Youth Advocate - Solano County

Position Title: Youth Advocate

Reports To: County Manager/Social Worker Supervisor

Status: Full-time

JOB SUMMARY:

The Youth Advocate/ Social Worker is responsible for case management, psycho-social assessment, development and implementation of intervention strategies. The Youth Advocate provides clinical leadership to a multi-disciplinary team and provide coaching to support each youth to achieve goals of housing stability, sustainable and sustaining employment, and educational achievement. The Youth Advocate is active in developing, supporting and implementing an individualized, strength 'based, culturally competent, youth-centered approach. A Successful Youth Advocate understands how to motivate, influence, and mentor young adults to achieve goals while launching adult lives from foster care.

Essential Duties and RESPONSIBILITIES include the following. Other duties may be assigned.

Provide youth with individual counseling, crisis intervention, referrals, advocacy and life skills training. (70%)

Direct Care and Interventions:

• Develops partnership strategy with each youth
• Gathers and analyzes on-going information to ensure youth safety, well-being and progress
• Provides clinical leadership to multi-disciplinary teams consisting of youth, family and other natural supporters, county case managers, Employment and Education Specialists, Housing Specialists, and Intake Specialists to ensure seamless and effective service delivery
• Organizes, schedules, and facilitates youth and team meetings
• Provides on-going assessment of youth well-being and develops plans to ensure safety and

De-escalate crisis as needed

• Provides direct support, coaching, mentoring and intervention to increase youth self-sufficiency and goal attainment.
• Participates on a rotating basis to provide on-call coverage
• Provides crisis counseling as needed.

Case Management/Coordination:

• Collaborates with community providers including county workers, courts, professionals, vocational and independent living skills programs, schools, family members and significant others
• Keeps key team members informed and Works with team members to identify and engage appropriate natural supporters.

Documentation/Administrative Duties (30%)

• Completes documentation including but not limited to Care and Services plans, needs assessments, and progress notes.
• Ensures all needed paperwork and consents are completed for each client at time of entry.
• Participates in agency committee as assigned.
• Provides on-going orientation and training to staff as assigned.
• Other duties as assigned by Supervisor

QUALIFICATIONS AND POSITION COMPETENCIES:

• Master's Degree in a social work, psychology, counselling or equivalent OR BA in social work, psychology, counselling or equivalent required with Minimum four years of experience working in a child welfare social services setting or with transition age youth with complex presentations including chronic trauma.
• Professional License is a plus.
• Must be comfortable working in community settings.
• Willingness to work collaboratively, but with the capacity to work independently
• Must be able to pass a Community Care Licensing background check
• Must have a car, a valid CA drivers license and auto insurance.
• ATTENTION TO DETAIL - Ability to work with high level of detail, work has high level of professional polish down to smallest details, documents and products are well thought out and clear, database is organized and up to date.
• DRIVEN BY ACCOMPLISHMENT - Clarity on project goals and the personal drive to wake up every morning ready to accomplish goals, finished projects are thorough and delivered on time. High level of personal accountability for the quality and impact of work
• COMPUTER SKILLS -- Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications including MS Word, Excel, Access, and PowerPoint, Project and Outlook. Experience with database systems is a plus.
• STRONG COMMUNICATION SKILLS - Exceptional oral and written communication skills including the demonstrated ability to research, assimilate, and analyze information, compose engaging messages, and present data in a clear and inspiring manner.
• HIGH LEVEL OF PROFESSIONALISM - A high level of professionalism in work and interpersonal interactions with both internal and external contacts, presents to others as organized, informed, and friendly.
• DECISIVE NATURE - Well-honed ability to independently anticipate and analyze situations, define problems and objectives, recognize viable alternatives, and formulate rapid solutions, with understanding of the inherent risks and the implications of making tough decisions.
• AVAILABILITY for occasional evening and weekend work and some travel as needed.

Core Competencies - required of all staff for successful performance at First Place

• RELENTLESS PURSUIT OF EXCELLENCE - Intentional use of data to improve performance • Possesses strong drive, initiative and motivation • Detail and Results orientation • Demonstrates good work habits • Resiliency in persisting through setbacks • Demonstrated success, with the ability to think strategically while executing tactically within a resource-constrained environment.
• STRATEGIC THINKING - Seeks and utilizes resources to inform and contextualize own work • Thinks interdependently, framing the goals of one department/project within the entire vision • Synthesizes information to make astute recommendations and/or decisions • Prioritizes goals for success.
• INVESTMENT IN OTHERS - Creates an environment that maximizes the return on investment in others • Collaborates to set and achieve goals that comport with First Place's mission, strategic plan and desired measurable outcomes • Creates and utilizes development opportunities to address individual needs and capacity to accomplish performance objectives • Creates and identifies opportunities for recognition of success • Provides supportive environment to learn from mistakes.
• EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION - Courageous, strategic, clear and direct communication that resolves discrepancies and overcomes challenges and obstacles to organizational success •Ability to respectfully ask questions, challenge, and communicate both positive and difficult messages to subordinates, superiors, peers and youth • Sound judgment regarding the appropriateness of guarding confidentiality to protect the privacy rights of colleagues or youth • Strong verbal and written communication skills.
• COURAGE - Asks questions in order to learn and encourage dialogue • Willing to make mistakes and to be accountable for own work • Speaks about issues truthfully and without blame • Leads by example, displaying behavior that respects the mission, youth and First Place • Holds high expectations for self, one another and for our youth.

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Physical Demands: While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to stand; walk; sit; use hands to finger, handle, or feel; reach with hands and arms; and talk or hear. The employee must regularly lift and/or move up to 20 pounds and occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, color vision, and ability to adjust focus.

Work Environment: The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.