Youth Advocate

Youth Advocate

Salary: $20.00 - $25.00/hr

Position Summary:

Under the general supervision of Community School Director, will assist guidance counselors and social workers to develop exemplary educational structures to bridge the gap to higher educational aspirations. Youth Advocate will assist in wrap around services for all scholars in their particular grade. Youth Advocate will engage in resolving personal, social and emotional difficulties that impede full participation in school-day and after-school programming.

Essential Duties:

• Understand and promote the organization's Mission, Vision, and Core Values to ensure alignment with organizational policies and procedures.
• Meet and greet grade level students every morning when they arrive to school; make early morning phone calls to determine absence on a daily basis.
• Seek advice and identify targeted sources of youth family support from appropriate school staff and community-based partners under the direction of the Community School Director and Student Resource Coordinator.
• Will be assigned to work with an assigned grade level in high school.
• Facilitation of SEL sessions with the Social Worker and Health Educator.
• Maintain notes about attendance progress throughout the school year with weekly meetings with Community School Director, Student Resource Coordinator and Guidance Counselor.
• Engage High-school students in forward planning for higher education aspirations.
• Maintain core Children's Aid values in all aspects of engagement with high-school students.
• Develop strategic and constructive ways to maintain and determine high-school student needs.
• Ensure student trust within the confines of provider/client confidentiality.
• Develop a strong relationship with Community School Director and Student Resource Coordinator to maintain positive approaches utilizing quantitative and scientifically based proven methods to seek out solutions.
• Report special programming needs directly to the Community School Director
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Associate's degree in social work, Counseling, Psychology or related field required.
• At least 2 years of experience working with youth in a recreational, educational and/or social environment.

Key

Competencies:

• Excellent interpersonal skills necessary to effectively interact with Children's Aid staff, DOE professionals, high-school students, and their families during periods of emotional stress.
• Experience with or knowledge of best practices in youth development preferred.
• Committed to developing an understanding of the socio-demographic characteristics and service needs of high-school students.
• Bilingual (French/English, Mandingo/English, Twi/English, Ebo/English, Yoruba/English) preferred.
• Strong commitment and motivation to assist in achieving goals centered around Children's Aid Core Values.

Skills:

Preferred:
Bilingual (English + Spanish) Advanced Youth Development Intermediate Interpersonal / Communication Skills Expert

Behaviors:

Preferred:
Team Player:
Works well as a member of a group Detail Oriented:
Capable of carrying out a given task with all details necessary to get the task done well Dedicated:
Devoted to a task or purpose with loyalty or integrity

Education:

Required:

Associates or better in Social Work or related field.

Experience:

Required:

2 years:
Experience working with youth in a recreational, educational and/or social environment.