Service Specialist LYNC - Hartford

About the role

The Village was one of the first agencies in the country to provide homes for neglected children. Today, we continue to achieve our mission to build a community of strong, healthy families who protect and nurture children by providing a full range of behavioral health, early childhood and youth development, substance use treatment and support services for children, adults and families in the Greater Hartford, Connecticut region.

Responsibilities

• Research and maintain up-to-date information on community resources.
• Develop and sustain relationships with identified MOU agencies.
• Cultivate and maintain relationships with a variety of community organizations, groups and entities (e.g., grassroots agencies, pro-social connections, mental or medical health services, etc.).
• Implement educational and vocational services to youth according to individual Risk Reduction and Sustainability Plans (RRSP), which may include: educational screening, homework, assistance, tutoring, credit recovery, GED assistance, connection to ESL services, post high school preparation or exploration, vocational soft skills (use of EMLPOY Curriculum), job placement, connecting to training opportunities and apprenticeships, and other similar services.
• Maintain a collaborative relationship with community providers.
• Maintain an accurate resource catalog on each town in the catchment area.
• Demonstrate ability to be creative, innovative and resourceful.
• Affirmative action statement: Assist Family Advocate in identifying available resources for LYNC youth and families.
• Attend all required trainings and meetings as needed to meet the requirements of the position.
• Facilitate cognitive-behavioral groups according to each model.
• Participate in all quality assurance activities, including recording groups and submitting tapes to QA Coach.
• Engage in strength-based, culturally competent, trauma-informed and gender responsive interactions with youth and families.
• Uphold all program expectations.
• Promote a safe, welcoming environment with a focus on risk reduction and positive behavior change.
• Immediately notify supervisor of any situation in which a youth may be at risk (i.e. physical abuse, sexual abuse, chronic neglect, unsafe home, etc.) and/or other sentinel event.
• Complete all required program and agency web and paper-based documentation.
• Serve as a resource to Juvenile Probation Officers who are seeking community resources in a specific community.
• Maintain confidentiality of clients at all times.
• Affirmative action statement: Assist with transportation as needed.

Qualifications

• Minimum of Associate's Degree in criminal justice, community organizing, human services sociology, OR High School Diploma with at least three (3) years' experience and knowledge working with juvenile justice system and/or working in communities.
• Experience Must be culturally competent; bicultural, bilingual (English/Spanish) strongly preferred.
• Must have current valid state issued Driver License.
• Must have own vehicle.
• Must have automotive liability insurance per agency standards.
• Organized and able to work independently with minimal supervision.
• Affirmative action statement: Must be team player.
• Flexible and able to multi-task.
• Affirmative action statement: Cultural competency to serve diverse populations.
• Knowledge of greater Hartford and New Britain area community resources.
• Affirmative action statement: Must be a team player and able to work in a variety of environments including schools, agencies, etc.
• Experience with facilitating groups to youth.
• Affirmative action statement: Excellent oral and written skills and ability to engage families from diverse social and ethnic backgrounds.
• Affirmative action statement: Demonstrate ability to be creative, innovative and resourceful.
• Affirmative action statement: Proficient with word processing and spreadsheet applications.
• Affirmative action statement: Possess solid general computer skills, including ability to work in a Windows XP environment.
• Affirmative action statement: May require weekend and evening hours.
• Affirmative action statement: Physically able to perform the essential functions of the position, with or without reasonable accommodations.