STUDENT SUPPORT SPECIALIST

Job purpose

The Student Support Specialist will provide comprehensive support and wrap-around service to high school students enrolled in the Youth Center programs especially those enrolled in the paid internship program. This role involves in conducting the outreach plans with local organizations (community organizations, schools, and/or government agencies), coordinating resources, offering guidance, and ensuring that each student has the support they need to succeed academically, personally, and professionally.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Maintain accurate and up to date case files and documentation for each student, including accumulated hours and individual youth files, especially our interns via the HIRELA and Youth@Work platform,
• Coordinate with community organizations and schools to enhance support services to all youth especially those that are enrolled in HLAY.
• Assist in developing and maintaining positive partnerships and collaborations with local organizations to execute outreach exhibitions, such as workshops, special events, community service, potential work sites  for the HLAY and Youth@ Work programs and recruiting youth to the programs etc.
• Develop and maintain trusting relationship with youth in our program.
• Conduct regular one-on-one meetings to assess needs, set goals, and monitor progress by providing academic counseling, career advice and personal development of support.
• Track student progress and document outcomes.
• Assist in scheduling and supervising volunteers and interns
• Meet weekly with the Youth Center staff to provide updates about program outcomes: internal and external resources such as tutoring, counseling and college information.
• Collaborate with program staff, school counselors, and parents/guardians to ensure a holistic approach to student support.
• Travel as needed to off-sites for meetings and events on weekdays and occasionally, on weekends.
• Perform other related duties as required such as assisting with after school tutoring.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Social Work, Communications, Marketing, Psychology or related field. 
• Excellent communication, interpersonal, and organization skills.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team.
• Fluent in conversational and written English.
• Experience working with high school students, preferably in an educational or youth development setting.
• Strong understanding of the challenges faced by high school students in low-income or underserved communities.
• Bi-lingual in Chinese (Cantonese or Mandarin) language is a plus.
• Must pass a fingerprint background check.
• Proficient with Microsoft Office and Google Suites.
• Previous experience working in a nonprofit or with city/county programs is a plus.
   
   

Physical Demands

• Must be able to remain in a stationary position 50% of the time.
• Ability to occasionally move about inside the office to access file cabinets, office machinery, etc.
• Able to operate a computer and other office productivity machinery, such as a calculator, copy machine, and computer printer.
• Able to constantly position yourself to maintain files in file cabinets such as reaching with hands and arms, kneeling, crouching, etc.
• The ability to communicate, detect, converse with, discern, convey, express oneself, and exchange information is crucial for this role.
   
   

Direct reports

Under the supervision of the Youth Program Manager, all written and verbal reports must be sent to the Director.