House Parent (Jacksonville)

Overview
Houseparents serve as anchors of Safe Harbor Boys Home's residential program, providing the structure, consistency, compassion, and Christian example young men need as they grow in faith, character, academics, practical skills, and preparation for adulthood.

Being a Houseparent is more than a job. It is a calling lived out through everyday moments of service, discipleship, guidance, and community. As Safe Harbor enters a season of strengthening and growth, we are seeking mission-aligned Houseparents who want to invest deeply in young men, provide consistent care and accountability, and help shape a healthy Christ-centered culture.

What Houseparents Do

Houseparents create a safe, Christ-centered, home-like environment built on faith, accountability, structure, compassion, and love, where boys can grow into men of character, integrity, purpose, and vision.

• Provide daily supervision, care, structure, accountability, and appropriate correction for residents. Build healthy, trust-based relationships while maintaining clear boundaries and program expectations.
• Model a consistent Christian life through integrity, humility, discipline, service, prayer, and daily conduct.
• Lead and participate in prayer, devotions, biblical discipleship, church involvement, and daily study in Proverbs.
• Support school or GED work, vocational training, chores, appointments, recreation, life skills, and preparation for adulthood.
• Transport residents to approved appointments, church, activities, and other destinations.
• Participate in community meals, hands-on learning, service opportunities, property projects, and practical work.
• Maintain written and electronic logs, document significant events, follow safety procedures, and communicate well with leadership.
• Help care for residential areas, property, vehicles, equipment, and shared spaces as part of a culture of stewardship.

What We're Looking For
We are seeking single men or married couples who are passionate about Christian ministry and able to live out their faith while serving young men, including youth who may come from difficult backgrounds or life circumstances.

The right Houseparent understands that meaningful change is often built through consistency and hundreds of small moments, not one dramatic breakthrough.

• Have a mature, active, and growing personal relationship with Jesus Christ.
• Are emotionally mature, dependable, teachable, and steady under pressure.
• Can provide firm guidance, clear expectations, structure, and stability while remaining relational and compassionate.
• Understand how to combine grace with accountability without becoming permissive.
• Have a demonstrated history of working effectively with children or young people, particularly at-risk youth.
• Enjoy teamwork and community living.
• Take initiative and solve problems while respecting leadership, policies, boundaries, and established program expectations.
• Enjoy entering the world of young men through conversation, meals, work, recreation, projects, and shared experiences.
• Are comfortable in an active residential and maritime environment where ministry, mentoring, practical work, and daily operations often overlap.
• Are physically active and able to safely navigate docks, decks, stairs, vessels, and outdoor areas.
• Are willing to embrace a lifestyle of seed planting, faithfully investing in young men even when the results are not immediately visible.

Valuable Experience & Skills
Experience in any of the following areas may be especially valuable:

• Youth mentoring
• Christian ministry
• Residential childcare
• Foster care
• Education or coaching
• Social services
• Military or public safety
• Vocational instruction
• Skilled trades
• Property or facility maintenance
• Outdoor or maritime environments

Candidates with teachable life or vocational skills are especially encouraged to apply. Examples include:

• Gardening
• Culinary arts
• Mechanics
• Carpentry
• Upholstery
• Maintenance
• Boating or maritime skills
• Other practical trades

These skills are preferred but not required. Formal ministry education is welcome but is not a substitute for character, calling, maturity, sound judgment, and demonstrated ability to invest in young people.

Living Arrangements & Lifestyle
House parents live on-site at Safe Harbor.

Depending on the individual arrangement, Houseparents may live:

• Aboard one of Safe Harbor's vessels
• Aboard their own vessel
• In their own RV on campus

Houseparents do not live aboard vessels with program residents.
Because Safe Harbor is a waterfront residential ministry, candidates should be comfortable with a maritime environment, docks, boats, outdoor activities, property projects, and an active lifestyle.

Work Schedule
Safe Harbor provides round-the-clock care for program residents, so Houseparents may work schedules that differ substantially from a traditional Monday-through-Friday position.

Current structure: Houseparents serve on a 14-day rotation. The rotation includes a week of afternoon/evening shifts with day shifts, followed by seven consecutive days off.

This schedule provides meaningful blocks of time to recharge, travel, reconnect with family, participate in church community, and prepare for the next rotation. Specific scheduling expectations will be reviewed during the interview process.

What to Expect
This is hands-on ministry.

Some days may include meaningful conversations, spiritual milestones, and visible breakthroughs. Other days may involve checking chores, helping with schoolwork, preparing or sharing a meal, driving to an appointment, working on a property project, playing a game, teaching a practical skill, completing documentation, resolving conflict, or simply being present when a young man needs a steady adult.

Both kinds of days matter.

Houseparents have the opportunity to help young men learn not only what to believe, but how to live: how to work, communicate, accept responsibility, recover from mistakes, serve others, develop discipline, build healthy relationships, and move toward adulthood with faith and purpose.

Required Qualifications

• Successfully pass all required background screening, including applicable FBI, local law-enforcement, and driving-record checks.
• Demonstrate a proven track record of working with children or youth, particularly at-risk youth.
• Possess a valid driver's license and acceptable driving record.
• Demonstrate strong judgment, reliability, communication, and conflict-management skills.
• Be physically capable of participating in the practical demands of residential and maritime life.
• Be able to provide appropriate structure, correction, supervision, and stability.
• Work effectively as part of a unified team and community.

Christian Faith & Ministry Requirements
Christian faith is foundational to Safe Harbor's mission, residential program, and approach to mentoring young men. All staff are expected to faithfully instill Christian values in the young men they serve.

• Be born-again Christians.
• Have a mature personal relationship with Jesus Christ.
• Demonstrate an active and growing Christian faith in everyday life.
• Agree with and follow Safe Harbor's Statement of Faith.
• Adhere to applicable Ministerial Employment Agreements.
• Be willing to serve as Christian role models through conduct, relationships, prayer, discipleship, and daily life.

Staff members are selected based on professional and educational credentials, demonstrated experience, Christian testimony, character, maturity, and their ability to faithfully carry out Safe Harbor's mission.