Advocate Counselor (Learning to Work)

Organization Overview: The Goddard Riverside Community Center (Goddard Riverside) and the Stanley M. Isaacs Neighborhood Center (Isaacs Center) are well-established Manhattan community-based agencies that support services to approximately 30,000 New Yorkers. We are two of New York City’s leading human services organizations meeting the needs of children, youth and families, homeless individuals, and older adults through-out Manhattan and New York City. We work every day for a fair and just society where all people have the opportunity to make choices that lead to better lives for themselves and their families. The Isaacs Center focuses primarily on the needs of children and low-income families, out-of-school and out-of-work youth, and aging New Yorkers. We operate at community centers located in the neighborhoods of East Harlem and Yorkville, and seek to deliver programs that are impactful, innovative, and intergenerational.

Program Description: Goddard Riverside Community Center (GRCC) Learning to Work (LTW) for Transfer Schools Program at Edward Reynolds West Side High School provides students over-aged and under-credited ages 16 -21 with services and opportunities to foster engagement through academic and personal development that lead to earning a high school diploma. Primary goals include getting students to graduate with realistic and meaningful post-secondary plans, gain knowledge and skills that will increase the employability and awareness of post-high school opportunities available to them. Some opportunities include higher education, trade/technical schools and community service programs. Using the Primary Person Model, each student has an LTW Staff Member as a support to minimize and/or remove barriers toward graduation including engaging students in college preparation, and meaningful career exploration including subsidized internships, academic and personal support services to increase self-direction and self-sufficiency.

Purpose of Position: The LTW Advocate Counselor is the primary person support for a cohort of students who he/she knows well, counsels to promote goal-setting and supports towards the achievement of graduation with a meaningful postsecondary plan The Advocate Counselor will be instrumental in working alongside students to break through barriers that prevent them from achieving academic, social and emotional success. This position will serve as liaison between parent, school and student as well as connector to resources within and outside of the school

Schedule: Monday through Friday 9:00 am to 5:00 pm, with some evenings and weekends.

Salary Range: $42,875-$53,593

Candidates must have the required qualifications to be considered for the position. The salary offer will be based on the candidate’s number of years experience in the exact or comparable position and additional preferred qualifications will be taken into account.

1. Case Management & Support Services:

• Primary person advisor for a cohort of at least 40 students
• Conduct regular one on one sessions with students, at least twice a month
• Support students to create SMART goals and to works towards implementation
• Partner with the students, family and/or caring adults, school and LTW teams to develop an individualized plan for each student
• Conduct and support student advisory groups in collaboration with school faculty
• Provide updates on progress of students to LTW Program Leadership and key school staff as needed; participate in weekly case conferencing with school and LTW staff
• Providing crisis intervention and counseling for students as needed, under supervision of the counseling supervisor.
• Providing attendance outreach through phone calls, texts through agency telephone, letters, and/or home visits
• Organize and implement special activities/events that are meet the recreational, cultural, social needs of the school community.
• Support new student admission process (outreach, open houses/intake interviews, new student orientation, parent orientations)
• Partner with students to identify opportunities and referrals based on need and aspirations of the student and family.
• With Counseling Supervisor and Program Director, create best practices for case management and support service to ensure high quality and demographic appropriate.
• Participate in creating a seamless web of support for the student that includes school personnel, family and community opportunities

2. College & Career Readiness and post-graduation planning

Assist students to define career interests for exploration through internships, job shadowing and other career exploration activities

• Partner with College Access Counselor and Internship Coordinator for postsecondary planning.
• Track students academic progress using report cards, progress reports other resources provided by the school and program.
• Help students identify interest, strengths and challenges in order to develop SMART goals and take advantage of opportunities for Ongoing growth
• Support students to develop employability skills (Resume building, Cover letter writing, Mock Interviews, completion of internship application, job shadowing opportunities) through individual and group activities

3. Administrative Duties

• Record service/progress notes for students including but not limited to student interests and activities, SMART goals, attendance outreach, individual counseling, career and college advisement and exploration, service and volunteer activities, and other information as required by program. Assess for referrals to community based support services for students and family members
• Assist Students not participating in subsidized internships provide with non-paid service learning and/or community service placements during the academic year, upon request and in collaboration with Internship Coordinator.

4. Additional Duties

• Collaborate in the successful management of program with LTW Program Director, NYCDOE Staff and the school community.
• Lead and/or champion school events to build community, pride and a welcoming environment.

• Prepare and present workshops as needed for development of students leadership, life skills and self-efficacy.
• Collaborate with LTW program leadership to design tools and strategies to ensure program goals (or results) are tracked throughout the program and successfully met.
• Strategize with team for program improvement.
• Attend and participate in-school / community-based meetings, administrative meetings, professional development trainings and other meetings as needed.
• Complete task and/ projects assigned by Counseling Director, LTW Program Director, ADED and DED.

Qualifications/Educational Requirements

• Bachelors degree in related field
• Experience with teens, older youth and/or young adults
• Understanding of the developmental and social needs of older teens
• Knowledge of evidence-based and/or Best Practices in case management and servicing Opportunity / Disconnected Youth is highly desirable
• Must obtain Department of Education fingerprint clearance and maintain throughout duration of employment.

Skills, Knowledge and Abilities

• Outstanding communication skills
• Ability to self-reflect
• Efficient and organized
• Self-starter
• Knowledge of best workforce approaches for teens and young adults
• Team player
• Knowledgeable or willing to learn web-based systems
• Compassionate
• Sense of humor a plus
• Flexibility
• Multitasker
• Curiosity and willingness to learn
• Fluency in Spanish is desirable
• Previous experience with SMART goals, Motivational Interviewing and/or Restorative Justice highly desirable

Physical Requirements

• Frequent walking and standing

Work Environment

• School Community
• Fast paced
• Team Oriented

Full-Time Employee Benefits : 

• Medical/Dental/Vision Health Coverage 

• Life Insurance/Commuter benefits/Employee Assistance Program (EAP)/Flexible Spending Accounts  

• 403B Thrift Retirement Plan  

• 12 Annual Sick Days  

• 12 Agency Holidays  

• 20 Days or 4 Weeks of Paid Time off and an additional week (5) days after 5 years of employment  

• Total of more than 6 weeks (a month and half) of paid time off  

• Access to mental health and wellness benefits through Headspace Health. Headspace Health partners with over 2,500 companies and health plans to provide access to meditation, mindfulness, coaching, therapy, and psychiatry to their members and employees. 

We are committed to building an inclusive workplace community grounded in respect for differences. We support hiring a broadly diverse team of qualified individuals who will contribute to our organizations.

Goddard Riverside and Isaacs Center provide equal employment opportunities to employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, creed, gender, national origin, age, disability, marital or veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law.

The intent of this job description is to provide a representative summary of duties and responsibilities that will be required of this position and title and shall not be construed as a declaration of the specific duties and responsibilities of any particular position. Employees may be requested to perform job-related tasks other than those specifically presented in this description. This job description does not constitute an employment agreement between the employer and employee and is subject to change by the employer. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the job.