Fair Futures Coach

Job Details

• Job Location:
  
  Childrens Services (Foster Care Manhattan) - New York, NY
• Position Type:
  Full Time
• Salary Range: $45000.00 - $50000.00
  
  Salary/year
• POSITION:
  Coach
• REPORTS TO:
  
  Director of Social Services
• CLASSIFICATION:
  Full-Time
• EXEMPT/NONEXEMPT:
  Non-Exempt

Coaches build trusting, long-term relationships with young people in and beyond foster care (ages 14 26). The overall goal of this relationship is to support the young person to graduate high school; persist in a post-secondary setting; build progressive career development experiences in line with the youths interests, strengths, and academic/vocational plans that will help them navigate onto a living wage career pathway;

and successfully navigate the transition into adulthood (and into independent living, for those young people who are aging out).

• Build relationships with up to 15 young people.
• Provide ongoing social/emotional support no matter what including if they leave foster care and achieve permanency.
• Work 1:1 with young people to develop individualized academic and career development goals based on their interests and strengths and take measurable steps towards their goals.
• Connect young people to quality schools, programs, resources, and opportunities in line with their goals.
• Help young people persist in these settings, navigate any challenges that arise, celebrate successes, and plan/prepare for the next step on their journey.
• Should a youth not be successful in any school/program setting, Coaches help young people reflect on the experience and work with them to set new goals and transition to the next opportunity.
• Collaborate with Case Planners, Tutors, Specialists, and foster/birth parents, as needed, to help youth achieve their goals and ensure their overall well-being.
• Connect young people to peer group supports and build positive relationships.
• Ensure young people who are aging out can access and maintain stable, affordable housing and build independent living skills.
• Re-engage disconnected youth and help them re-enroll in an academic setting.
• Assess the fit between the young person and their current academic setting and help them transfer into a better-fit high school or high school equivalency (HSE) program, if needed.
• Assist students with planning for apprenticeship and vocational education paths, as appropriate.
• Assist young people in obtaining working papers, if needed.
• Conduct career exploration activities with young people.
• Assist ALL young people in selecting at least one career development experience each year that is in line with their interests and academic situation/background.
• Ensure that the young person coordinates with a Housing Specialist (and/or Case Planner, if the agency does not have a Housing Specialist) to ensure that all young peoples housing applications are submitted as early as possible (by age 19 if their goals is to age out).
• Accompany the young person to visit supportive housing residences, when needed.
• Help young people maintain their housing by providing independent living and life skills supports such as budgeting, obtaining a bank account, and advocating with landlords, if needed.
• Other duties as required by direct supervisor or needs of the program/agency.

The Coach role is not an entry-level role. Coaches need to have both emotional maturity and professional skills. As helping young people enroll and persist in post-secondary settings is one of the goals of the Fair Futures model, it is important for Coaches to have a post-secondary credential.

• A Bachelors degree and at least two years of experience working with at-risk or system-involved young people, or
• An Associate or accredited vocational degree, and 3+ years of working with at-risk or system-involved young people

• Minimum of two years experience in foster care or related field

• Knowledgeable about working with foster care youth and children and families at-risk
• Ability to work independently
• Ability to work collaboratively with consumers and co-workers
• Experience and facility with Microsoft Office Applications
• Ability to navigate throughout New York City using public transportation and/or have a valid New York State driver license and access to a motor vehicle
• Ability to work flexible hours as needed (beyond traditional 9 5 hours)
• Ability to work from a strength-based, trauma-informed, youth development lens
• Compassionate, warm, empathetic, consistent and reliable
• A love for working with…