Seasonal Case Manager Employment Specialist

Compensation $20.00 - $25.00 per hour

The League’s Mission:

To help African Americans and others in underserved communities achieve their highest true social parity, economic self-reliance, power, and civil rights. The League promotes economic empowerment through education and job training, housing and community development, workforce development, entrepreneurship, health, and quality of life.

Position Summary:

The Buffalo Urban League Summer Youth Employment Program (SYEP) introduces youth throughout Erie County into the workforce during the summer months, helping them to acquire skills to improve school performance and become responsible adults. The structured work program runs for eight weeks, July – September, and includes paid work experience that fosters the acquirement of skills through work-based learning and educational opportunities that integrate work experience. Services shall consist of work-based learning workshops, academic and/or career exploration activities, classroom training, job search and retention strategies, basic skill instruction, and life skills training.

General Duties:

• Responsible for all documentation of case notes, maintaining accurate and up-to-date files, identifying, and addressing barriers to success, making appropriate linkages and referrals for community services, facilitating goal setting, implementation follow-up, and follow-through with coordinated services plans, and advocating on behalf of participants in community settings.
• Facilitating the intake and assessment process. Networking and building positive relationships with area educational/training systems. Facilitating workshops for education development, college readiness, and success. Working with tutors and workshop assistants.

Specific Duties:

1. Provide worksite development, oversight, job placement, and scheduling of participants and address any issues that are barriers to employment. Facilitate the Work Readiness Curriculum for participants, assess participants' skills, interests, and abilities, and match education/employment placements. Monitor and evaluate participant progress in placements. Advocate and mediate any barriers or issues regarding success.  
2.  Participates in the interview screening process to assess the potential participants for the program; helps develop the questions for the interview; advises and explains regulations, rules, policies, and procedures to participants; may determine participant eligibility for services; apprises participants' obligations under program participation; ensures that applications and complete other forms accurately and thoroughly.
3. Assesses participant's education, work experience, skills, abilities, qualifications, and job interest; assesses participant readiness for job referral, classroom training, on-the-job training, and/or support services; attempts to match participants with available employment, training, or other opportunities/services.
4. Identifies problems/barriers that hinder program participation, retention, and employability; assists participants in resolving and mitigating barriers to these areas by recognizing the need for other services and benefits; counsels’ participants regarding recommended solutions and suggested supportive services.
5. Analyzes information from interviews, tests, and other sources to develop short- and long-term participant goals; develops and implements individual employment plans; ensures participant conformance with program rules and regulations, department policies, and employment plans.
6. Contacts public and private employers to develop on-the-job training and/or direct job placement sites for participants; maintains cooperative relationships with employers and support service and community resource agencies; identifies appropriate job placement opportunities for participants; maintains an awareness of local job market and opportunities to assist in guiding participants; may arrange for employment interviews, attend job fairs, conduct special workshops, presentations, group orientations, or perform other training and outreach activities.

Preferred Qualifications:   BS in Human Services or related field with a minimum of 2 years’ experience working with a youth at risk program, or any equivalent combination of education and experience which provides the required knowledge, skills, and abilities.

Salary : $25