| Position: | Youth Advocate - Residential |
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| Category: | DS |
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| Type: | EMP Employee |
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| Term: | FT |
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| Reports To: | Supervising Social Worker |
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| Location: | Uptown |
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| Description: | Streetwork Project is the oldest street outreach program for homeless and street-involved youth in New York City. The program has grown from its beginnings in 1984 as a storefront project to encompass both outreach and comprehensive harm reduction services. The core service is long-term, one-on-one counseling, which is offered in a non-judgemental and holistic manner utilizing a harm reduction approach that focues on building trust, fostering self-esteem, exploring options and choices, and empowering youth to change their high-risk behaviors.
Youth Advocates provide supportive services to adolescents and young adults impacted by homelessness and involved in street activities (gangs, violence, and drug use/sale and survival sex). Residential/Drop-in Youth Advocates have a unique role as they provide these services at both the Overnight shelter and Drop-in Centers. In this position, Youth Advocates will work 2 days/week (Saturday and Sunday) at the Overnight and 2 days/week at either one of our Drop-in Centers. They will also be required to attend a 3-hour staff meeting every Wednesday. Flexibility in schedule required.
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| Responsibilities: | Engage adolescents into program structure (harm reduction philosophy, rules, mutual respect).
Manage events in the Drop-In Center or Overnight milieu space and provide concrete support to clients.
Facilitate access to daily living needs (foods, clothes, hygiene supplies, space to rest).
Prepare and/or oversee preparation and serving of meals.
Work in collaboration with other Streetwork staff to coordinate supportive services for clients.
Provide low threshold wellness and recreational engagement activities in the milieu setting.
Providing advocacy and information to homeless adolescents in accessing resources.
Triage counseling.
Mediate client conflicts.
Provide escorts to homeless youth to enable them to receive necessary services (public benefits, identification, interview clothing housewares, etc.)
Serve as an advocate and liaison for clients negotiating the shelter system and other social service programs,
Provide reparative interviewing using a comprehensive harm reduction approach.
Participate in case conferencing.
Document in client files any pertinent case information.
Maintain routine administrative responsibilities to include the preparation of correspondence, maintaining files, mail, email, and telephone.
Participate at staff trainings, staff meetings and staff group process workshops.
Participate in weekly supervision.
Secondary Job Functions:
Petty Cash reconciliation
Identification of new resources appropriate for population
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| Qualifications: | Compassionate approach to others and openness to new ideas.
Dynamic energy, able to multi-task and negotiate multiple demands on attention.
Non-judgmental approach and ability to empathize with others.
Clear and concise verbal and written communication skills, excellent interpersonal and organizational skills.
Genuine interest in working with disenfranchised youth and young adults.
Understanding of harm reduction approach.
GED or High School Diploma
Experience working in a social services setting, OR
Personal experience with street survival activities (homelessness, gangs, drug economy, sex industry) with three years separation from involvement in these activities. Deep understanding of the relationship between personal experience and professional standards.
Basic understanding of computer and systems for managing case records
Commitment to working weekend shifts
Desirable:
Bi-lingual Spanish.
Demonstrate the ability to work independently
Bachelors Degree in social services, creative arts, liberal studies or any field related to working with youth.
At least 1 year working with the homeless population, youth, or harm reduction
All prospective job candidates must meet screening requirements, which includes a background check, finger printing and State Central Registry clearance.
If you do not wish to enter your Social Security number at this time, select NO in the Release Authorization section. Selecting NO will not adversely affect your employment application.
If hired, I agree to abide by all of Safe Horizons rules and regulations, and understand that, if employed, my employment may be terminated with or without cause, and with or without notice, at any time, at the option of either the company or me. I further understand that no representation, whether oral or written by any representative or agent of the organization, at any time, constitutes a contract of employment
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| Education: | High School Degree / G.E.D. |
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| Salary: | |
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| Hours: | Not Applicable |
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| Days: |
N/A |
