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Empowerment Coach

Job Details

Job Location

1946 Webster Avenue, Bronx, NY 10457 - Bronx, NY

Salary Range

$33.53 - $35.18 Hourly

Youth Empowerment Coach

About Graham Windham:

In full partnership with families and communities, Graham Windham strives to make a life-altering difference with children, youth, and families who are overcoming some of life’s most difficult challenges and obstacles, by helping to build a strong foundation for life: a safe, loving, permanent family and the opportunity and preparation to thrive in school and in the world. With over 500 full-time employees serving children and families in multiple programs throughout the Bronx, Brooklyn and Harlem, Graham Windham provides an exciting and enriching work experience.

At Graham Windham our Family Foster Care programs help children to get back to their families, adopted into a new family or connected to someone who is willing to be an anchor for children, throughout their childhood and into adulthood. To help us do that, we have hundreds of loving & highly qualified foster parents primarily in Brooklyn, Manhattan, the Bronx and Westchester County- who serve as our foster children's substitute family.

Position Overview:

The Empowerment Coach is responsible for engaging youth who are at risk or who have been sexually exploited to help extricate them from “the life” as needed and help them meet their needs for affection, belonging, and love through healthy adult and peer relationships. The Empowerment Coach will also help connect them with positive supports, including peer groups, skill building activities, employment, as appropriate, health care, mental health treatment, and substance abuse treatment; and coordinate with service providers, their child welfare team, and others, as needed (e.g. legal teams, police).

Position Responsibilities:

+ Provide one-on-one support and coaching to youth who have been or are at risk of being commercially sexually exploited to help them lead healthy lives where they are prepared to achieve their life aspirations.

+ Develop nurturing relationships and maintain healthy professional boundaries.

+ Create and maintain a community and culture that is warm, welcoming, and supportive of all youth

+ Use Motivational Interviewing skills to encourage youth to participate in services (e.g. mental health therapy, support groups, substance abuse treatment) and positive peer groups (e.g. youth development activities such as dance, sports, and community service groups) and provide support as needed to attend the activities and services.

+ Escort youth to treatment sessions and activities as needed.

+ Help youth develop goals and plans and support them in carrying out their plans.

+ Provide crisis intervention and de-escalation services as needed, including meeting youth in the community, helping them get needed medical services, and/or supporting police investigations, as needed.

+ Provide clear and regular communication with the Treatment Family Foster Care team members and other collaborative departments within the Graham Community

+ Complete detailed case notes and maintain participant records outlining the work being done with the youth.

+ Conduct safety and trauma focus assessments for all youth identified to be exploited.

+ Develop an individualized plan with each youth and help empower and support them in achieving their goals. Support youth in understanding their health care and legal options.

+ Coordinate referrals, communication, and planning with activity and service providers.

+ Work effectively with others involved in the youth’s life including juvenile justice, schools and law enforcement, as needed.

+ Provide liaison with Sanctuary for Families and attend meetings with Sanctuary for Families as part of the Justice and Empowerment for Teens (JET) Initiative

+ Support foster parents to understand youths’ needs’ and help them provide compassionate, safe, supportive home environments.

+ Check in with youth as needed, and at least weekly on his or her caseload.

+ Check in weekly with the assigned TFFC Team members.

Position Requirements:

+ Bachelor’s Degree

+ At least two years of experience working with sexually exploited youth.

+ Training in positive youth development, harm reduction, and/or trauma informed care

+ Extensive knowledge of issues related to sexual exploitation of minors, child welfare, juvenile justice, and court systems.

+ Life Experience (Survivors) and/or other relevant education including social service or social work, human services or other related degrees.

+ If qualifications include Life Experience as a Survivor, a significant length of time in recovery (at least 3 years) from sexual exploitation.

Skills and Attributes:

+ + Growth-oriented: Openness to feedback and self-reflection towards self-improvement

+ A passion for serving children and families.

+ A fundamental belief in the capacity for people to change.

+ Solution-focused and Dependable: Works with others to solve problems, acknowledges mistakes and successes, and follows through on commitments.

+ Respectful: Has strong personal integrity and wants to participate in a culture that celebrates vibrant and diverse spiritual and ideological perspectives, racial, ethnic, and gender identities, and sexual orientations.

+ Bold and Passionate: Enjoys empowering youth to help them achieve their dreams.

+ Ability to build positive relationships with at-risk and sexually exploited youth.

+ High level of personal and professional integrity, including ability to protect and maintain confidentiality and data privacy.

+ Creative and able to engage a diverse range of needs and learning styles.

+ Ability to work collaboratively across many systems and stakeholders.

+ Excellent verbal and written communication skills, especially for client advocacy

+ Ability to work independently.

+ Computer application proficiency, including CONNECTIONS system, Microsoft Outlook, and Word

+ Schedule is based on meeting the needs of program and will require some evening hours and 24-7 on call

Salary & Compensation:

+ Base pay range $61,020/yr + Potential to Earn Performance Based Merit Award for Eligible Staff + Comprehensive Benefits + Professional Development Opportunities)

+ Medical Insurance

+ Vision Insurance

+ Dental Insurance

+ Pension plan

+ Holiday pay

EEO Statement

The Equal Employment Opportunity Policy of Graham Windham (GW) is to provide a fair and equal employment opportunity for all associates and job applicants regardless of race, color, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, or disability. GW hires and promotes individuals solely based on their qualifications for the job to be filled.

Graham Windham believes that associates should be provided with a working environment which enables each associate to be productive and to work to the best of his or her ability. We do not condone or tolerate an atmosphere of intimidation or harassment based on race, color, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, or disability.

We expect and require the cooperation of all associates in maintaining a discrimination and harassment-free atmosphere.