STRIVE Counselor

The STRIVE Counselor provides school-based individual counseling and academic coaching to students who are in DCFS care. The Counselor is responsible for rendering direct counseling and/or support services to clients within agency policies and programs and coordinates with school and DCFS employees for service provision. The Counselor participates within a team, helps formulate team programs, and works with school administration to ensure cohesive collaboration.

Essential Duties/Responsibilities:

Provides STRIVE services to students and families directly within school districts 299 (CPS), 205 (Thornton Township), 209 (Proviso Township), and other approved Chicago or suburban Cook County schools. These services will include counseling, case management, home visits, student and staff training seminars, resource development, mentoring, tutoring, college and career readiness, and/or other services, as needed.

Interacts and coordinates effectively with DCFS, school systems and other relevant personnel on issues related both to the STRIVE Program and to all Youth Guidance programming.

Works with DCFS caseworkers, school staff, and/or other YG programs to connect students to resources and programming that support their development and wellbeing.

Performs routine administrative functions including monthly/quarterly/yearly reports, client record keeping, progress notes, case reviews and research evaluation and meets all program deliverables.

Provides and/or participates in training as requested by agency administration.

Engage in operational and technical planning of team goals/objective to achieve performance metrics.

Collaborates with team to create and develop small/large scale events for the STRIVE program.

Performs other duties as assigned.

Education/Experience/Training Master’s degree in social work, counseling or a related human service field from an approved accredited university is preferred. Bachelor’s degree from an accredited university is required.

Illinois social work or counseling license is preferred but not required.

Spanish language fluency strongly preferred.

Must have at least two years of experience providing direct counseling, mentoring, or related services to youth. Case management experience or experience in schools is a plus.

Skills/Abilities Effectively communicates in verbal and written form Collaborates in team settings

Works independently and with ownership of one’s work Demonstrates knowledge of trauma-informed care and advanced counseling/psychology concepts

Demonstrates cultural competency, including understanding of effects of institutional racism and systemic oppression on marginalized populations

Demonstrates understanding of challenges facing youth and families involved in DCFS care

Able to creatively engage youth in school and community settings

Provides a positive, team-based approach to treatment and care of clients

Core Competencies Communication:
Uses effective written and oral communication with internal staff, teams, and community served; demonstrates empathy and listening

Client orientation:
Recognizes needs of diverse stakeholders and approaches relationships with a service orientation, to ultimately maximize the impact

Equity mindset:
Understands and is committed to goals of equity, consistently brings an equity mindset to the organization’s work and workplace

Growth mindset:
Views growth as important for personal and professional development; seeks out opportunities to expand skills, even if the change is required, demonstrates curiosity and eagerness to learn

Ownership and quality of work:
Effectively manages own work, and work of the team to ensure delivery of high-quality work Supervisory skills:
Effectively manages and develops others

Mission drive:
Demonstrates commitment to the missing of the organization as a whole and alignment with organization values

Physical Demands The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions

Work Environment The work…