Fair Futures Coach (Residential)

Job Title: Fair Futures Coach

Reports To: Program Director

Location: Barbara Blum NSP: 480 Vermont Street. Brooklyn NY11207 and Rose House NSP: 280 Shepherd Ave. Brooklyn NY 11208

Hours: 35 Hours/Week; Non-Exempt

Salary: 50-55K Based on relevant post graduate experience

Job Summary: Fair Futures Coaches are full-time, trained professionals who are matched with up to 10-15 young people ages 13 and older who have had experiences with the justice system. Coaches meet young people “where they are” and build a trusting relationship with them using an authentic, trauma-informed, strength-based approach, often in partnership with colleagues at our Close to Home Programs (Barbara Blum, Rose House, & Aftercare NSP). In addition to providing weekly emotional support, Coaches help young people make progress toward their academic, career development, housing/independent living, and other life goals. When a young person is unsure of their goals/interests, Coaches help them explore and expose them to potential opportunities. They then help young people connect to schools, programs, and opportunities in line with their goals/interests, persist in those settings, and plan/prepare for the next step on their journey. Coaches celebrate young people’s progress; if something doesn’t work out, Coaches help young people reflect and connect to the next opportunity.

Major Duties:

• Build and maintain relationships with approximately 15 young people at any given time.
• Meet with newly admitted youth within 48-72 hours to begin developing an academic/vocational/educational support plan.

• Provide ongoing social/emotional support Work 1:1 with young people to develop academic and career development goals based on their interests and strengths to take measurable steps toward their goals
• Connect young people to quality schools, programs, resources, and opportunities in line with their goals
• Connect young people to peer group support and build positive relationships
• 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 youth be unsuccessful in any school/program setting, Coaches assist young people to reflect on the experience and work with them to set new goals and transition to the next opportunity

• Collaborate with Interdisciplinary team guardians to help youth achieve academic, employment, and vocational goals
• Ensure young aging people can access and maintain stable, affordable housing and build independent living skills.
• Establish, at least twice monthly, face-to-face contacts with the youth and weekly contacts (via phone, text, email).
• Provide weekly, ongoing social/emotional support.
• Build relationships and collaborate with the key adults in the young person’s life to support their goals and well-being, including other agency staff (e.g., Case Planners and Specialists), foster parents, school/program staff, and other significant adult figures.

• Help young people explore their interests and expose them to opportunities in line with their interests.
• Use an online weekly platform to track contacts, young people’s goals, steps taken towards goals, and other key data. Full support will be provided on how to use Care4.

Educational Duties:

• 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?
• Visit the young person’s school/program and build relationships with school staff, review transcripts and academic data, provide educational advocacy, and discuss progress towards graduation/HSE obtainment
• Ensure young people are attending school and have the supports and resources they need to be successful, such as tutoring, individualized educational plans (IEPs), 504 Plans, or other special accommodations
• Expose participants to post-secondary pathways, such as college and/or accredited vocational programs, starting in the 9th grade (or as early as possible);
• Assist students with post-secondary planning, along with the guidance counselors and/or College Specialists and Career Development Specialists;

• Connect the student to the College Specialist to apply to colleges, opportunity programs, and all forms of financial aid, funding, and scholarships;
• Provide college persistence coaching, including ensuring students are receiving all of the financial and academic support they need to succeed each semester;
• Collaborate with all relevant partners, such as Case Planners, guidance counselors, Youth Development Counselors, Social Workers, Tutors, teachers, family members, caregivers, mentors and other additional supports.

Career Development Duties:

• Assist young people in obtaining working papers, if needed.
• Conduct career exploration activities with young people.
• Assist young people in selecting at least one career development experience each year that is in line with their interests and academic situation/background.
• Work with the young person and Career Development Specialist to identify potential longer-term career pathways based on the young person’s interests, strengths, and academic/vocational plans.
• Connect the young person to the Career Development Specialist, if needed, to explore workforce development programs and vocational programs and for assistance with job applications.

• Connect young people, as needed, to agency-based job readiness and/or internship programs
• Provide persistence coaching to young people enrolled in any external program by checking in with them regularly.
• Attend and participate in agency training, ACS training, NYC DOE training
• Keep case records and accurate data information up to date, including but not limited to school visits, home visits, community visits, and visits with parents/guardians by documenting in Connections within five business dates of the event.
• Promote and model the 7 Sanctuary Model commitments and the SELF (Safety, Emotional Management, Loss, Future) Model into daily practice to create a non-violent and trauma-informed culture.

• Complete transitional discharge education/employment, career, and vocational plan.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree required with two years of experience working with vulnerable youth in a residential setting or youth involved in the child welfare system preferred.
• Knowledge of the Juvenile Justice & Criminal Justice system.

• Experience working with Justice involved youth.
• Knowledge of the NYC Dept. of Education, including alternative education/vocational programs (Pathways to Graduation, ACCESS-VR, YABC, etc) , NYC Dept. of Youth and Community Development programs, and College application process, and
• Experience with providing 1:1 support to youth in care, preferably in a residential setting.
• Ability to be flexible to the demands of the youth in care
• Ability to work autonomously as well as part of a team

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Strong time-management, organizational skills, and attention to detail;
• Ability to troubleshoot, advocate, and navigate obstacles where there is not always a clear-cut pathway;
• Open to learning how to use and interpret data to inform decision-making;
• Ability to effectively collaborate in team settings and build relationships with external partners;

• Ability to use Motivational Interviewing techniques; trauma-informed techniques; and to facilitate therapeutic peer groups.
• Bilingual (English/Spanish) a plus, but not required
• Proficient in Microsoft Word Office, Connections Citrix, and Excel
• Must have a commitment to work from a strength based and/or youth & family development perspective.

Good Shepherd Services is committed to providing an inclusive and welcoming environment for all members of our staff, participants, volunteers, subcontractors, and vendors. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion (creed), gender, gender expression, age, national origin (ancestry), disability, marital status, sexual orientation, or military status, in any of our activities or operations. These activities include, but are not limited to, hiring and termination of staff, selection of volunteers and vendors, and provision of services.

We are committed to providing a workplace that is accessible and accommodating to employees with disabilities. As part of our commitment to providing a barrier-free recruitment and selection process, we will provide reasonable accommodations upon request for candidates with disabilities. If you require any accommodations to participate in the hiring process, please inform us of your needs in advance. We value diversity and inclusivity in our workplace and encourage applicants of all abilities to apply.