Coordinator - Post Secondary Options & Career Resources

About the role

Mercy Home for Boys & Girls is dedicated to empowering Youth, fostering hope, and creating brighter futures. We are a Top 100 Places to Work in Chicago and are committed to the growth and well-being of our team.

Responsibilities

• Offer support and guidance on the educational and vocational goals of residents at Daley Home
• Represent the Agency at schools, post-secondary development programs, and with employers
• Support administrative procedures and processes for Daley Home
• Maintain professional data and program materials
• Assess and implement Mercy Model programming with assigned youth and young adults
• Collaborate with the treatment team to identify roles in each young adult’s future planning
• Coordinate with the treatment team to execute vocational and educational components of the community launch plan
• Work collaboratively with Residential Programs, Education and Career Resources, Community Care staff, and the Transition Coach in support of PSO/CR planning
• Monitor and assess youth progress and modify plans as needed to support successful transitions to independence
• Develop, implement, manage, and monitor operational, administrative, and programmatic processes related to post-secondary education and vocational planning for assigned programs
• Conduct career and post-high school educational assessments and develop corresponding case plans
• Support community exploration as appropriate
• Complete educational and vocational admissions assessments and monitor progress for young adults seeking placement at Daley Home
• Maintain educational and vocational records, including accurate data entry in databases
• Continuously assess educational and vocational needs to ensure appropriate resources are available or requested
• Compile and collaborate on data, information, and statistics related to Quality Improvement (QI) and the Education and Career Resources (ECR) department
• Support young adults in seeking on-campus, part-time, and full-time employment
• Participate in internship preparation and campus employment support as assigned
• Monitor external job placements and serve as liaison with employers
• Implement Job Preparation and Financial Literacy programming for each young adult
• Research, track, and communicate summer employment and internship opportunities in coordination with the department
• Coordinate driver’s education for young adults
• Plan, execute, and attend post-secondary and career exposure visits
• Attend weekly Daley Home staff meetings to ensure clear communication regarding educational and vocational needs
• Maintain direct communication with Education and Career Resources staff and program staff regarding daily availability for tutoring or vocational services
• Maintain strict confidentiality when coordinating services such as tutoring
• Work two evenings per week to support evening programming
• Identify, evaluate, and connect youth and young adults with relevant community PSO/CR resources
• Utilize CPI de-escalation and behavior management techniques as required
• Learn and consistently implement Agency treatment philosophies, modalities, and practices
• Provide structure through supportive supervision, guidance, and positive role modeling within the milieu
• Coach youth and young adults in skill development, social problem solving, and strengths identification
• Engage youth and young adults in daily routines by setting expectations, reinforcing positive behavior, setting limits, and providing corrective feedback
• Develop and support creative interventions that leverage youth strengths and interests
• Provide individualized services aligned with each young person’s goals and needs
• Remain current on program documentation and respond to emails promptly
• Complete all required documentation during shifts and follow on-call notification procedures
• Provide safe transportation for youth and young adults in accordance with Agency policy and state laws

Requirements

• At least 21 years of age
• Bachelor’s degree required, ideally with a major in education, social work, business, or a related field
• Strong understanding of, and passion for, the importance of post–high school education and workforce development opportunities, particularly for Mercy Home’s young adult population
• Demonstrated experience working with youth and young adults who have experienced developmental adversity and/or trauma (minimum two years’ experience preferred)
• Excellent interpersonal, oral, and written communication skills
• Ability to conduct trainings for young adults on relevant topics
• Ability to identify, schedule, and coordinate guest speakers and special courses for young adults
• Ability to research and network with educational and workforce development programs and establish community connections
• Openness to and respect for cultural and socioeconomic differences, with demonstrated competency in working with a diverse client population
• Proficiency in Microsoft Word and Excel, with the ability to learn additional software programs as needed
• Comfort with recordkeeping, numerical data, and performing simple statistical analysis
• Strong relationship-building and coaching skills
• Ability to maintain a professional demeanor (e.g., respect for others, receptiveness to feedback, openness to differing viewpoints, willingness to learn new skills, and ability to avoid personalizing feedback) while exercising sound judgment and discretion
• Ability to maintain confidentiality
• Ability to follow both oral and written instructions
• Ability to read and interpret documents such as operating and maintenance instructions, procedure manuals, and professional journals
• Ability to write clear and accurate reports and correspondence
• Ability to work two evenings per week
• Ability to attend required Agency trainings and maintain training compliance, including flexibility to attend daytime or off-schedule sessions as needed
• Ability to promote, support, and role-model Crisis Prevention Institute (CPI) theory and practice for de-escalation
• Demonstrated commitment to the mission, values, and goals of the Agency

Qualifications

• Basic Information / Schedule Details
• Mon/Wed 9am-5:30pm, Tues/Thurs 10am-7:30pm, Fri 9am-3:30pm
• Pay: $26.50 to $28.00 Hourly, Full-Time
• Location: West Loop Campus- 1140 W Jackson Chicago, IL 60607
• For information on benefits please follow this link- https://www.mercyhome.org/working-mercy-home-2/benefits/

Why You Will Love Working Here

Mercy Home for Boys & Girls is committed to providing the best care for the Youth we serve, extending to ensuring our team receives top-of-the-line training and professional development. We are a Top Workplace as awarded by the Chicago Tribune. Mercy Home for Boys & Girls is an Equal Opportunity Employer and is committed to Inclusion and Diversity.

Visit us at www.mercyhome.org/jobs