Job Description
Job DescriptionSalary: $18 - $22hourly TBD based on experience and education
WHO WE ARE
Maple Lake Academy is a residential treatment center for adolescents (boys 13 to 18) on the autistic spectrum. Our students are high functioning dealing with deficits in social skills, life skills, inability to understand their own emotions or put their emotions into words. Many of our students are emotionally fragile or dont have a strong ability to be resilient.We provide a safe and nurturing home like environment for our students to learn skills that push them in the areas mentioned above. Our team works with our client population daily, hands on, and in one-on-one situations.
Maple Lake Academy setsourselves apart in the mental-health industry by using anattachment-basedapproach, focusing on relationship building and modeling what healthy, secure relationships look and feel like. We seek to create a safe environment for students and employees to learn, grow, develop, explore, make mistakes, and build lasting impactful relationships with those around them.
OVERVIEW
The focus of the Maple Lake Academy Equine Program is to provide the opportunity for our clients to learn many aspects of horsemanship in the spirit of compassion and friendship with the animals and each other. We are looking for someone who can help facilitate riding classes, assist students with feeding and care, care of the horses (feeding, riding, helping to track health records). You shouldhave solid equine experience combined with good discernment and common sense pertaining to horsemanship and all related skills. Our equine classes are small and diverse so quick decision making is crucial with strong emphasis on safety. We are also looking for someone who is attentive to detail and has the ability to multitask. You must be self-motivated, have the ability to take initiative and understand basic upkeep of barn and equine facility.
SCHEDULE
Part Time (about 25 to 30 hours a week)
To be determined based on availability and our schools' need.
BENEFITS AND PERKS
- Immersive experience working with teens on the autism spectrum
- A very collaborative team between all departments
- Close teamwork among all staff
- A positive and supportive working environment
- Great work-life balance
- Employee activities and company parties throughout the year
EDUCATION REQUIREMENT
- HS Diploma or GED.
EXPERIENCE
- 5+ years riding a variety of horses preferred.
- Skill in both English and Western preferred.
- Must have experience in all aspects of equine care and management (you might be required to give oral, intramuscular and intravenous medications, clean, treat and wrap wounds).
- Experience coupling, uncoupling and towing a horse trailer is necessary.
- Previous experience supporting adolescents and/or autism spectrum clients is preferred but not necessary.
ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS
- Age 21+
- Must be able to lift up to 75 lbs. bales of hay (most bales weight between 50-60 lbs. however, some could be heavier)
- Must be able to lift saddles and other objects found around the barn such as hay forks and tractor implements.
- Must be able to be "on your feet" for most of each day
- Ability to pass a background check upon hire
- Current valid Drivers License with an acceptable driving record (no more than 3 moving violations within the last 5 years)
JOB RESPONSIBILITIES
- Assist on teaching 10-15 hours of classes each week (varies by season)
- Teach equestrian skills to youth who are non-neurotypical
- Help, condition and train about 13 school horses
- Help pull stacks, place on pallets and move approximately 50 bales of hay to staging areas weekly
- Pull large tarps over high stacks of hay and help check the tie downs weekly and after windy weather
- Coach students and staff on proper feeding, watering and mucking techniques
- Perform necessary medical and other equine management services
- Water and groom arena riding areas as needed
- Communicate with the Equine Manager about broken tack issues which need to be addressed immediately and also any pending maintenance items (like doors, fans, gates, etc.)
- Learn to drive a small tractor with hay forks to move pallets of hay
- Learn to drive a TR-3 to drag the riding arena and aisleways, and a front end loader to push up manure piles and clean corrals
- Attend and complete all required training and maintainan up-to-date training record and certifications required by Maple lake Academy
- Good communication skills both written and verbal
- Ability to plan and prioritize work
- Other duties as assigned
Interested applicants should apply to this posting, and you can expect an immediate email notification upon receipt of your application. Our hiring manager will reach out to candidates who appear to meet our needs within a few business days.If you don't see any emails come through upon submitting the application, or are awaiting a response from the hiring manager, check your SPAM folder. Sometimes emails from our application system get sent there.
An ATTACHMENT Approach
Most youth residential treatment programs use a behavioral approach to therapeutic and residential support, but we set ourselves apart for our students by using anattachment-basedapproach. Everything we do is through the lens of attachment theory. As a member of the MLA team, you'll get great training in attachment styles, and how to best help teens in our program to build healthy relationships with themselves, their peers, and caregivers. Additionally, we focus on helping students identify the core issues behind their behaviors and thoughts, and then how to address those core needs. We seek to create a safe environment for students and employees to learn, grow, develop, explore, make mistakes, and build lasting impactful relationships with those around them.