As a Youth Counselor with Aspiranet in Turlock, you'll ignite your passion for helping at-risk youth and gain skills to advance your career in social services, law enforcement, or psychology. You will experience a dynamic setting, rich with like-minded professionals as you provide support, love, and care for boys from across the state.

Although your primary responsibility is to provide care for up to eight youth in a residential setting, your real job, the job you’ll remember, is to show these boys what it feels like to have somebody care about them. And in return, you’ll understand what it means to change the direction of another person’s life.

This flexible opportunity with evening and weekend hours allow you to do something you’re passionate about while gaining real-world experience working with troubled boys and young men. This is the ideal position for a recent college graduate looking for an enriching experience to launch their career, a stay-at-home parent seeking to reenter the workforce, or someone working on their Master’s degree in social work or psychology.

Watch the video to find out why Youth Counselors are so enthusiastic about the work they do. 

Check out open positions for Youth Counselor.
Click the links to learn more, and to apply.

There are no open positions at this time.

Aspiranet's Excel Residential Center in Turlock is located on 11 beautiful acres.

Meet some of the amazing people you'll be working with at
Aspiranet's Residential Program in Turlock.

Tiffany Dart
Youth Counselor

What attracted you to the job?
I’m passionate and compassionate when it comes to helping youth. I’m currently going for my Master’s Degree in Counseling Psychology, and I thought this job would be a good fit for me since I’m pursuing a career where I can help youth and families.

Tell us a short story about something you have accomplished in the job.
One of our residents expressed to me how he needed help finding a job. I felt compelled to try to help him. I told him, “you’re lucky I’m determined.” I would bring my laptop to work and was able to help him create a resume, apply to jobs online, and turn in a job application to a hiring manager. I really enjoyed being there for him every step of the way, and I feel like it wasn’t just an accomplishment for him, but an accomplishment for me too.

What do you see as your career path?
I see my career path as being a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor (LPCC) that works with children, teenagers, and families.

Last job before Aspiranet?
College student and Starbucks barista / barista trainer

Hometown:
Stanislaus County

Education:
BA in Psychology from Arizona State University; pursuing MS in Counseling Psychology at Hope International University

Hobbies:
All things creative – drawing, painting, writing; singing; running; volunteering

Favorite sports teams:
Oakland Raiders, Oakland A’s, Golden State Warriors

Latanya Austin
Cottage Manager

What attracted you to the job?
What attracted me to Aspirant is the feeling I get from helping at-risk youth and helping them develop the life skills they need in order to have a better chance at life. Also being a part of their journey as they achieve their goals.

How does your Aspiranet experience differ from the last place that you worked?
At Aspiranet, I'm working with youth vs. adults in my last job.  I find my work here very rewarding.  Given Aspiranet's size, I have many opportunities to grow and expand my career that are not typically available in smaller organizations.  Plus, I like that Aspiranet offers a 401(k) so I can plan for my future.

How has your career at Aspiranet progressed?
I started as a youth counselor and was able to quickly demonstrate my leadership skills, so I was promoted to youth counselor lead.  Recently, I received another promotion to cottage manager.

Last job before Aspiranet?
Shift lead at California Psychiatric Transitions

Hometown:
Born in Chicago, IL; raised in Birmingham, AL

Hobbies:
Music, jogging

Favorite sports teams:
Golden State Warriors, San Francisco 49ers

Last vacation:
San Diego

Alex Bettincort
Youth Counselor Lead

What first attracted you to this job?
I first heard of this job through a friend of mine. I was really excited to potentially be employed in a workplace that works with adolescent boys. One of my bachelor’s degrees is in psychology, so to me, working in this type of field and dealing with human behavior every single day just attracted me instantly. I've always wanted to work with either kids or teenagers.  When I applied I was eager to hopefully get a call back.  When I did, I was ultimately just excited to be able to help some of these youth and show them that there are people who care about them and want to help them better themselves.  

What advice would you give to someone considering a youth counselor job?
Give these kids your best patience and give them your time.  Come to work because you want to help these boys; be here for the right reasons. Don't be afraid to ask for help or to ask questions along the way. Remember that your coworkers are there to support you as well and together if everyone works as a team, that is when we best help these boys. Start each day fresh and clear-headed. Remember that everyone can make mistakes, but those mistakes do not define who you are. These boys will make mistakes, help them learn from them and grow as young men. 

Hometown:
Turlock is my hometown, but I grew up in many towns surrounding the Central Valley - Don Pedro, Hughson, Coulterville, and Salida

Education:
Bachelor’s Degrees in Psychology and Kinesiology from CSU Stanislaus

Hobbies:
Going to the beach, listening to all kinds of music, cooking, playing sports, hanging out with family and friends

Favorite sports teams:
San Francisco Giants, San Francisco 49ers, Boston Celtics

David Boehme
Youth Counselor

What do you like best about your job?
The staff is very friendly. We have ups and downs here but when you are able to help these kids you feel amazing - like that first bight of your favorite food. 

What advice would you give to someone considering a youth counselor job?
To be very patient. It can take some time for some of the kids to warm up to you. To treat these kids the way you want to be treated.

What do you see as your career path?
Aspiranet is a great place to work.  I see myself working my way up the ladder here, as there is always a new position available.

Tell us a short story about something you accomplished on the job.
Every day I come in and make two delicious home cooked meals for my kids and one day one of my kids wanted to make some fried bread so I was able to share some of my cooking knowledge with him. Hopefully, he can use the cooking techniques that I showed him in the future when he is out on his own.

Last job before Aspiranet:
Preschool teacher and docent at the LA County Museum of Art

Favorite outdoor activities:
Surfing, hiking, gardening

Favorite indoor activities:
Cooking and listening to all forms of music

Aspiranet is a 501(c) (3), California nonprofit organization. "Hope Forward" is a registered trademark.