POSITION: Youth Counselor (Navigator)
REPORTS TO: Deputy Director of Programs
LOCATION: New York, NY 10038: Reliably commute or planning to relocate before starting work (Required)
POSITION TYPE: Full-time
SCHEDULE: Monday through Friday, 8-hour shift
SALARY: $58,000 - $63,000 per year based on experience and credentials
BENEFITS:
ICD offers a comprehensive benefits package including: 401(k), dental insurance, employee assistance program, flexible spending account, health insurance, health savings account, life insurance, paid time off, professional development assistance, retirement plan, and vision insurance. As this is a union position, health and dental insurance is paid for in full by the organization subject to certain eligibility requirements.
ORGANIZATION:
The Institute for Career Development (ICD) is a long-established, highly regarded nonprofit workforce development organization based in New York City. ICD helps youth and adults with disabilities transform their lives through no-cost career assessment, coaching, training, and placement services. Our vision is a world where all people feel welcome, included, and valued in the workplace.
SUMMARY OF POSITION:
The Youth Counselor (Navigator) serves as a trusted resource and shepherd for youth with disabilities as they move from high school to adult life. Navigators help youth determine and identify their post-high school goals and support them in working on skill gaps that might prevent them from achieving these goals. HS Navigators will also enable youth to discover and lean into their strengths, while developing confidence and self-advocacy skills necessary to succeed beyond high school. The role of the Navigator will also center on parent involvement and on ensuring that a strong network of social and community support surrounds the young person. To this end, HS ICD Navigators will also be responsible for linking program participants to ICD’s vocational training and other services in collaboration with the Vocation and Youth Counselors, and with other trusted partner organizations that can provide services needed by participants to succeed but which ICD is not best positioned to offer in-house. To implement these activities, navigators will meet with youth at least monthly, but sometimes more often if required. Additional touchpoints can be facilitated as necessary, either virtually or via telephone.
RESPONSIBILITIES:
Develop Resources and Referrals: Must be able to help students with post-secondary school placement. This position will be based in a Bronx High School with some days in the NYC office. *Vocational counseling experience is a must.
Act as liaison with participant referral sources and other collaterals including case managers, treatment providers, internship site supervisors and employers.
Develop knowledge of and ability to navigate across various systems that intersect the lives of youth and family members, including but not limited to schools and transition; workforce development; mental health; health insurance; various disabilities; advocacy; entitlement programs; and others.
Develop, cultivate, maintain, and expand a network of community providers to aid in information and referral in response to the needs of youth and families being served.
Understand referral requirements of state and local agencies and schools, including brokering meaningful community partnerships, promotion of referrals, and communication across invested stakeholders.
Intake and Assessment Services
Conduct intakes and evaluations during client assessment, specifically behavioral observations and recording behavior patterns; and administering and interpreting tests and work sample results, specifically to interpret specific vocational data to clients.
Also, identifying challenges to specific types of employment and/or the rationale for reasonable work accommodations. And implementing modifications to obtain the most accurate assessment of each client’s reading, writing and math skills as well as physical abilities.
Thereafter, support youth with disabilities and their families by helping them understand their options to make choices that reflect youth’s values, needs, and abilities and by resolving problems and crises as they arise. Specifically, support specific outcomes such as employment, postsecondary education, and community living.
Career Counseling and Youth Transition Services
Assess and develop the work readiness skills of each program participant; and provide job exploration counseling and instruction in self-advocacy; and facilitate soft skills groups for assigned clients addressing job readiness and life skills related to attainment of pre-employment competencies; and conduct activities to enhance motivation and improve student communication skills.
Plan and conduct workshops and training. Specifically, plan and facilitate groups on job readiness, interviewing and job seeking skills, work-related life skills, job support groups.
Provide support with daily living issues such as transportation and mobility as well as emotional support, crisis management, home visits, and transition support from secondary to post-secondary settings.
Perform comprehensive and systematic collection, archiving, and use of data and information, including demographics, intervention tracking, and reporting.
Establish professional boundaries and ethical behavior within the case management relationship.
Develop internship opportunities that meet the needs of the individual participant and establish affiliation agreements with local businesses to serve as internship sites and provide work experience to program participants; and visit internship/employment sites to observe and consult with site supervisors/contacts. Maintain accurate time and attendance records for all participants.
Parent Engagement
Understand and respond to unique family dynamics, including provision of culturally responsive services and supports; youth and family preferences; and relationships of individual family members.
Other duties as required
LICENSE / CERTIFICATION:
School Counseling Certification (Preferred)
The Institute for Career Development is an advocate for diversity in the workplace. All candidates will benefit from equality of opportunity and fair treatment without regard to: race; color; age; religion; pregnancy; sex; sexual orientation; disability; gender identity; gender expression; national origin; genetic information; Veteran status; marital status; or prior protected activity.
ICD complies with all applicable federal, state, and city employment laws.
Please email resume and cover letter to ssmith@icdnyc.org with a subject of “Youth Counselor (Navigator)” and where you found the position listed.