Position Title: Advocate Counselor
Employment Status: Full Time - Exempt
Department: Workforce Initiatives
Site: Olympus Academy
755 East 100 Street Brooklyn, NY 11236 (Between Flatlands & Glenwood)
Reports To: NYCID Program Director – Olympus Academy
Salary Range: $45,000 - $50,000
Hours: Traditional School Day is from 7:58 to 2:38 (Hours vary between 7:30-4:30)
Requirements: This position requires a background check through the NYC PETS system. *SEE BELOW**
New York Center for Interpersonal Development (NYCID):
We believe in building community and nurturing personal growth. We improve lives through effective communication, conflict management, social-emotional learning, and youth development. Through our core values of Collaboration, Accountability Recognition, and Resilience, NYCID works to help people develop skills which move New York City toward the goal of being a more civil and economically stable place for all.
Department Overview:
NYCID's Workforce Initiatives department consists of: Learning to Work (LTW) consists of schools and programs designed to re-engage students who have fallen behind in credits and offer job opportunities to earn an income while in school. Summer Youth Employment Program (SYEP) provides New York City youth between the ages of 14 and 24 with paid summer employment for up to six weeks in July and August. SYEP CareerReady initiative is part of an ongoing effort by DYCD to connect young people with jobs and careers that are more closely aligned with their goals, interests, and skills. The Work, Learn & Grow Employment Program (WLG) is a New York City Council-funded initiative designed to build off of the experiences gained in the Summer Youth Employment Program (SYEP). The department seeks to ensure that all young people ages 14 to 29 years old have access to alternative pathways to high school completion, essential training, and credentialing opportunities, access to post secondary opportunities, college access, and personal and professional development that result is a career pathway and a job which pays a family sustaining wage.
Olympus Academy:
Olympus Academy is a New York City Department of Education Transfer High School located in Canarsie, Brooklyn. The school specializes in working with students ages 16-20 years old that are over-aged and under-credited. Through creative educational approaches and a dynamic team, we provide a learning environment that nurtures personal growth and academic success.
Our mission is to support our students in becoming self-directed and responsible citizens who have mastered skills for lifelong learning. Our goal is to ensure that students leave us well prepared to participate in post-secondary education, meaningful work, healthy relationships, and their community. Our school acts as a second home to our students, staff and community as we all grow together. Our school opens the gates of opportunity to all students.
School Culture:
NYCID complements the academic component at Olympus Academy by providing an array of youth development supports, personal development and life skills management services for students, including but not limited to: outreach and student recruitment, orientation and engagement, individual and family counseling and referrals, case management, extracurricular activities, youth leadership development, academic support and tutoring, college exploration and advisement, preparation for employment, employment internships during the school year and Summer Youth Employment through the NYC Department of Youth and Community Development, and support and guidance toward planning for meaningful post secondary experiences.
Program Overview:
Olympus Academy High School is a New York City Department of Education Transfer High School located in Canarsie, Brooklyn. The school provides technology-rich programs for students (ages 16 to 21) who are over-age and/or under-credited, as well as ESL (English as a Second Language) students. Olympus Academy’s rigorous curriculum meets the NYS Regents and College admissions standards.
General Summary:
Under the direct supervision of NYCID’s Program Director, the Advocate Counselor acts in the capacity of a case manager, responsible for a caseload of approximately fifty students. The advocate’s role is to earn rapport and establish a supportive relationship with each student. Acting as both mentor and guide, the advocate is responsible for assisting students in assessing their current skills and knowledge, creating long and short-term goals, and helping students strategize plans to achieve documented goals. The advocate will work to identify barriers to student success and aid in resolving and/or minimizing the impact of the identified obstacles. The advocate will work with the site job developer to establish an experiential internship as well as identifying and working with the SYEP staff to recruit, and manage Olympus Academy students in the SYEP program.
Minimum Qualifications:
A minimum of three (3) years in education, social sciences, human services, or a related field and (2) years experience providing counseling to at-risk students or related populations. Bachelor’s and Master’s Degree are welcomed. This contract requires that a candidate be fingerprinted by NYC Department of Education (See below).
The candidate should bring to the position:
● Familiarity with youth development principles
● Ability to engage and develop rapport quickly with young adults and their families and/or guardians
● Goal setting and holding students accountable
● Ability to work with minimal supervision
● Excellent written and oral communication skills
● Group and individual counseling skills
● Excellent organizational skills
● Computer literacy skills
● Curriculum development experience
Responsibilities: Duties, and responsibilities include but are not limited to:
● Providing counseling and advocacy to support and motivate program participants
● Providing crisis intervention
● Monitoring student attendance and evaluation performance (i.e. reviewing report cards)
● Maintaining monthly case files, Individual Service Strategies and Goal Setting logs
● Maintaining ongoing communication with parents of participants to include home visits when long-term absences occur
● Facilitating workshops in program areas such as real-life skills, conflict resolution, mediation,
leadership, community service and youth employment
● Assist in carrying out other aspects of the program including planning trips, celebrations, and participating in gender-specific after school groups, and Summer Youth Employment enrollment
● Providing comprehensive post-high school planning for all assigned students
● Promoting leadership among students by closely involving youth in planning program activities
● Collaborating effectively with the Internship coordinator to promote and support students’ work experience
● Communicating with Department of Education Administration
● Conducting outreach to recruit youth into the LTW and SYEP program
● Preparing necessary reports in a timely manner
● Meeting daily with immediate supervisor and attend staff meetings
● Other duties as assigned by your supervisor Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:
● Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills
● Knowledge of conflict resolution and/or mediation practices
● Knowledge of office management principles and procedures
● Strong organizational skills: the ability to work accurately with a great amount of detail
● Ability to plan, develop and coordinate multiple projects and to direct projects when necessary
● Effective verbal and written communication skills
● Ability to develop, plan and implement short and long-range professional goals
● Ability to foster a cooperative work environment
● Ability to maintain the highest degree of confidentiality, integrity, and professionalism
● Demonstrated proficiency in operating standard office equipment and Microsoft Office applications
Additional Notes:
● Candidate must be fingerprinted by NYC Department of Education. There is an initial expense of $135.00 for processing. The candidate is reimbursed expense when officially hired
● This is a 12-month program that at times includes working during holidays
● Bilingual Spanish/English a plus
New York Center for Interpersonal Development
130 Stuyvesant Place
Staten Island, New York
Tel: (718) 815-4557
Fax: (718) 273-4169
NYCID is an Equal Opportunity employer/program. NYCID is committed to creating an inclusive, diverse, and
anti-racist environment. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to
race, color, ethnicity, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin,
genetics, disability, age, or veteran status, and other protected status as required by applicable law.
Auxiliary aids and services are available upon request to individuals with disabilities.
TTY/TTD 1-800-662-1220
I have reviewed this job description and understand all my duties and responsibilities. I am able to perform the
essential functions as outlined. I understand that my job may change on a temporary or regular basis according
to the needs of NYCID without it being specifically included in the job description. If I have any questions
about job duties not specified on this description that I am asked to perform, I should discuss them with my
immediate supervisor or a member of the Human Resources staff
Name Signature__________________________________________________ Date _________________
Name (please print) _______________________________________________
Job Type: Full-time
Pay: $45,000.00 - $50,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- 401(k)
- 401(k) matching
- Dental insurance
- Health insurance
- Health savings account
Work Location: In person