Youth Advocate Streetwork - Outreach (Temporary)

Summary:

Streetwork Project is the oldest street outreach program for homeless and street-involved youth in New York City. The program has grown from its beginnings in 1984 as a storefront project to encompass both outreach and comprehensive harm reduction services. The core service is long-term, one-on-one counseling, which is offered in a non-judgmental and holistic manner utilizing a harm reduction approach that focuses on building trust, fostering self-esteem, exploring options and choices, and empowering youth to change their high-risk behaviors.

As part of our continuum of services, we provide overnight outreach in teams of two seven nights a week (7 pm to 3 am), throughout the five boroughs of New York City. Outreach Youth Advocates work overnight hours to meet the most disenfranchised youth while they are in crisis.

The funding for this position ends June 30, 2021.

Essential Job Functions:

• Conduct overnight street outreach to homeless and street involved young people
• Crisis intervention and individual counseling
• Maintain all nightly data, records and documentation
• Provide information to homeless adolescents regarding shelter options and all other referrals
• Identification of new resources appropriate for population
• Maintain current sources of areas of congregation of homeless youth
• Assess individuals seeking assistance
• Escort homeless youth to appropriate services and provide transportation
• Serve as an advocate and liaison for clients negotiating the shelter system and other social service programs
• Advocate on behalf of under 18-year-old clients for Administration for Children’s Services support
• Participate in staff meetings, staff trainings, weekly supervision, and appropriate training workshops

Secondary Job Functions:

Petty Cash reconciliation

Identification of new resources appropriate for population

Maintain current sources of areas of congregation of homeless youth

Coordinate services with other Streetwork staff

Interacts with:           

All Streetwork program sites and staff

All internal Safe Horizon programs and departments that can comprehensively support the client

All external agencies and organizations that can provide appropriate services to the client

Knowledge and Skills:

Required:

Valid New York State Driver’s License

Compassionate approach to others and openness to new ideas

Dynamic energy, able to multi-task and negotiate multiple requests

Non-judgmental approach and ability to empathize with others

Clear and concise verbal and written communication skills, excellent interpersonal and organizational skills

Genuine interest in working with disenfranchised youth and young adults

Desirable:

Bi-lingual Spanish

Understanding of harm reduction perspective

Demonstrate the ability to work independently

Education:

Required:

GED or High School Diploma

Desirable:

Bachelor’s Degree in social services, creative arts, liberal studies or any field related to working with youth.

Experience:

Required:

Experience working in a social services setting, OR

Personal experience with street survival activities (homelessness, gangs, drug economy, sex industry) with three years separation from involvement in these activities. Deep understanding of the relationship between personal experience and professional standards.

Desirable:

At least 1 year working with the homeless population, youth, or harm reduction

At least 1 year working in an outreach program

Other:

Commitment to work evening and overnight shifts

If hired, I agree to abide by all of Safe Horizon’s rules and regulations, and understand that, if employed, my employment may be terminated with or without cause, and with or without notice, at any time, at the option of either the company or me. I further understand that no representation, whether oral or written by any representative or agent of the organization, at any time, constitutes a contract of employment

AmeriCorps, Peace Corps and other national service alumni are encouraged to apply

Please follow this link to view complete EEO Law and complaint filing information:

http://www1.eeoc.gov/employers/upload/eeoc_self_print_poster.pdf