Youth Advocate (Compass)

Job Type
Full-time
Description
HRS PER WK / WKS PER YR: 40 / 52
POSITION CLASSIFICATION: Non-Exempt / Permanent / Full-Time
JOB DESCRIPTION:
Youth Advocate -service coordination position providing direct services to high-risk youth ages 12-21 and their families. Responsible for building and supporting strong relationships with youth and their families while maintaining appropriate limits and boundaries. The Youth Advocate will support youth and their families accessing available resources as well as developing plans of care to assist in family emergencies, family mediation or in preparation for transitioning into adulthood. All Youth Advocates at NEKCA utilize a strengths-based approach to develop youth driven and family guided goals.

• Demonstrate competency in all five areas of NEKCAs Core Values. Demonstrate respect for all NEKCA clients, the choices they make and the challenges they face.
• Serve high-risk youth ages 12-21 and their families, especially those that are runaway, homeless and/or struggling socially and emotionally
• Attend required meetings
• Maintain adequate and organized files, submit timely reports
• Participate in a rotating on-call schedule
• High collaboration and communication with team members and community partners
• Organize and facilitate for Life Skills classes offered to area youth
• Tailor services and supports to be accessible, coordinated, appealing, developmentally appropriate, and build on strengths to enable young people to pursue goals across all transition domains
• Engage young people through relationship development, person-centered planning, and a focus on the future.
• Acknowledge and develop personal choice and social responsibility with young people
• Ensure a safety-net of support by involving a young person's parents, family members, and other informal and formal key players
• Ensure and document that young people are accessing mental, oral and physical healthcare, health insurance and substance abuse treatment if necessary
• Provide Parent Education by facilitating individual and group training opportunities
• Ensure safe, stable, and adequate housing to prevent homelessness.
• Provide emergency shelter referral information to young adults
• Help young people gain employment
• Mandated 40 hours of training every year.

Requirements

• Must comply with NEKCA policies if hired.
• Staff will be required to authorize and pass NEKCA's criminal record check process
• Must be able to satisfy the travel requirements of the position.
• Must be at least 21 years of age
• Bachelor's degree in human services, Sociology or related field preferred
• Experience working with high-risk youth and their families
• Excellent verbal and written skills, with some basic computer skills required.
• Strong knowledge of family systems
• Familiarity with community resources
• Familiar with Positive Youth Development Must comply with NEKCA policies if hired.

NEKCA is an Equal Opportunity Employer & Provider
All new and rehired employees and all current employees who have transferred or been promoted to a new position will be placed on a 6-month Trial Service Period.
All NEKCA staff contribute to a culture of diversity, equity, and inclusion.