Advocate Counselor

Job Description

Job Description

JOB DESCRIPTION

Title: ADVOCATE COUNSELOR, WEST BROOKLYN COMMUNITY HIGH SCHOOL

Reports to: PROGRAM DIRECTOR, WEST BROOKLYN COMMUNITY HIGH SCHOOL

Location: 1053 41st Street, Brooklyn, NY 11219

Hours: 35 Hours/Week; Exempt

Job Summary: Our high schools serve students who are over-age, under credited and have a history of truancy. An Advocate Counselor (AC) provides attendance outreach and individual and group counseling to students and assists in implementing other aspects of the GSS/DOE partnership school program to promote the education and leadership goals of the students. Our work is grounded in building strong relationships with our students and empowering them through our everyday practice, instilling the tools and skills they will need to achieve personal, academic and post secondary success. The AC supports the school’s mission of providing students with a quality academic experience that prepares them for post-secondary education, meaningful employment, healthy relationships, and participation in the life of their communities

Major Duties:

• Provide individual targeted counseling services and wrap around support services for a caseload for up to 50 over aged, under credited students

• Conduct attendance outreach and implement interventions to support students attain a regular attendance rate of 80% such as home or work site visits.

• Meet with students biweekly to counsel and provide social emotional or academic/ attendance support so students can successfully meet graduation requirements.

• Utilize data to assess students’ attendance rate, monitor credit accumulation and graduation requirements

• Provide crisis intervention, conflict mediation, and social-emotional support.

• Plan and facilitate advisory group sessions twice weekly, targeting teaching students social emotional and life skills that can support them achieve personal, academic and post secondary success.

• Support student recruitment efforts and conduct intake assessments and interviews.

• Responsible for participating in and co-facilitating orientation to the school for students and families.

• Support student progress and development by providing students & family with continuous feedback and resources to meet the individual needs of students and ensure success in achieving a high school diploma.

• Engage students’ families to support positive outcomes for the student; assist families with identified needs.

• Assist with referrals to outside resources, including employment, emergency shelter, day care and additional social and educational services.

• Work in collaboration with the post secondary team to create college and career exploration opportunities that promote college and career readiness, planning for life after high school and the development of of post secondary plans for students on their caseloads

• Ensure timely completion of Salesforce documentation, other documentation of work, and statistics, and assist DOE to ensure accuracy of student records. Actively engage in individual and team use of data to inform practice.

• Work as part of a collaborative team of DOE/GSS faculty to support student progress and develop appropriate educational goals and plans for individual students.

• In collaboration with school faculty, develop and implement student enrichment and leadership activities.

• Participate in staff meetings, overnight retreats, and staff development. Occasional evening and Saturday hours required.

• Perform other duties as assigned.

Qualifications:

• Bachelors degree preferred.

• Bilingual Spanish/English preferred.

• Valid driver’s license preferred.

• Extensive experience working with youth in a school setting required., individually and in groups.

• Commitment to assisting students in understanding and working with the school mission and philosophy.

• Commitment to working as a member of an interdisciplinary school team.

• Must have a commitment to work from a strength-based, trauma informed and youth development perspective.

General Requirements:

All staff are expected to be committed to the mission, vision, and values of Good Shepherd Services, which includes involvement in quality improvement activities and a willingness and ability to work within a culturally diverse environment.