drivers under 25 cannot have more than one minor violation or one major violation to be eligible for hire)
  • Clear criminal background as defined by the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services
  • Ability to pass pre-employment drug screening and FBI fingerprint check

Demonstrated psychological sensitivity toward children and understanding of individual and group behavior dynamics

Preferred

  • Bachelor’s or advanced degree in human services, behavioral sciences, or a related field
  • Experience with children or adolescents, preferably in residential or 24-hour care settings
  • Understanding of treatment modalities used in residential children’s care
  • CPR/First Aid certification

Physical Requirements / Working Conditions

You Must Be Able To

  • Lift or exert up to 30 pounds occasionally and up to 15 pounds frequently
  • Walk, stand, sit, stoop, lift, reach, kneel, crouch, run, climb, balance, and crawl as needed
  • Administer physical restraints safely in accordance with training and organizational protocols
  • Perform visual inspections, read and transcribe accurately, and operate a motor vehicle
  • Hear and respond quickly to emergency support requests via oral communication or electronic devices

Schedule: Must be available for at least two 9:00 a. m. – 3:00 p. m. shifts each week

Must be available for at least two 3:00 p. m. – 11:00 p. m. shifts each week

  • Must be available on both Saturday and Sunday
  • May be scheduled for up to one awake night shift per month if needed
  • Estimated scheduled hours: 20-29 per week

Compensation & Benefits for Part Time Roles

  • Hourly pay (based on experience, degree, and field of study) with potential performance-based increases: $0.50 raise at six months and another $0.50 raise at your one-year evaluation, with annual raise opportunities thereafter
  • 401(k) with partial employer match (up to 6%, eligible after 60 days)
  • Free meals on campus, including vegetarian options
  • Free online Black Swan Yoga membership
  • Free Rocket Lawyer account for personal legal needs
  • Employee Assistance Program with free counseling sessions
  • Referral program
  • Opportunities for clinical supervision hours (for employees pursuing LPC-A or LMSW licensure)
  • Other benefits available for eligible employees

Equal Employment Opportunity

The Settlement Home for Children is an equal opportunity employer. We strictly prohibit unlawful discrimination in recruitment, hiring, compensation, promotion, or any other condition of employment based on legally protected characteristics. We maintain a drug-free and alcohol-free workplace.

Location: Austin, Texas

Department: YCC-Relief

Employment Type: Part-Time

Compensation

$19.50-$24.50

Key Responsibilities

The Youth Care Counselor provides direct supervision and support to youth in a residential treatment setting to ensure a safe and therapeutic environment. Responsibilities include implementing individualized care plans, facilitating activities, and documenting daily behaviors and incidents.

Requirements

Candidates must be at least 21 years old with a high school diploma or GED and a valid driver's license with a clean record. Applicants must also pass a criminal background check, drug screening, and FBI fingerprint check.

Key Skills

Behavioral managementTeam collaborationTransportation

Youth Counseling — Counselor Career Context

Of the 40 active Counselor listings this role was benchmarked against, 60% are remote, 8% have no call, 83% require no weekends.

Counselor pay on WeekdayDoc is up 2.5% vs. the prior quarter (through Sep 2026).

The cost-of-living index for Texas is 97.1 (US average = 100; BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)). 57.7% of Texas clinicians report burnout symptoms in WeekdayDoc's Burnout Index (2026-01 data).

Location & Logistics

Texas has no state income tax, which can significantly increase take-home pay compared to high-tax states.

Top Counselor Jobs

40 matches · ranked by pay

Salary Distribution21 jobs · 19 employers

8
<$50k
3
$50k-55k
6
$55k-95k
4
$95k+

Annual compensation range

Benefits & Perks24 jobs · 19 employers

401k / retirement match
71% this job
Loan repayment
33% this job
CME allowance
29%
Sign-on bonus
21%
Relocation assistance
4%

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Work-life snapshot

median 6.1this job 3.6
Better work-life than 30% of Counseling listings

Listing-based score, 0–10, across 13,631 comparable listings. Shaded area = the share scoring below this one.

  • On-site
  • Includes call
  • Includes weekends

Living in Austin

Typical 3-bedroom home value
$455k
Typical market rent
$1,586/mo
Residents’ average commute
24 min
State income tax
None
Sources & methodology

Sources: Zillow home values (Aug 2026), Zillow market rents (Aug 2026), U.S. Census ACS 2024 five-year.

City-level figures. Not a cost-of-living guarantee.

Confidential Employer logo

About Confidential Employer

Non-profit Organization Management
Austin, TX
51-200 employees

Benefits & Perks

401(k) with partial employer match (up to 6%)
Free meals on campus
Free online Black Swan Yoga membership
Free Rocket Lawyer account
Employee Assistance Program with free counseling sessions
Referral program
Opportunities for clinical supervision hours