Education & Career Pathways Counselor

Education & Career Pathways Counselor

A Place Called Home (APCH) is a dynamic nonprofit youth and community center located in South Central Los Angeles. APCH provides a wide range of programs and services to support the growth and well-being of young people and their families, including educational programs, counseling, case management, mentoring, music, dance and visual arts classes, as well as fitness and health and wellness opportunities.

As youth participate in our programs, they discover interests and talents and develop a better sense of themselves and their place in the world around them.

The Education & Career Pathways Counselor supports youth and young adults in developing and pursuing individualized academic, career, and post-secondary goals through mentoring, case management, and college and career readiness support. Working within APCH's integrated Pathways model, the Education & Career Pathways Counselor helps members explore and prepare for a variety of post-secondary options including four-year colleges, community colleges, vocational and trade programs, workforce development opportunities, certifications, entrepreneurship, military service, and direct employment.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Conduct outreach, intake, assessments, and goal-setting with program participants to identify their academic, career, post-secondary, and supportive service needs.
• Build and maintain supportive relationships with youth and young adults through ongoing mentoring, case management, and individualized guidance;
• Develop and monitor individualized member plans aligned with each member's interests, strengths, and goals;
• Support members with college and career readiness including applications, financial aid, resumes, interview preparation, workforce readiness, career exploration, certification programs and post-secondary planning;
• Support members' ongoing success in college, job training, certification programs, internships, employment, and other post-secondary pathways through continued coaching, progress monitoring, problem-solving, resource connection, and accountability support;
• Provide referrals and connections to educational programs, workforce opportunities, internships, mental health supports, social services, and community resources as appropriate;
• Facilitate workshops, group activities, presentations, field trips, college visits, career exploration opportunities, and enrichment activities related to post-secondary readiness and youth development;
• Collaborate with employers, community partners, and internal program teams to support member success and engagement;
• Maintain accurate case notes, participation records, service documentation, and outcome tracking in organizational systems;
• Support member engagement, retention, accountability, and follow-up to ensure progress toward academic, career, and post-secondary goals;
• Provide crisis support, problem-solving, and member engagement interventions as needed;
• Participate in staff meetings, trainings, professional development, and organizational activities;
• Provide active supervision of members and program participants during structured and unstructured program time to support safety, positive engagement, and a welcoming youth-centered environment.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

The ideal candidate is highly relational, organized, adaptable, and committed to supporting youth and young adults in achieving successful post-secondary and career outcomes. Candidates should have experience working with youth or young adults in areas such as youth development, mentoring, counseling, workforce development, education, college access, case management, or related fields.

The successful candidate will demonstrate strong communication, organizational, and relationship-building skills and be able to work collaboratively in a fast-paced youth development environment while maintaining a strengths-based, trauma-informed, and culturally responsive approach.

• Strong youth engagement and relationship-building skills
• Case management, mentoring, and goal-setting experience
• Knowledge of college access, career readiness, workforce development, and…