Life Skills Instructor - Education

About the role

A Life Skills Instructor works with a variety of youth populations by facilitating both in‑person and virtual life‑skills classes to prepare youth to live independently as adults. The instructor addresses identified core life skills through classroom facilitation, presentations, community collaboration, experiential field trips, and enrichment activities. Core life skills include health and safety, housing and transportation, job readiness, financial management, life decisions/responsibilities, and personal/social relationships.

Responsibilities

• Facilitates life‑skills classes for youth during daytime and evening hours, ensuring engaging and developmentally appropriate instruction.
• Establishes and maintains standards of student behavior to provide an orderly, inclusive, and welcoming classroom environment.
• Maintains timely, professional, and quality communication with funders, community partners, and staff members.
• Initiates contact with caregivers and referral sources to coordinate assessments.
• Maintains up‑to‑date class and assessment waitlists; enters referrals and authorization forms in the agency database by deadlines.
• Develops, updates, and refines life‑skills curriculum to ensure relevance, cultural responsiveness, and alignment with program goals and youth needs.
• Conducts Casey Life Skills Assessments (CLSAs) and facilitates discussion of results with youth and caregivers in various settings.
• Applies de‑escalation techniques as needed to reduce tension and promote safety for clients, staff, and the community.
• Communicates timely with contract holders about teaching locations and referred youth within required timeframes.
• Recruits youth to life‑skills classes; leads classroom instruction, discussion, activities, and field trips; recruits guest speakers on community resources.
• Compiles and prepares required reports and assessments for all contract holders to ensure timely completion.
• Maintains complete and accurate program documentation related to assessments, reports, youth surveys, and client data entry in the agency database.
• Develops and maintains positive working relationships with community contacts, including referral sources, residential treatment staff, juvenile justice staff, and other service providers.
• Completes Independent Study Guides (ISGs) as needed for contract holders.
• Refers youth to client services with community agencies as needed.
• Provides primary supervision of youth engaged in services.
• Meets with individual clients to establish safe, healthy relationships for learning, problem‑solving, and community participation.
• Transports clients as needed.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Education, Social Work, Psychology, or a related field.
• 2+ years of related teaching or training experience with transition‑age youth, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Bilingual in English and Spanish (required).
• Experience with databases; proficient with Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Outlook).

Core Competencies and Skills

• Client Focus – Builds transformational relationships with clients and delivers mission‑centered solutions.
• Collaborates and Adapts – Builds partnerships, works collaboratively, and adapts approach to shifting demands.
• Honors Differences – Embraces diverse perspectives, cultures, and backgrounds to create inclusive solutions.
• Nimble Learning – Actively learns from successes and failures, showing willingness to pivot and try new things.
• Builds Trust – Gains confidence and trust through integrity, dependability, and authenticity.
• Action Oriented – Takes initiative, shows resourcefulness, and focuses on mission‑critical opportunities.

Certificates, Licenses, Registrations

• Valid driver’s license and proof of valid insurance (or ability to obtain).
• Standard First Aid and Infant, Child, and Adult CPR certification (must be obtained within 6 months of start date).

Benefits

• 24 PTO days per year (accrued).
• 11 paid holidays per year.
• Premium‑free employee medical plan with $100 per month HSA contribution, plus additional affordable medical, dental, and vision options for employees and families.
• Retirement savings plan with 50% match on the first 6% of contributions.
• Additional benefits and employee resources as offered by LifeWorks.

Pay

Competitive hourly rate ranging from $25.64 – $36.25, depending upon experience. Full‑time, non‑exempt position.

Schedule

Daytime and evening hours; full‑time schedule.

About LifeWorks

With more than 50 years of experience working with youth experiencing homelessness, youth aging out of foster care, young adults, and young parents, LifeWorks is committed to solving youth homelessness through housing, mental health, education, and workforce services. The organization’s vision is a Central Texas where every young person has a place to call home, a sense of belonging, and the support to pursue a life they love. LifeWorks provides a full range of support services for vulnerable youth, ensuring safe housing, healing opportunities, and pathways to learn and work. A career at LifeWorks offers professional growth while making an immediate, lasting impact on the lives of youth and families in the community.