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CAREGIVER COUPLE, Hollis, Oklahoma

Westview Boys’ Home, having served young men from hard places for over 60 years, has an opening for caregivers as a permanent part of its program for youth.  This position represents an opportunity to acquire extraordinary experience working with a team of 18 other godly women and men serving neglected, rejected, and troubled youth on a full-time basis.  Our Home is located on a 1,500-acre ranch spread over rural Harmon County, Oklahoma.

Qualifications

  • Sound spiritual, mental, and physical health
  • Couples who have been married for at least two years
  • Successful completion of high school or a GED; college experience is a plus
  • Valid driver’s license; no criminal record
  • Outstanding references from their church leaders
  • Because we are a faith-based organization, an active member of a local Church of Christ

Ministry mentors

  • Counseling – Chase Thompson, LPC, MS, Cameron University
  • Trust-Based Relational Intervention – Joshua Birney, Manager of Social Services, Certified TBRI Practitioner
  • Youth Ministry – Ron Bruner, DMin, Abilene Christian University
  • Caregiving – Terry Owens, MBA, Colorado Technical University
  • Animal Programs – Doug Gonzalez, Ranch Manager, BS, Liberty University

Job description

  • Participate in the daily lives of our young men, including:
    • Practicing Trust-Based Relational Intervention as our evidence-based methodology
    • Preparing and eating meals with them
    • Assisting boys with school work, extracurricular activities, and animal projects
    • Working, and supervising their work on campus
    • Traveling with them to church, youth meetings, and other recreational activities
    • Demonstrating grace, forgiveness, appropriate conflict resolution, and how to correctly handle mistakes
    • Modeling a daily life of faith
  • Provide a stable and safe environment for our boys to live in
  • Care for the house in which the couple lives and the vehicles entrusted to their care
  • Keep written records required by Westview Boys’ Home policy and law
  • Participate in the life of the local church as an active, working member
  • Join the boys on “fun” trips planned by others (Six Flags, baseball games, etc.)
  • Handle other assignments to projects and teams as assigned by the Director of Operations

Compensation

  • Private quarters in one of our cottages
  • Meals with our boys, and access to our commissary on days off
  • Health and life insurance group plans available (Westview pays 80%)
  • Utilities and on-duty transportation provided; Internet and cable services are available
  • Participation in a 403(b) retirement program after one year of service
  • Initial compensation varies with experience 

Training we provide

  • Initial training
    • Residential Child Care Standards
    • Handling of Confidential Information
    • Westview Boys’ Handbook (our behavioral management program)
    • Westview Houseparent Handbook (supervisory policies and procedures)
    • Red Cross First Aid and CPR
    • Safe driving of 15 passenger vehicles and use of child safety restraints
    • Managing aggressive behavior
  • Trust-Based Relational Intervention – the core of our evidence-based methodology. For more details, go here.
  • Ongoing training
    • Behavior management
    • Childhood and adolescent psychology
    • Spiritual care and development of children and adolescents
    • Personal development

Challenges

  • Hollis (population 2,000) is a rural community in Oklahoma’s poorest county (Harmon).
  • Working with our boys is exciting, interesting, and emotionally demanding.  Gains are slow and hard-won.  Team members encourage one another, resist relational triangulation, and patiently and persistently model the life of Christ.
  • This couple will have the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of our boys and a contribution to our team of godly Christians.  At the same time, those who come to learn with us will fare better than those who think that they have all of the answers.  Regardless of your years, your age is both an advantage and vulnerability.

To apply, send a resume with cover letter to Ron Bruner, Executive Director, Westview Boys’ Home, P. O. Box 553, Hollis, OK 73550, or e-mail these to rbruner@wbh.email.