Coach

JOB SUMMARY

A Job Coach is paired with up to 15 young people and work with youth (9th grade (or age 14, if they are disconnected from school) to age 26, regardless of their academic status. A coach builds trusting and long-term relationships with youth and works with them, even after they leave foster care and achieve permanency. The goal of a Job Coach is to encourage youth to graduate high school and pursue further education, building progressive career development experiences in line with their interests, strengths, and academic/ vocational plans. A Job Coach will successfully navigate the transition into adulthood (and into independent living, for those young people who are aging out).

GENERAL RESPONSIBILITIES

REPORT TO COACH SUPERVISOR

- Build relationships with up to 15 young people;

- Provide ongoing social/emotional support;

- Work 1:1 with young people to develop individualized academic and career development goals based 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 particular 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

ACADEMIC JOB DUTIES:

- Re-engage disconnected youth and help them re-enroll in an academic setting;

- Assess tile fit between the young person and their current academic setting and help them transfer into a better-fit high school or high school equivalency (IISE) 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 students to post-secondary pathways, such 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 supports they need to succeed each semester;

- Assist students with planning for apprenticeship and vocational education paths, as appropriate; Collaborate with all relevant partners, such as Case Planners, guidance counselors, Specialists, Tutors, teachers, family members, and caregivers.

CAREER DEVELOPMENT DUTIES:

- 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;

- 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, vocational programs, and for assistance with job applications;

- Connect young people, as needed, to agency-based job readiness and/or internship programs (e.g., YA WORC or the Mentored Internship Program);

- Provide persistence coaching to young people enrolled in any external program by checking in with them regularly.

HOUSING AND INDEPENDENT LIVING JOB DUTIES:

- 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 people's 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 move in and obtain furniture;

- Help young people maintain their housing by providing independent living and life skills supports such as budgeting, obtaining a bank account, and advocatin11: with landlords, if needed.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

- The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. An employee in this position is regularly required to stand; walk, use hands and fingers, handle, or feel objects; reach with hands and arms; talk and listen, and taste or smell. The employee frequently is required to walk. The employee is occasionally required to keep balance and stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl .

- Computer – The Coach must be able to use a computer and able to learn software programs

- Office Equipment- The Coach is required to operate a fax, copier, scan, and other office equipment.

- Communication - The Coach needs to be able to speak, read and write fluently in the English language

- Writing - The Coach must be able to write in the English language using correct spelling, grammar, punctuation, etc.

- Lifting - The Coach may frequently lift 0-25 lbs., occasionally lift 25-50 lbs., and rarely lift over 50 lbs.

- Push/Pull - The Coach may frequently push/pull 0-25 lbs. of force, occasionally push/pull 26-45 lbs. force, and rarely push/pull over 45 lbs.

- Sitting, Standing and Walking – The Coach will be required to sit, stand and walk throughout the work day.

- Stooping -The Coach may occasionally stoop. This is defined as bending body downward by bending spine at the waist.

- Kneeling -The Coach may occasionally kneel. This is defined as bending legs at knees to come to rest on knee(s).

- Crouching - The Coach may occasionally crouch. This is defined as bending body downward and forward by bending spine and legs.

- Work environment: The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. While performing the duties of this job, the employee frequently works in an office environment. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate due to talk and movement of the program participants and other co- workers. The noise level can increase on occasion due to yelling or screaming by the participants of the programs.

Qualifications

QUALIFICATIONS

- A Bachelor's degree and at least two years of experience working with at-risk or system-involved young people.

HOURS AND TIME OF WORK

Full-time: 35 Hours per week