Counselor Advocate - PT

Counselor Advocate

The Counselor Advocate plays a key role in supporting the academic, social emotional, and personal development of students at PS 16, The Nancy DeBenedittis School. Working within Commonpoint's holistic, strengths-based, and family supported approach, the Counselor Advocate builds meaningful relationships with students and serves as a consistent source of guidance, encouragement, and support throughout the school and program day. The Counselor Advocate works directly with students individually and in groups to identify goals, address barriers to success, strengthen social-emotional and life skills, and promote positive school engagement.

The role includes providing counseling and academic support, facilitating enrichment and life-skills activities, monitoring attendance and student progress, conducting outreach to students and families, and connecting participants with appropriate school and community resources when additional support is needed. In addition to direct student support, the Counselor Advocate collaborates closely with school staff, Commonpoint program leadership, families, mental health professionals, and community partners to ensure students receive coordinated and responsive services.

The position also supports program activities and student supervision, maintains accurate documentation, and contributes to a safe, inclusive, and engaging environment where students can thrive academically, socially, and emotionally.

This role reports directly to the Program Coordinator and Community School Director.

Role responsibilities include:

• Support agency initiatives by carrying out assigned duties accurately and efficiently, while following established processes and contributing to basic data collection, reporting, or documentation as required.
• Use agency resources responsibly by following established procedures, safeguarding equipment and materials, and/or supporting cost-effective operations.
• Work effectively with supervisors, coworkers, and cross-department teams to ensure clear communication, timely task completion, and a positive, respectful work environment.
• Follow all safety protocols, policies, and procedures to maintain a safe work environment for staff, partners, and the public, and promptly report concerns or incidents.

• Youth Supervision & Development:
• Supervise & Support: Provide active supervision of students from Kindergarten through Eighth grade, ensuring a safe, inclusive, and engaging program environment
• Academic Support: Provide homework assistance and encourage positive study habits while supporting students' academic success.
• Program Facilitation: Plan and facilitate engaging educational, recreational, and enrichment activities aligned with the program schedule and site plan.
• Positive Youth Development: Model respectful behavior, reinforce program expectations, and use positive behavior management strategies to support student success.
• Guide Transitions: Safely supervise and support students as they transition between activities, maintaining structure and engagement throughout the program.

• Program Operations:
• Program Administration: Complete daily attendance and assist with required program documentation accurately and on time.
• Communication & Reporting: Promptly communicate participant concerns, behavioral issues, injuries, or program-related concerns to the Program Director or Assistant Program Director. Assist with completing incident reports and required documentation as needed.
• Maintain Program Spaces: Help organize, prepare, and maintain activity spaces and materials to ensure a safe, clean, and welcoming environment.

• Team Collaboration: Work collaboratively with program staff to ensure consistent implementation of daily programming and operations.
• Embed SEL: Incorporate Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) into daily programming through check-ins, reflection activities, positive behavior modeling, and relationship building. Elevate concerns appropriately and collaborate with supervisors and mental health staff when needed.
• Inclusive Practice: Adapt activities and materials to ensure youth of all abilities, including those with IEPs and disabilities, can participate safely and meaningfully.
• Content Areas: Support programming across focus areas, including SEL, Health & Wellness, and College & Career Readiness, as outlined in the site plan.
• Continuous Improvement: Assist with participant surveys and other program data collection efforts to support continuous quality improvement. Establish rapport with all program participants. Assist them in identifying their educational and behavioral goals and helping them formulate future plans.
• Implement and conduct workshops on life skills and student enrichment.
• Recruit students and conduct intake assessments and interviews.
• Monitor participants' attendance and academic and career progress on assigned caseload.
• Provide interpersonal group and individual counseling.
• Provide necessary referrals to community resources.
• Work in a collaborative team,…