HeartShare St. Vincent’s Services (HSVS) empowers youth and families to overcome the challenges of homelessness, family crises, addiction, mental illness and poverty. Founded in 1869 as St. Vincent’s Services in Downtown Brooklyn, we began as a home for “poor and friendless boys.” In 2014, HSVS was formed through an affiliation with Heart Share Human Services of New York. Through the affiliation, HSVS developed into a multi-program nonprofit agency with four divisions: Foster Care & Preventive Programs, Integrated Health Services, Housing & Residential Services and Youth & Community Programs. Across our agency, staff members serve our clients with compassion, respect and in collaboration with our outside partners. Our commitment to supporting vulnerable young people and their families in their quest to thrive and reach their fullest potential, ties together our rich array of services. HSVS understands that to best support our clients, our staff must have also be provided with the resources they need to do their jobs, while ensuring self-care. As a result, we prioritize staff well-being, and provide opportunities for reflection, team building, and professional development. While we have a fast-paced work environment, we also strive to approach our staff as whole people to support their long-time commitment to the work.
HeartShare is looking for a Coach to join our Housing & Residential Program
Coach Position Summary
Compassionate, collaborative, and engaging Coaches are at the heart of our supportive housing Journey Program. Coaches provide guidance, coaching, and support to vulnerable young adults who are at risk of homelessness, to help them achieve their goals and eventually permanent housing, if appropriate. Coaches will adopt a nonjudgmental, strengths-based and collaborative approach to working with youths, ensuring that their wishes, interests, and preferences inform the development of their service support plan, and ultimately the services that they receive. Coaches will ensure that through organizing and liaising with youths Dream Team they will have their basic needs met, including crisis counseling, entitlements procurement, health care, mental health, independent living skills, job/career assistance, recreational opportunities, education journey and other services as needed. Coaches will use the principles of positive youth development to ensure that youths’ goals and services are focused on building resiliency and social connection which will ultimately ensure independence. Coaches will empower youth to engage in all aspects of the process and teach them to how to advocate for themselves and prevent or troubleshoot obstacles. Coaches will develop a robust network of service providers to ensure that youths are able to access the services that they desire.
Coaches will be trained in and implement evidence-based models, including:
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Motivational Interviewing
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Intensive Trauma Services
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Recovery Oriented and Trauma Informed case management
- Critical Time Intervention
Coaches will undergo a comprehensive training program to ensure that they are trained in evidence-based practices, as well as in conflict resolution, crisis intervention, crisis de-escalation, harm reduction, person-centered planning, assessment, housing first approaches, mandatory reporting and recognizing signs of abuse and neglect, co-occurring disorders, and recovery-oriented practices.
Coaches will report to the Social Worker.
Duties and Responsibilities:
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Conducts initial apartment visits with potential youths; assists with purchase/furnishing of apartments, preparation of apartment, utilities, etc. and moving of clients. Responsible for supporting the youth’s adjustment to the program.
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Establishes working relationships with youths and, their families and support system, through regularly scheduled visits and interviews; assesses their functioning, strengths and needs, and ensures appropriate treatment/training/employment and income referrals.
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Applies knowledge of specialized treatment program and a current knowledge of internal and external regulations and policies applicable to the program. Establishes service/support plans with the youth and monitors compliance/need to revise.
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Oversees treatment, educational/vocational programs and monitors the youths’ functioning; acts as the youths’ advocate.
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Oversees maintenance of apartment/furnishing and compliance with rent and utility bills/helps with budgeting.
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Maintains contacts with counselors, therapists, teachers, ICM, mentors, and psychiatrists to ensure well-being and progress in daily functioning.
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Independently makes all related field visits to apartments and programs as the situation may require.
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Attends weekly, at minimum, supervision to present and discuss case situations, provide updates on status of youths on caseload and carries out directives regarding planning and service follow-up.
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Participates in staff meetings; attends internal and external training as scheduled.
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Maintains neatly organized case files, including, identification, sub-lease, and other key documents as identified by the program
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Updates DOHMH TMS Maven database in a timely manner.
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Keeps flexible hours in accordance with youths’ schedules, including but not limited to working during weekends and evenings if necessary.
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Performs other duties deem necessary to support the needs of the youths and the program.
Qualifications:
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Bachelor’s Degree in Social Work or related field; experience working with the young adult population, especially those with mental health and substance abuse challenges.
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Cross Cultural Studies or experiences which ensure a sensitive approach to working with a diverse client population is preferred.
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Commitment to taking a compassionate, nonjudgmental, and strengths-based approach to working with young people that is steeped in the principles of positive youth development.
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Experience or interest in implementing evidence-based practices, and openness to learning how to interpret data to inform one’s practice.
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Experience assisting with obtaining and maintaining government benefits, accessing services, managing medication, and comfort running group meetings when necessary. Knowledge of group dynamics and interaction, especially with the adolescent populations, is preferred.
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Ability to act responsibly in stressful situations.
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Written and verbal communication skills sufficient to effectively provide direction and counseling to clients and maintain required documentation.
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Must be capable of and willing to make home visits unassisted throughout the greater New York area, and to ensure a realistic and secure approach to such visits.
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Must be capable of independently and professionally assessing the physical and emotional well-being of the client and ascertaining the adequacy of the physical environment and treatment/educational/vocational programs.
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Ability to independently organize time and prioritize responsibilities in order to plan and carry out a demanding schedule.
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Valid New York State driver’s license, to provide transportation when required and to handle certain crisis.
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Previous experience as a client in supportive housing or other system involvement is preferred.
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Bilingual (Spanish) preferred/ Driver License Needed if Possible
Benefits:
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Rewarding Work in a team environment;
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Paid vacation, sick, personal days and holidays;
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403(B) retirement plan with employer contribution;
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Health, dental, vision and life insurance;
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Employee Assistance Program (EAP);
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Flexible spending account (Dependent Care, Medical, Parking, and Transit);
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Employee Appreciation Programs and Events;
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Tuition Assistance Program;
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Professional Development opportunities;
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Verizon Wireless Discount;
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BJs Membership discount;
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Discounts on Broadway tickets, movie tickets, theme parks, sporting events, gift certificates & more.
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