Advocate Counselor

The Home for Little Wanderers•New York, NY

47d•$22 - $26•Onsite

About The Position

The Advocate Counselor supports New Directions Secondary School, a 9th–12th grade transfer school in The Bronx. The role focuses on students experiencing academic or behavioral challenges and poor attendance. In partnership with school staff, the counselor provides supportive mentoring and services such as attendance outreach, home visits, classroom support, crisis intervention, and individual and small-group social-emotional support to help students reach academic and social-emotional goals. This is a 10-month position running from September through June, at 40 hours per week. The Advocate Counselor is supervised by the Site Manager. Occasional evening and weekend hours are required for activities such as college visits and school events.

Requirements

Associate’s degree in social sciences.
At least 1 year of experience providing direct services in a school-based or residential program.
Knowledge of attendance outreach best practices.
Strong verbal and written communication skills, including proficiency in English, and strong interpersonal skills.
Ability to approach challenges collaboratively, supportively, and creatively.
Commitment to working from a strengths-based perspective.
Commitment to ongoing learning and development, with demonstrated use of supervision to improve practice.
Excellent organization and prioritization skills.
Flexible schedule and willingness to work school hours and, on occasion, evenings to support school community events.
Bilingual proficiency in English and Spanish.

Nice To Haves

Bachelor’s degree is strongly preferred.

Responsibilities

Maintain and manage all related data.
Attend Wediko, NY at The Home and LTW professional development opportunities.
Provide milieu support during arrivals, dismissals, transitions, and lunch.
Manage a caseload of students, monitor attendance and educational progress, and provide students and families with ongoing feedback and resources to support academic success.
Provide individual and group mentoring to students weekly.
Conduct daily student attendance outreach.
Contact students and families through phone calls, written correspondence, and home visits; conduct home visits in pairs.
Facilitate communication among students, families, and school staff.
Complete required documentation, including Dr. Cloud notes, in a timely manner.
Provide crisis support, conflict mediation, and social-emotional support.
Complete regular assessments and provide resource referrals in support of school-based services, with support from the Site Manager.
Ensure students are exposed to further education opportunities, including high school and college, and build college and career readiness skills.
Participate in staff meetings and staff development opportunities.
Collaborate with Wediko and school staff on a transdisciplinary team to develop individualized plans that support student progress.