Ed/Voc Specialist - BRAG Restore

Good Shepherd Services•Bronx, NY

2d•Onsite

About The Position

The B.R.A.G. Restore Educational/Vocational Specialist is part of an interdisciplinary team supporting young adults ages 16–25 who have been identified as being at high risk of engaging in serious violence. The Specialist works with Case Managers, the Program Director, community partners, employers, workforce providers, educational institutions, and other stakeholders to help participants set and achieve educational and career goals. Support includes reconnecting to education, finding employment and internships, developing job-readiness skills, exploring career pathways, obtaining credentials, and building skills and relationships that support long-term self-sufficiency. The Specialist contributes to each participant’s Sustainable Growth Plan and helps ensure educational and vocational goals align with the participant’s interests, strengths, needs, and aspirations. The role uses a trauma-informed, strength-based, culturally responsive approach to support stability, protective factors, positive relationships, and pathways toward education, employment, and healthy adulthood. The Specialist facilitates interactive weekly life- and job-skills workshops, with programming available in English and Spanish as appropriate. The position is based at 1995 Jerome Ave. and 1 East Fordham Rd. in the Bronx. It is 35 hours per week and non-exempt, with a stated salary range of $50,600–$54,600.

Requirements

A bachelor’s degree or two years of experience in community work, workforce development, education, vocational services, youth development, or related community-centered activities.
In-depth knowledge of educational, vocational, employment, and workforce-development processes.
Experience providing employment, educational, vocational, or career-development services to youth and/or young adults.
Ability to develop and maintain relationships with employers, educational institutions, workforce-development providers, community organizations, and public agencies.
Ability to conduct effective community outreach and mobilize community resources and partnerships.
Experience and knowledge working with at-risk youth and young adults, including people involved in or at risk of involvement in the criminal legal system and/or violence.
Ability to engage young people using strength-based, trauma-informed, culturally responsive, and youth-centered approaches.
Strong interpersonal, organizational, and communication skills, including clear, collaborative communication with participants, staff, employers, educational providers, partners, and stakeholders.
Ability to facilitate interactive workshops and provide individualized coaching and support.
Ability to work independently and effectively as part of an interdisciplinary team.
Proficiency with computers, databases, electronic documentation systems, and common office applications.
Ability to maintain accurate, timely, and confidential participant records.
Ability to work a flexible schedule, including evenings and weekends, as required by program operations and participant needs.
Ability to travel throughout the Bronx and surrounding communities by public transportation and conduct community outreach.
Ability to walk extended distances and navigate community-based settings.
Ability to pass required background and employment screenings.
No pending criminal cases or prior convictions for sexual assault, child abuse, or domestic violence, consistent with agency requirements.
Strong commitment to positive community change and supporting young people at risk of violence involvement.
Commitment to a strength-based, trauma-informed youth and family development perspective.
Commitment to Good Shepherd Services’ mission, vision, values, and its commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and community wellness.

Nice To Haves

Criminal justice history and/or lived experience with the communities served, provided the candidate meets applicable employment and supervision requirements.
Bilingual Spanish-English skills.
Valid, clean New York State driver’s license.

Responsibilities

Collaborate with Case Managers and the Program Director to assess participants’ educational, vocational, employment, and career-development needs and goals.
Help participants establish short-term education and employment goals, including returning to school, earning a GED or other credential, finding employment, completing job-readiness training, or accessing vocational programs.
Help participants pursue longer-term career pathways, credentials, education, training, apprenticeships, and employment opportunities aligned with their interests and strengths.
Contribute to the development, implementation, and ongoing revision of participants’ Sustainable Growth Plans, particularly their educational and vocational goals.
Conduct ongoing vocational assessments using participants’ backgrounds, interests, skills, work experience, educational history, and career aspirations.
Conduct individualized job development and job-search activities, and help participants identify suitable positions and opportunities.
Develop and maintain relationships with employers, workforce organizations, educational institutions, training providers, community organizations, NYC agencies, and other partners.
Develop internship opportunities aligned with participants’ interests, skills, and career goals.
Connect participants to employment opportunities, including those through AGVEP, workforce providers, community organizations, and local employers.
Assist participants with job applications, resumes, cover letters, interviews, workplace expectations, professional communication, and employment readiness.
Conduct mock interviews and provide practical opportunities to practice workplace behaviors and employment-related skills.
Facilitate interactive weekly life- and job-skills workshops tailored to participant needs and interests.
Coordinate with Case Managers so workshop and coaching skills are reinforced through case management and participants’ daily experiences.
Help participants develop professional references, resumes, portfolios, and experiences that strengthen future employment and education prospects.
Provide information, support, and referrals to community education and vocational programs, including GED, credentialing, apprenticeship, job-training, internship, employment-service, and higher-education opportunities.
Coordinate with Case Managers and community resources to address barriers to educational or vocational success, including housing, transportation, health-care access, social services, and documentation needs.
Assist participants and community partners with AGVEP paperwork, documentation, and other employment and internship requirements.
Advocate for participants with employers, educational institutions, workforce providers, and community partners when appropriate.
Conduct outreach independently and with the B.R.A.G. Restore team to build relationships with young people, residents, businesses, schools, workforce organizations, agencies, and other stakeholders in the 46th Precinct and surrounding Fordham community.
Represent B.R.A.G. Restore at community meetings, workforce and educational events, partner meetings, job fairs, and related activities.
Work with Case Managers and other staff to support participant engagement, retention, stabilization, and successful completion of program phases.
Participate in interdisciplinary meetings, including monthly Interdisciplinary Conference meetings, to discuss participant progress, challenges, goals, and next steps.
Provide regular participant-progress updates to the Program Director and Case Managers.
Participate in program planning, implementation, and continuous quality improvement.
Maintain timely, accurate records of participant contacts, services, referrals, education and employment activities, internships, workshop participation, and progress in GSS-approved systems.
Work with Good Shepherd Services’ Impact & Evaluation team to collect and document program data and outcome indicators accurately.
Maintain confidentiality and comply with Good Shepherd Services policies, contractual requirements, and documentation standards.
Participate in required GSS trainings, including training in trauma-informed practice, youth and family development, bias awareness, mission effectiveness, and program-specific subjects.
Attend meetings and activities coordinated by B.R.A.G. Restore, GSS, BXDA, NYC agencies, and community partners as required.
Support a safe, respectful, inclusive, and youth-centered program environment.
Perform other duties as assigned.