Vocational Counselor

JVS of MetroWest•Montclair, NJ

5d•Onsite

About The Position

The Vocational Counselor will manage a caseload of individuals with disabilities, track their progress, and provide intake interviews and orientation to the JVS program. This role involves researching, developing, and delivering curriculum for group activities, and gathering information from participants, families, and stakeholders for needs planning. The counselor will engage participants in a discovery process to match their skills and interests with employer needs, and work with them on self-awareness and job exploration. Additionally, the position requires liaising with referral sources, referring participants to community service providers, and coordinating services. Specific duties include providing Customized Employment Services, Community Based Work Evaluations, and Pre Employment Transition Services for NJDVRS program participants. The role also involves coordinating field trip sites, assisting with transportation and travel training, reaching out to employers to develop community-based activities, and attending community activities with participants. The counselor will refer participants to career services, follow up on job placements, and participate in preparations for CARF accreditation. Other duties consistent with program needs may also be assigned.

Requirements

Master’s Degree in Rehabilitation Counseling, Vocational Counseling, Psychology and/or related fields.
Experience in providing counseling services to people who have disabilities.
Strong verbal, writing and computer skills.
Must have a strong background in running group activities.

Responsibilities

Manages a caseload of individuals who have disabilities, tracks and records participant’s progress through program phases.
Provides intake interviews to program participants and orients them to the JVS program.
Researches, develops and delivers curriculum for programmatic groups and activities.
Gathers information from participants, their family members and community stakeholders who are all involved in the discovery and support needs planning process.
Engages participants in a discovery process which gives a global picture of each individual and matches their education, talents and interests with employer needs.
Works with participants on self-awareness, self-analysis and investigation of job interests and options
Provides liaison with referral sources and reports to them as appropriate.
Refers participants to various service providers in the community depending on needs and coordinates services with other service providers as needed.
Provides specialized services for NJDVRS program participants which includes but is not limited to Customized Employment Services, Community Based Work Evaluations, Pre Employment Transition Services.
Coordinates and develops field trip sites for participants.
Assists with transportation needs and travel training when needed.
Reaches out to area employers for the purpose of developing community-based activities for participants.
Attends various community-based activities with participants.
Refers participants to career services and follows up job placements as per program requirements.
Participates in preparations for CARF accreditation as needed.
Performs other duties consistent with program needs and not calling for materially different skills.