Community Engagement Specialist, South County Academy

FAMILY SERVICE OF RHODE ISLAND INC•Dallas, TX

4d•$27 - $33•Onsite

About The Position

The Community Engagement Specialist (CES) is an outward-facing, non-clinical position at South County Academy (SCA), a residential treatment program of Family Service of Rhode Island in partnership with the Rhode Island Department of Children, Youth and Families. SCA serves adolescent females ages 13–17 who have experienced trauma and have complex behavioral health needs. The CES builds and expands relationships with community organizations and turns those relationships into meaningful opportunities for students, while helping maintain their connections to their home communities throughout placement. The role develops and maintains an inventory of community resources and coordinates regular, safe community access, including the logistics of outings, transportation, permissions, staffing, and safety considerations. It also helps students build practical skills for accessing community resources, supports volunteer, employment, educational, and enrichment opportunities, and coordinates volunteers and donations. The CES collaborates with students, families, the residential treatment team, the onsite school, the Care Coordinator, the Family Support Partner, program leadership, and FSRI’s Development Department. The position includes maintaining program records, completing required training, transporting students as needed, and providing emergency coverage as needed. The role requires a flexible schedule, including evenings and weekends, and travel of up to 50%.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in human services, social work, communications, recreation, education, or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education and directly related experience.
Experience working with adolescents and young adults.
Ability to operate medical record software and hardware, word-processing software, and database software.
Excellent customer service skills and the ability to communicate courteously and professionally with external stakeholders.
Strong organizational and interpersonal skills.
Self-motivated and resourceful, with the ability to manage multiple projects and strong attention to detail.
Excellent multitasking and communication skills.
Ability to work independently and as part of a team.
Willingness and capability to work a flexible schedule, including evenings and weekends.
Current driver’s license, reliable transportation, vehicle registration, and auto insurance.
Ability to communicate effectively and travel to and from community locations and the office site, including using walkways, stairs, and/or elevators.
Ability to use a computer and electronic medical record to complete documentation.
Ability to lift up to 20 pounds.

Nice To Haves

Experience with youth who have trauma histories or behavioral health needs.
Spanish-speaking skills; additional compensation is offered.
Bilingual or ASL skills; additional compensation is offered.
Multilingual skills; additional compensation is offered.

Responsibilities

Provide services in a culturally responsive and inclusive manner that respects individual and family backgrounds, identities, values, language, beliefs, abilities, and preferences.
Conduct community outreach and develop and expand relationships on behalf of the program.
Identify, contact, and cultivate community organizations, employers, volunteer sites, and providers willing to host, employ, or include SCA students.
Build and maintain a written inventory of community resources, including contacts, offerings, requirements, costs, capacity, accessibility, and restrictions.
Educate community partners about SCA and working with adolescents who have trauma histories, in coordination with program leadership.
Maintain regular communication with internal and external contacts and keep partnerships active.
Represent SCA at community meetings, coalitions, and local events as assigned.
Assess student interests and identify matching community programs and resources in consultation with the treatment team.
Plan and coordinate a regular calendar of community access opportunities and recurring activities.
Coordinate outing logistics, including partner scheduling, site confirmation, transportation, and staffing needs with residential management.
Verify permissions, consents, and DCYF or guardian approvals before outings and confirm individual restrictions with the treatment team.
Ensure outing plans account for known safety and clinical considerations, and promptly communicate partner-site concerns to the treatment team.
Assist with servicing and monitoring recreational and educational activities in the residence or community as assigned.
Debrief outings with staff and the treatment team and adjust future planning based on outcomes.
Help students develop skills to troubleshoot barriers to accessing community resources.
Provide hands-on practice in real settings with public transportation, budgeting, ordering and paying, asking for help, and following a schedule.
Help students obtain practical documents and access items, such as library cards, state identification cards, bus passes, and work permits, in coordination with the Care Coordinator.
Support students in identifying volunteer, employment, and enrichment opportunities, completing applications, and preparing for interviews.
Coordinate with the onsite school on community-based learning, service learning, and vocational opportunities that support educational goals.
Collaborate with the FSRI Development Department on volunteers, donations, and relationship development.
Coordinate volunteer intake, screening, orientation, and scheduling in accordance with agency policy and licensing requirements.
Coordinate receipt and appropriate distribution of donations.
Ensure volunteers and community partners follow facility access, identification, and confidentiality requirements when entering the building.
Identify and develop resources in each student’s home community so connections can continue after discharge.
Contribute community resource information to discharge and aftercare planning and coordinate with the Care Coordinator and Family Support Partner on a coordinated plan for students and families.
Support Building Bridges Initiative-aligned practice by maintaining community connections throughout placement.
Collaborate and communicate regularly with the residential treatment team to support coordination and quality of care.
Maintain required program records, reports, logs, and data, including outing records, community contact logs, partner agreements, and volunteer records.
Complete Trauma Systems Therapy training, participate in consultation calls, and adhere to the TST model of treatment.
Attend staff meetings, in-service trainings, workshops, and required special meetings.
Complete mandatory agency trainings on time.
Transport students as needed.
Provide emergency coverage and support program ratios as needed.
Perform additional responsibilities consistent with agency needs, as defined in consultation with the supervisor.