Youth Advocate Specialist, High School

Build•Chicago, IL

13d•$22 - $23

About The Position

Youth Advocate Specialist, High School (YASHS) (40 hours, Full-time) Non-Exempt BUILD, Inc. (Broader Urban Involvement and Leadership Development) is presently seeking a committed, self-motivated, and innovative individual to join our team. BUILD is a nationally respected gang intervention, violence prevention, and youth development organization based on Chicago’s West Side. Since 1969, BUILD has worked to save lives and mentor young people who live in the city’s most challenged neighborhoods. When you work at BUILD you make an important difference to the thousands of youth and families we serve. Our Core Values : Empathy, Passion, Persistence and Innovation. The Youth Advocate Specialist, High School (YASHS) as part of the BUILD Intervention Team, is responsible for serving youth through advocacy who are off track, street, and gang-involved as well as youth involved in the juvenile justice system by providing support, advocacy, opportunity, and community resources to prevent entry or return to the Cook County Juvenile Temporary Detention Center (CCJTDC). The (YASHS) will work closely with other program departments and support staff to ensure that youth are integrated into other programs to dissuade them from entering, recidivating, and/or returning to gangs or destructive activities to themselves and others, thus bringing them in contact with community resources to channel their behavior toward positive and rewarding goals. The (YASHS) reports directly to the Manager of Youth Advocacy, High School (MYAHS) .

Requirements

High School Diploma or GED required.
Must demonstrate excellent interpersonal, verbal and written communication skills.
Proficiency with technology integration into daily program operations and evaluation systems
Highly organized to set priorities, develop a work schedule, and monitor progress towards goals
Ability to build positive working relationships with others, both internally and externally to achieve the goals of the organization
Able to do the required number of home visits per month
Ability to pass a criminal and CPS background check and child abuse/neglect registry check
Must have a valid Driver’s License, access to reliable transportation and willingness to travel locally
As of October 15, 2021, all BUILD employees are required to submit proof of full vaccination status.

Nice To Haves

Bachelor's Degree in Social Services, Human Services, Non-Profit Management or related field experience preferred
Experience working with inner-city youth in a human service setting, social service setting, or related field

Responsibilities

Provides advocacy programs and services in and out of schools for the designated community
Works collaboratively with school administration and other partners
Works collaboratively with the team and other program departments
Informs appropriate BUILD team of program progress and challenges, making recommendations and seeking advice as necessary
Meets with team weekly to discuss youth engagement and case management services
Meets with Manager/Coordinator weekly to discuss the youth in case management service
Interacts with participants by establishing a professional relationship
Ensures that youth who are off track in school receive the support necessary to improve and maintain academic requirements
Ensures that youth receive ongoing home and/or school visits upon participant's enrollment and/or release from the CCJTDC and maintains regular ongoing contacts (individual and group) with participants in his/her caseload for a minimum of one year
Ensures that youth are involved/encouraged to participate in leadership development opportunities
Facilitates and provides learning spaces for participants such as peace/talking circles
Provides informal individual and group counseling
Ensures completion of needs assessments and refers participants to appropriate services within BUILD and their communities
Maintain a positive adult mentor/ mentee relationship while reinforcing positive behavior
Performs other job-related duties as requested, required, and/or assigned
Recruits and maintains a required caseload of youth
Record case notes into internal and external online databases on a weekly basis and record intakes and assessments into the system as needed
Update caseloads on a monthly basis and submit information on a monthly report
Collect baseline and year-end data on academic, interpersonal, and pro-social behaviors
Submits statistics and reports on a monthly basis and/or as needed
Maintains File Compliance as required and compliance with internal and external data collection
Collaborates with a variety of resources (including judges, probation officers, attorneys, schools, agencies, and potential employers) in order to be an advocate for each participant on his/her caseload
Identifies positive adult/youth influences to create a stronger support network for the participant
Models appropriate communication skills and tools matched to the needs of various audiences and purposes
Represents the agency to various publics to broaden community awareness and support, interpreting the agency’s programs and services in a positive way
Participate in agency outreach and recruitment events, including evenings and weekends
Participate in civic engagement activities that advance the mission of BUILD, Inc.
Perform other duties as assigned