Position Overview:

The Youth Advocate is responsible for developing and facilitating in the social and personal development of adolescents and teenagers. A Youth Advocate is a guide to youth and gives direction in their academic, vocational, and personal lives.

Essential Functions:

• One-on-one counseling support to help students develop appropriate behaviors, acquire greater self-confidence, and achieve improved classroom functioning.
• Attendance Outreach – phone calls, home visits and other effective strategies of improving students’ attendance.
• Efficiently document all forms of outreach including home visits, phone calls and counseling sessions with students on caseload, keep up-to-date contact information for students and their families. 
• Maintain regularly scheduled sessions with students to keep abreast of important individual, family, and community events and issues that may impact the student’s well-being. 
• Maintain good communication and work collaboratively with all program/school staff. 
• Advocate for students’ rights and well-being.
• Develop incentive programs to motivate, encourage and improve their attendance and grades.
• Facilitate workshops based on student needs.
• Provide support to SBMH staff and related duties as needed.

Supervisory Responsibilities:

Minimum Qualifications: 

• Possess a AA/AS/BA/BS degree in a human services field.
• Experience working with adolescents, preferably in a school setting.
• Experience with Youth Development principles.
• Ability to work with adolescents individually and in groups.
• Excellent interpersonal skills.
• Ability to write and communicate effectively.
• Willingness to attend youth development trainings.
• Possess basic computer software skills.
• Bi-lingual, Spanish a must

Qualifications Preferred: