Counselor, Youth Empowerment Program

Position Responsibilities

● Provide culturally-appropriate, trauma-informed, holistic counseling services to youth survivors of gender-based violence between the ages of 6-24;

● Encourage limited English proficient survivors to discuss emotions and experiences in a language most comfortable for them;

● Provide psychoeducation to survivors on the impact of trauma and common reactions to abuse and violence;

● Help survivors understand power and control dynamics and cycles of violence within their relationships, and create safety plans as needed for emotional and physical health;

● Develop therapeutic processes with survivors to help define goals, gain insight, and plans for life after therapy

● Monitor clients' use of medications;

● Examine issues related to substance use, aging and development, bullying, anger management, schooling, college and career, depression, relationships, LGBTQ issues, self-image, disability, stress and suicide;

● Modify treatment activities and approaches as needed in order to comply with changes in clients' status;

● Gather information about community mental health needs and resources that could be used in conjunction with therapy;

● Organize and lead efforts around group work including Youth Liberation Program (YLP) in collaboration with other YEP members.

● Refer survivors to community resources or specialists as necessary or as needed;

● Train and supervise MSW & MHC interns and volunteers to provide support services;

● Collaborate with other Sakhi staff for referrals and to streamline survivor services and programs;

● Evaluate the effectiveness of youth counseling programs and survivors' progress in resolving identified problems and moving towards defined objectives;

● Plan, organize and lead structured youth counseling programs and support groups;

● Learn about new developments in their field by reading professional literature, attending courses and seminars, and establishing and maintaining contact with other social service agencies;

● Maintain confidentiality of survivor experiences and records at all times.

Grant Management and Development

● Maintain records of all survivor related work/activities through efficient data collection and notetaking;

● Produce accurate reports and draft narratives for grant reporting;

● Ensure routine and comprehensive program evaluation;

● Work closely with the Development Team to create work plans, attend site visits, and offer pertinent information as needed.

Outreach, Training, and Advocacy

● Break the stigma around youth mental health while raising awareness of gender-based violence in the South Asian and Indo-Caribbean communities;

● Develop ongoing referral relationships within the mental health systems, and partner organizations;

● Represent Sakhi on relevant task forces, coalitions, and committees to voice trends of gender-based violence and mental health of youth in South Asian and Indo-Caribbean communities.