Please read and make suggestions. We can revisit these in the future, but also nice to have a few established so that we can make a statement to the effect.

Qualifications

Policy:
Fairbanks Youth Advocates (FYA) selects employees who demonstrate job knowledge (education or experience), ability, and personal integrity. Descriptions of qualifications and duties for the positions are available to staff. FYA will adhere to federal, state, and local regulations in selecting employees. Including appropriate background and criminal history checks.

Purpose:
To confirm new staff are qualified to perform job tasks, and they are informed of their duties.

Procedure:

1. Written descriptions and duties of the positions will be maintained and should be shared with staff prior to employment and again at time of employment and at their request.
2. Professional staff should observe ethical principles and standards of their professions.
3. Employees whose positions require certification or licensure should maintain certification or licensure and provide appropriate documentation to the Program Director. Employees completing degrees should provide appropriate documentation to the Program Director so that employee records can be updated.

Entering Resident Rooms

Policy:

Fairbanks Youth Advocates (FYA) strives to maintain an environment, which is free from emotional, sexual, or physical harassment for youth and staff. No staff may enter youth’s room when youth are present, unless accompanied by another staff.

Purpose:

To prevent compromising of staff’s and youth’s dignity and safety by emotional, physical or sexual exploitation.

Procedure:

1. Staff may enter youth’s room when youth is present only when accompanied by another staff. Staff may enter unoccupied rooms only in performance of housekeeping, safety duties or at youth’s request.
2. If no other staff is available to accompany, staff should enter occupied youth’s room unaccompanied only if youth’s safety is in question.
3. Resident rooms should not be used for counseling purposes. Counseling sessions should be held in counseling rooms.
4. In general, staff should not be in enclosed areas unless accompanied by another staff.
5. Violations of this policy should be reviewed by the Program Director. Circumstances will be examined. Inappropriate intrusions may result in disciplinary action.

Sanctuary

Policy:
Fairbanks Youth Advocates (FYA) provides youth with a safe, protective environment.

Purpose:
To provide youth with safety and freedom needed to focus on their future.
To demonstrate non-judgmental expression of caring to youth.

Procedure:

1. FYA does not require extensive background information and does not permit this information to be sought by Intake staff at first meeting. Initial Intake interview is kept brief and non-explicit, in order to immediately meet youth’s basic needs in safe, non-judgmental setting.
2. If youth has been a FYA resident before, more detailed and specific interview may be appropriate and warranted, but is still conducted in non-judgmental and caring atmosphere.
3. Youth with outstanding warrants will be advised that they must be actively engaged in a plan to resolve warrants if they wish to remain at FYA. Plans to resolve warrants will be developed at Intake interview, as soon as possible.
4. Sanctuary will be maintained by adhering barring drugs, alcohol, weapons and threatening behavior from shelter and promoting caring, nurturing and therapeutic relationships between staff and residents.