First Place for Youth Hiring for Education Advocate Job at San Francisco, CA Full Time

Position Summary : First Foundation focuses on stabilizing in-care foster youth with the goal of helping participants achieve their high school diploma and continue on to post-secondary education. The Education Advocate plays a critical role in supporting a young person as they deal with the excitement, rigors and uncertainty of adulthood and departure from foster care. This position works closely with providers, such as social workers, attorneys, group home personnel, teachers, mental health clinicians and administrators to ensure participants successfully obtain their high school diploma or equivalent. Critical youth objectives are attaining a high school diploma, identifying permanent connections, enrolling in post-secondary education as well as exploring vocational training and end employment opportunities. The Education Advocate facilitates groups while working with the primary providers in each participants’ life to bring about a successful and smooth transition from high school. There will be a portion of this work that will need to be done virtually due to COVID safety measures, however there will be a combination of virtual and in person work required.

Essential Duties and RESPONSIBILITIES include the following. Other duties may be assigned.

• Ability to build and maintain trusting relationships with high school students and community partners.
• Conduct individual case management meetings to assist participants with identifying and progressing towards short term goals that focus on achieving outcomes in the areas of education, employment, stable housing, parenting, relationships and overall health.
• Create and facilitate ongoing in person or virtual workshops that address a myriad of topics that support educational progress.
• Attend IEP meetings and other collaborative meetings to ensure participants are progressing towards identified educational goals.
• Coordinate and facilitate collaborative meetings that include pertinent service providers to advocate for clients’ needs regarding their educational and program goals.
• Assist participants with identifying supportive connections in their life to aid in the successful achievement of their program goals and to strengthen their support network as they transition towards independence.
• Coordinate with referral agencies, identify community resources, track participants’ progress, and develop creative interventions that allow participants to practice and strengthen their independent living skills.
• Attend weekly program meetings, monthly agency staff meetings, and individual weekly supervision with Senior Program Manager-SF ILSP.
• Enter all data on time and efficiently to support program evaluation and outcomes tracking.
• Ensure proper and timely documentation of services including written case notes.
• Work collaboratively with colleagues across the organization and within respective department.

Position Competencies and REQUIREMENTS

• Bachelor’s degree required. Master’s degree in Education or related field preferred.
• Three years’ of experience working with at-risk youth, preferably current and former foster youth.
• One year of experience working with youth in career development and job placement capacities preferred.
• Excellent knowledge of education and employment resources for youth in the Bay Area.
• General knowledge of the issues facing transitioning foster youth
• Ability to lead teams and hold internal and external members accountable.
• Understanding of how the child welfare system operates, and roles and responsibilities within the child welfare system.
• Experience in youth development model, asset-based relationship building, and experience in motivating youth.
• A dependable car, valid driver’s license, and proof of insurance preferred.

• Must be able to pass a Community Care Licensing background check

• ATTENTION TO DETAIL – Ability to work with high level of detail, work has high level of professional polish down to smallest details, documents and products are well thought out and clear, database is organized and up to date.
• DRIVEN BY ACCOMPLISHMENT – Clarity on project goals, finished projects are thorough and delivered on time. High level of personal accountability for the quality and impact of work
• COMPUTER SKILLS – Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications including MS Word, Excel, Access, and PowerPoint, Project and Outlook. Experience with database systems is a plus.
• STRONG COMMUNICATION SKILLS – Exceptional oral and written communication skills including the demonstrated ability to research, assimilate, and analyze information, compose engaging messages, and present data in a clear and inspiring manner.
• HIGH LEVEL OF PROFESSIONALISM – A high level of professionalism in work and interpersonal interactions with both internal and external contacts, presents to others as organized, informed, and friendly.
• DECISIVE NATURE – Well-honed ability to independently anticipate and analyze situations, define problems and objectives, recognize viable alternatives, and formulate rapid solutions, with understanding of the inherent risks and the implications of making tough decisions.
• Diversity, Equity and Inclusion – Committed to First Place for Youth’s dedication to thread accountability across all efforts to support and sustain a racially equitable organization. Demonstrate a passion of advancing organizational DEI objectives and influencing others to approach all work with an equity lens. Promote processes and communication that encourage organizational cultural competence and inclusion.

Organizational Core Competencies – required of all staff for successful performance at First Place

• RELENTLESS PURSUIT OF EXCELLENCE – Intentional use of data to improve performance • Possesses strong drive, initiative and motivation • Detail and Results orientation • Demonstrates good work habits • Resiliency in persisting through setbacks • Demonstrated success, with the ability to think strategically while executing tactically within a resource-constrained environment.
• STRATEGIC THINKING – Seeks and utilizes resources to inform and contextualize own work • Thinks interdependently, framing the goals of one department/project within the entire vision • Synthesizes information to make astute recommendations and/or decisions • Prioritizes goals for success.
• INVESTMENT IN OTHERS – Creates an environment that maximizes the return on investment in others • Collaborates to set and achieve goals that comport with First Place’s mission, strategic plan and desired measurable outcomes • Creates and utilizes development opportunities to address individual needs and capacity to accomplish performance objectives • Creates and identifies opportunities for recognition of success • Provides supportive environment to learn from mistakes.
• EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION – Courageous, strategic, clear and direct communication that resolves discrepancies and overcomes challenges and obstacles to organizational success •Ability to respectfully ask questions, challenge, and communicate both positive and difficult messages to subordinates, superiors, peers and youth • Sound judgment regarding the appropriateness of guarding confidentiality to protect the privacy rights of colleagues or youth • Strong verbal and written communication skills.
• COURAGE – Asks questions in order to learn and encourage dialogue • Willing to make mistakes and to be accountable for own work • Speaks about issues truthfully and without blame • Leads by example, displaying behavior that respects the mission, youth and First Place • Holds high expectations for self, one another and for our youth.

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.

Physical requirements include the ability to lift and reach for light objects (up to 20lbs); close visual acuity to prepare and analyze data, text, and figures; ability to type utilizing a computer keyboard; ability to travel to outside locations; ability to communicate and exchange information; ability to move about the office to access file cabinets and office equipment; and the ability to remain stationary and work at a computer for extended periods of time as a primary job function. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.