Participant Support Specialist

Organization Overview: The Goddard Riverside Community Center (Goddard Riverside) and the Stanley M. Isaacs Neighborhood Center (Isaacs Center) are well-established Manhattan community-based agencies that support services to approximately 30,000 New Yorkers. We are two of New York City’s leading human services organizations meeting the needs of children, youth and families, homeless individuals, and older adults through-out Manhattan and New York City. We work every day for a fair and just society where all people have the opportunity to make choices that lead to better lives for themselves and their families. The Stanley M. Isaacs Neighborhood Center (Isaacs Center) is a non-profit, multi-service organization focusing primarily on the needs of children and low-income families, out-of-school and out-of-work youth and aging New Yorkers. We operate at community centers located in the neighborhoods of East Harlem and Yorkville, and seek to deliver programs that are impactful, innovative, and intergenerational.

Position Summary: The Stanley M. Isaacs Neighborhood Center (Isaacs Center) is seeking an experienced, dynamic, and highly focused individual to serve as a Case Worker in its Education and Workforce Development Program located at our East Harlem Cornerstone site. This new position at Isaacs Center operates under the direction of the Clinical Manager and is responsible for providing case management and case assistance services for young adults pursuing education and employment opportunities. In addition, the Case Worker will focus on the development of referrals, resources, and networks that will support participants over time. 

 Schedule: 35 hours/week. 

 Salary: $41,668 - $52,085

 Candidates must have the required qualifications to be considered for the position. The salary offer will be based on the candidate’s number of years experience in the exact or comparable position and additional preferred qualifications will be taken into account.

Roles, Responsibilities, and Essential Duties

• Assist with conducting intake assessments for newly enrolled participants.
• Collaborate closely with interdisciplinary team members on development of appropriate case plans meeting individual client needs.
• Prepare individual client assessment as well as daily and weekly reports on the evaluation of children’s social, emotional, and academic progress.
• Develop and implement individual treatment plans in close consultation with instructors, case managers, external social workers, administrators, parents and/or guardians.
• Demonstrate expertise in developing workshops and facilitating groups targeting employment, academics, financial literacy and social interaction.
• Work in collaboration with funders, community groups, government agencies, and advocacy coalitions regarding the improvement of youth-related services and programs.
• Maintain accurate case files, log entries, and other necessary client records.
• Provide advocacy services, including informal counseling, and community referrals.
• Input weekly, bi-weekly, monthly and quarterly data into database systems (Salesforce + Advance and Earn portal). Knowledge in either database system is a plus!
• Maintain relationships with alumni participants for up to two years following completion of the program.
• Liaise with other Advance and Earn staff members.
• Provide individual and/or group counseling services to young adult workforce and education participants and alumni.
• Support job skills training instructors and educators in virtual and in-person classes.
• Develop an expert-level understanding of financial literacy, public benefit systems, the affordable housing market.
• Help participants navigate public benefit systems, the affordable housing market, legal challenges, and other barriers as they arise.
• Write entries into a bi-weekly newsletter that is designed to keep participants and alumni attuned to public benefits, housing lotteries, job opportunities, etc.
• Perform other such duties which may be applicable to this job classification.

 Qualifications & Experience

• At least three years’ experience working with Opportunity Youth.
• Bachelor’s degree in social work.
• Strong writing, speaking, interpersonal and organizational skills.
• Demonstrated experience providing case management, facilitating group work, managing data, and effectively coordinating entitlements, benefits and community resource networks.
• Must value team building, be able to work to independently, and the understand how to actively engage the community to address complex issues.

 Goddard Riverside and Isaacs Center are equal opportunity employers and considers applicants for all positions without regard to race, color, religion, creed, gender, national origin, age, disability, marital or veteran status, sexual orientation, or any other legally protected status. 

 The intent of this job description is to provide a representative summary of duties and responsibilities that will be required of this position and title and shall not be construed as a declaration of the specific duties and responsibilities of any particular position. Employees may be requested to perform job related task other than those specifically presented in this description. This job description does not constitute an employment agreement between the employer and employee and is subject to change by the employer. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the job.

 Employee Benefits :

• Medical/Dental/Vision
• Life Insurance/Commuter benefits/Employee Assistance Program (EAP)/Flexible Spending Accounts
• 403B Thrift Retirement Plan
• 12 Annual Sick Days
• 12 Agency Holidays
• 20 Days or 4 Weeks of Paid Time off and an additional week (5) days after 5 years of employment
• Total of more than 6 weeks (a month and half) of paid time off