Youth Advocate Counselor

Position Summary

The Youth Advocate Counselor will work with chronically absent, middle school youth to address barriers to consistent daily attendance at school. The Advocate Counselors will support students by designing individualized interventions which support academic and socio-emotional needs. They also help to identify the causes of poor attendance and collaborate with internal and external service partners to seek solutions and encourage meaningful engagement in school for students and families.

Essential Duties

• Understand and promote the organization’s Mission, Vision, and Core Values to ensure alignment with organizational policies and procedures.
• Work with school and site leadership to identify appropriate interventions to support chronically absent students/youth mentees.
• Seek advice and identify targeted sources of youth or family supports from appropriate school staff and community-based partners under the direction of the Site Director and/or Social Work Supervisor.
• Keep notes about youth attendance patterns, needs and interventions—make sure monitoring of data is strategic.
• Attend (or be represented at) weekly/bi-weekly student success meetings to share any best practices or challenges and to present a summary of how youth are doing.
• Develop and maintain an effective system of classroom management that encourages children to develop pro-social behavior and self-discipline.
• Work with parents and students, as partners, to develop individual SMART goals/plans that will outline strategies and outcomes that will ensure student success in the area of attendance and tardiness.
• Facilitate individual and small group check-in sessions weekly.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree.
• Experience working with middle school students in urban, public education settings.

Key Competencies

• Highly effective in motivating, stimulating, and engaging students around academic and personal success.
• Highly organized and able to demonstrate sound judgment.
• Detail oriented and an effective listener.
• Highly skilled in verbal and written communication skills.

Benefits

The position's requirements are subject to periodic review and adjustment based on organizational needs and changes in work dynamics.