Position Description:
The Youth Mentor works with youth identified as at-risk for gang involvement by providing prevention activities designed to build and strengthen their identity and role within the Native community. This position is responsible for intensive case management of approximately 30 youth per school year. The Youth Mentor acts as a communication hub between clients and their parents, teachers, and school staff. Primary duties are related to direct service activities (75%), with the remainder of time dedicated case management activities, such as record keeping, data entry, and client file administration (25%).
Essential Functions:
Provide intensive case management services for approximately 30 youth assigned to case load (60% of which are Middle School students and 40% of which are High School students, spanning ages 11-18), including:
o Providing intervention, support, information, and service referrals
o Actively advocating on behalf of clients
o Working collaboratively with youth to address their full range of needs
o Performing community outreach and maintaining an updated community resource directory
Provide outcomes-based student assessment, strength-based interventions, and activities, including:
o Performing assessment of family strengths to identify capacity to support youth
o Tailoring services provided with the goal of returning youth to school full-time
o Developing support agreement with parent/guardian/significant family member to support youth
o Developing and conducting parent/guardian skill building workshops o Providing activities for youth that build and strengthen their identity and role in the Native community
o Preparing program planning activity worksheets in accordance with program guidelines
Provide referrals to other services as needed, including:
o Connecting clients with family or other counseling services that prevents or mitigates gang activity
o Presenting program information to referral agencies
Maintain documentation in a timely, thorough, and accurate manner in accordance with agency guidelines and as required by funding sources, including:
o Creating, organizing, and maintaining hard copy and electronic client files
o Gathering basic demographic information including age, educational level, family and/or intimate relationship information, and current living situation
o Documenting and recording all client information and interaction
o Entering data and reports into comprehensive client database on an ongoing basis
o Preparing required activity reports and participate in program evaluation activities (such as programmatic and fiscal reports)
Additional Duties: Other duties as assigned by Youth Advocacy Manager
Additional Youth Mentor duties:
o Providing and/or supporting the transport of youth to program activities and services, including:
Disbursing student/client assistance funds (including, bus tickets, and school supplies) in compliance with funding source and program priorities
Assist other YES department staff with the coordination of transportation for students (i.e. tutoring, field trips, etc.)
Providing transportation of clients as needed using agency vehicles and following agency vehicle reservation and check-out guidelines
Assist with picking up students from their schools and bringing them to the NAYA Family Center for services as well as assist with dropping students off at home after programming ends
Seasonal Camps: Recruit youth to apply for and be successful with spring and summer camps; youth advocates will also be responsible for staffing and supporting seasonal camps which may include leading a group, leading and/or recruiting workshop presenters, and other duties as assigned
Additional NAYA Family Center duties:
o Understand and adhere to confidentiality
o Coordinate wraparound services effectively with other NAYA Family Center programs and staff
o Input data, and maintain NAYA and/or contractually required information database systems to track client information
Includes entering client data, assisting and/or preparing periodic reports
Database examples include but are not limited to: Efforts to Outcome (ETO), Counselor Max, SAGE Fund Accounting, Raisers Edge, etc.
o Participate in trainings and/or meetings to ensure program outcomes are achieved
o Represent NAYA with the utmost professionalism at community events and other public relations opportunities
o Work as an active member of departmental team
o Participate actively in cross-departmental team projects
o Contribute to fostering a safe and secure environment for community members and staff
Qualifications:
Education & Training:
Bachelor’s Degree in Social Work, Counseling, Education, or related field required
o An equivalent combination of education and/or experience may be an acceptable substitute
Master’s Degree in Social Work, Counseling, Education, or related field preferred Knowledge and expertise in working with gang-related issues required
Knowledge and expertise in working with families required
Knowledge of Native American history, an understanding of the diversity of the local American Indian/Alaskan Native community and issues surrounding the Urban Indian experience required
Certifications/Credentials:
Certification (or ability to certify) and ability to maintain certification in Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR), 1st Aid and Automatic External Defibrillator (AED)
Experience:
Experience working within diverse populations (specifically with the urban and reservation Native American population, including working within a tribe, board, or other organization) strongly preferred
Three (3) years of experience in educational support, youth development and/or human services with low income and culturally diverse populations required
Experience working with gang-related issues, including youth prevention preferred Demonstrated ability to manage a case load of at least 25 clients
Skills:
Ability to manage and maintain a high-volume caseload of participants efficiently
Ability to stay composed and exercise good judgment in stressful situations, such as dealing with distressed and/or demanding clients
Ability to communicate with and develop positive relationships with youth, including skills such as:
o Listening in a non-judgmental way
o Using respectful language
o Being direct and clear as appropriate
o Avoiding power struggles
o Honoring client confidentiality
o Communicating effectively with both young people and adults
Ability to connect with clients in a manner that successfully motivates them to achieve better outcomes
Ability to develop and maintain professional and trusting relationships
Ability to actively support and work with culturally diverse staff, participants, and community
Ability to work independently and efficiently in a variety of community-based, non-traditional settings
Ability to work in an interdisciplinary team setting
Ability to consistently apply sound decision-making procedures and a thorough analysis of the situation when solving problems
Ability to be extremely flexible when managing changing priorities and schedules, without compromising quality of outcomes, ability to complete tasks, or uphold commitments Ability to meet multiple, sometimes conflicting deadlines or workload demands by applying strong organizational systems and efficiently managing time
Ability to respect and honor cultural and human diversity, including:
o Exhibiting an awareness of commonalities and differences (such as gender, race, age, culture, ethnicity, class, religion, disability) among youth of diverse backgrounds and shows respect for those of different talents, abilities, sexual orientation, and faith
o Building on diversity among and between individuals to strengthen the program community and the community at large
o Serving as a role model for the principles of inclusion and tolerance
o Understanding and respecting culture of youth/families
Ability to deal with different people and situations appropriately, including effective communication with people from diverse backgrounds
Communication skills, active listening, verbal and written, including public presentation skills
Proficient computer skills including:
How to Apply
hr@nayapdx.org