How do you respond in a crisis? Do you have crisis-management training?
The interviewer wants to know that you come prepared to deal with a crisis. As a Youth Worker, the dilemma you encounter could be anything from violent language to destructive behavior towards others, or even medical emergencies.
Review the training you have received and discuss how you have dealt with crises in the past. If you have limited experience with crisis management, do some research to find out more about the demographic you will be serving and the types of situations you might encounter in this role.
"I do have crisis-management training, and also completed emergency response courses when I worked as an Emergency Services Coordinator. Each emergency or dilemma presents different roadblocks, and you have to handle each crisis as a unique situation. It's now second nature to me. I react quickly and with authority when a crisis hits. Stay calm, maintain the lead, and keep the lines of communication open with all parties involved until the situation is under control."
"This training was a part of my diploma in Leadership, my diploma in Counseling, and my certificate in Addictions. I have worked in many situations where a crisis arises. I respond very well to critical situations, and work diligently to find ways to help people feel safe in a crisis. Crisis management is something that I excel at, and it's a skill that I have worked hard to develop. There are always things I can do better, but if everyone ends up safe, I consider the crisis handled."
Community answers are written by other candidates practicing this set. Reading how others frame the same question is one of the fastest ways to sharpen your own.
Anonymous Answer
I am observant and always ready if a child acts out. The safety of the child is important. I take action immediately before everything gets out of hand.
Rachelle's Feedback
You sound very proactive, which is essential when working around children. How do you follow up with the crisis situation (ie: documentation)?
Anonymous Answer
I do not have specific crisis training, but I had dealt with different situations both as a youth mentor and also in my work in customer service. I try my best to always remain calm, be polite, and maintain the safety of everyone involved. I would make sure to report the details of the situation to my supervisor.
Kevin's Feedback
In the "Revised Answer" section, I have suggested a slightly modified response, to improve clarity and impact.
I don’t have any formal crisis training or certifications, per se. But I do have some relevant hands-on experience. As a youth mentor, and also while working in customer service, I dealt with several situations that fit the bill. In situations like those, I find my automatic response is a calming one. I instantly switch gears, becoming a stabilizer for those around me, remaining polite, maintaining safety, and take action, whether it’s reporting the details of the situation to my supervisor, or alerting the appropriate authorities, or finding someone with medical experience, depending on the emergency. If offered this job, I would welcome the opportunity to complete formal crisis training. I’d welcome any suggestions that would help me further my career and foster collaborative growth in the workplace.
Anonymous Answer
I have a lot of knowledge and experience in dealing and being in crisis scenarios, I'm PACE trained and I always use this in my approach, also I'm trained in Attachment & Trauma so this helps me see past extreme behaviors and incidents, to help me identify underlying issues that could be causing a young person to be in crisis. Using my PACE training, I would approach the incident using a Playfulness to try and de-escalate any behaviors, I would then use Acceptance, Accepting why a young person may be feeling a certain way or displaying certain behaviors, then moving on to Curiosity, asking open questions to try and identify and listen closely for any triggers that may have triggered the young person and help me address their concerns with my next approach being Empathy, relying on everything I've heard from the young person back to them, "so from what I hear you saying is that you're angry that you got your Xbox removed from your room, and I can understand how upsetting and frustrating this must feel, but this was done to help you go to sleep at bedtime, so you don't keep waking up tired the next morning, helping you wake up more energized. Maybe we can sit down and come up with a plan so your Xbox can return back to your room, but you must turn it off at a set time to go to sleep".
Marcie's Feedback
Excellent! The interviewer will undoubtedly be impressed by your training, and you've done a great job of explaining exactly how you would handle a crisis situation. Including the exact words you might use, is very powerful! It makes it easy to envision you handling a crisis in a calm and empathetic manner. Good job!
Unlock all 30 Youth Worker questions
Unlock expert responses for behavioral scenarios and safeguarding questions interviewers prioritize.
Get Started