Education/Vocational Specialist

Position Purpose :

Responsible for providing on-campus education programming, in school academic support, and youth tailored participation in vocational training, workforce development and post-secondary education.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities :

• Assist the Educational Coordinator in providing in-school support, attends school meetings and proceedings concerning educational programming, and individualized planning for youth at risk for suspension or learning loss.
• Coordinates with the treatment and childcare team to integrate vocational goals into the individualized treatment plans of each GAP-R client occurring upon admission, during length of stay, at time of discharge, and during aftercare services.
• Regularly assess the progress of clients enrolled in vocational programs, adjusting strategies as needed for continued client success.
• Attends collaboration meetings with off-campus school and / or vocational personnel to create seamless education and vocational programming and resolve inter-institutional conflicts.

Documents and tracks meetings for each youth by maintaining Educational / Vocational Progress Notes.

• Develop and facilitate weekly workshops focusing on essential life skills to include but not limited to, resume building, interview preparation, time management, employer expectations and workplace etiquette.
• Prepares all college-bound students or students interested in exploring or considering post-secondary education with applications, interviews, and financial aid processes and procedures.
• Ensures enrollment of students in appropriate post-secondary or vocational programming.
• Recruits youth for the Heart and Soul Pathways to Success culinary program; facilitates screening of suitable youth candidates in collaboration with referring case workers.
• Co-facilitates orientation of Heart and Soul Pathways interns with the program’s executive chef, recruits paid internships with culinary establishments;

monitors and promotes problem solutions at the program and reports weekly to Adolescent Services Administrator, as needed.

Establish partnerships with local employers and vocational programs to create job placement and internship opportunities for eligible youth.

Maintains a resource directory of local employers, vocational and internship programs.

• Serve as vocational coach for youth in the Pathways to Success workforce development program and / or other vocational development programs.
• Completes and maintains all Educational / Vocational documentation such as reports, progress notes, assessments in a timely manner.

Ensures documentation is submitted weekly to the Clinical Supervisor for review.

• Actively participates in weekly supervision with assigned supervisor, mandatory and / or appropriate GAP-R meetings, and agency or division wide meetings.
• Assists with Homework Club and tutoring program by assisting with or participation in implementation and scheduling.

Non-Essential Duties and Responsibilities :

• Coordinates and assists in providing school / vocation related transportation.
• Other duties as assigned.

Metrics :

• Have at least 90% of GAP-R residents actively attending school or connected to employment, as measured by weekly / monthly attendance reports and progress notes.
• Establish and maintain a partnership with at least (20) twenty employers and workforce development agencies for GAP-R residents, as measured by maintenance of the GAP-R vocational / educational resource book and evidence of documented communication with employers / partners.
• Establish and maintain a partnership with local colleges and universities to assist GAP-R residents with exploring post-secondary education opportunities, as evidenced by documented ongoing communication.
• Compliance with deadlines of documentation and tasks or goals assigned as measured or evidenced by supervision logs, program audits, and documentation tracking by the Clinical Supervisor.
• Other metrics as identified.

Qualifications :

• Bachelor’s Degree (BA / BS) with a minimum of two years' experience in education setting and / or workforce development experience.
• Demonstrated ability to motivate and manage emotionally and behaviorally disordered adolescents, some who may experience school phobias and have a history of multiple school placements.
• Strong, flexible orientation toward teamwork.
• Exceptional written and oral communication skills.
• Broad working knowledge of issues related to youth with special education needs.
• Demonstrated ability to resolve conflict and motivate others.
• Ability to manage time effectively in demanding work environment.
• An attitude compatible with the goals and purposes of the National Center for Children and Families.

Physical Demands / Work Environment :

While performing the responsibilities of the job, the employee is required to talk and hear. The employee is often required to sit and use their hands and fingers to handle or feel.

The employee is occasionally required to stand, walk, reach with arms and hands, climb or balance, and stoop, kneel, crouch or crawl.

Vision abilities required y this job require close vision working with a computer monitor. While performing the duties of this job, employee is occasionally exposed to moving mechanical parts and vehicles.

The noise level in the work environment is usually quiet to moderate. While performing the responsibilities of the employee’s job, these work environment characteristics are representative of the environment the Human Resources Director will encounter.

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable people with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the job.