Career Development & College Specialist

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Job description

About Us:

Good Shepherd Services is a leading multi-service agency with more than 85 programs that serve over 30,000 youth and families each year - and builds on their strengths to help them gain skills for success. At Good Shepherd we respect the dignity and worth of every person and reject intolerance, inequity and injustice in whatever form it may take. Voted one of the top 100 places to work in NYC by Crain's New York, Good Shepherd Services offers a fantastic work environment, a collaborative team dedicated to fulfilling our mission, and an amazing array of benefits. Join our team and help make a difference!

Overview:

CAREER DEVELOPMENT AND COLLEGE SPECIALIST, FAMILY FOSTER CARE

Reports To: Special Services Supervisor, Family FOSTER CARE

Location: 7 West Burnside, Bronx, New York 10453

Hours: 35 Hours/Week; Exempt

Salary: 50K-55K(Based on relevant experince)

Job Summary: Build positive relationships with young people and work in collaboration with Coaches to assist young people with their goals in specific areas-college and career development.

CAREER DEVELOPMENT

Provide accurate assessment of participants work readiness, skills, experience, and education.

Conduct career Assessments with young people.

Facilitating and Organizing Career Club

Outreach to potential internship providers, workforce development providers, and employers to identify and secure full, part time and summer internship and employment opportunities.

Match and place participants into internship and employment opportunities, including SYEP.

Attend home visits as deemed necessary to engage participant.

Help young people apply to external programs and employers to serve as pipeline

Engage in community outreach, networking, and public relations.

Oversee placement and monitoring of participants at internship/job sites and obtain employer feedback.

Facilitate workshops for participants on topics related to job and career readiness and exploration skills/competency development (i.e., resume writing, interviewing skills, completing job applications)

Identify any barriers or challenges with participants and collaborate with other staff members, permanent adult supports, and family to support the youth on addressing or overcoming said barriers to function in a work site.

Participate in conferences, including Family Team Conferences, discharge planning, and Continuation of Care and Support Beyond Age 21 conferences.

Attend and participate in regular program and team meetings and provide progress updates.

Oversight of all PYA related activities and trainings

Coordinate and facilitate trainings for staff relative to employment, PYA skills, transition plans, etc.

Recruit and invite participants to engage and/or participate in special events (i.e. agency field trips, annual youth celebrations, academic acknowledgements, and SYEP)

Generates statistics and data information on outreach and placements as required.

Prepare reports for internal and external shareholders as required.

Maintain tracking sheets and keep them updated on the intranet educational group site.

Assist young people with completing credit checks

COLLEGE SPECIALIST JOB DUTIES

Maintain a caseload of young people who are in the 12th grade and college

Meet with young people interested in college to have an exploratory and informational session, after they are referred by their coach, and discuss what that roadmap/timeline would look like for them at their high school of interest or HSE program.

Monitor Pre-SAT/SAT scores of students, and meet with them to discuss/refine college options;

Organize college tours;

Help young people apply to colleges aligned with their interest, preferences, and performance;

Assist students with college essays and personal statements, where needed;

Review any college applications or financial aid forms filled out by the student's school/guidance counselor to ensure they are correct;

Assist college bound students with applying for FASFA, TAP, ETV, and all applicable scholarships, including reviewing their essays and helping with letters of reference;

Ensure students apply to any Opportunity Programs available to them;

Ensure students are scheduled for any entrance interviews/exams;

Complete all required paperwork for the College Choice Benefits, if applicable;

Outreach students to ensure enrollment in the proper classes each semester, and assist with enrollment, if needed;

Help young people reapply to all forms of financial aid and scholarships each year;

Assist students with transferring colleges, if needed.

Keep case records up-to-date within agency standards and complete all necessary ACS/Agency documentation.

Promote and model the seven Sanctuary Model commitments to create a non-violent and trauma-sensitive culture.

Integrate the Sanctuary Model SELF (Safety, Emotional Management, Loss and Future) framework into daily practice to ensure quality care and an effective work environment.

Perform other duties as assigned.

Qualifications:

Bachelor's degree required.

Experience working with adolescents/young adults in education/employment related fields required.

Strong group facilitation or teaching skills required.

Experience developing internships for youth preferred.

Ability to work with diverse staff and students and network with diverse employer constituents.

Excellent verbal and written communication.

Bi-lingual (English/Spanish) preferred.

Proficiency with Microsoft Office suite, especially Word and Excel.

Excellent organizational skills

Must have a commitment to work from a strength based, Youth & Family Development perspective.

Field work is required.

General Requirements:

All staff is expected to be committed to the mission, vision, and values of Good Shepherd Services, which includes involvement in quality improvement activities and a willingness and ability to work within a culturally diverse environment.

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 and shall 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 its activities or operations. These activities include, but are not limited to, hiring and firing of staff, selection of volunteers and vendors, and provision of services.

Additional Information:
Good Shepherd Services is an equal opportunity employer that is proudly committed to becoming an anti-racist and multicultural organization that . We welcome prospective employees from diverse backgrounds, for administrative support and direct service and leadership roles, who will join us on that journey, uphold our and , and believe in our mission. Additionally, we aim to have a racially representative leadership and workforce that is reflective of the communities we work in partnership with.

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.

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