What are the responsibilities and job description for the IL - Overnight Youth Advisor position at Covenant House?
Overview
For almost 50 years, Covenant House has served and advocated for youth and young families experiencing homelessness, human trafficking, and exploitation. Our overarching goal is to end homelessness among youth and young families by helping them achieve housing stability, heal from trauma, tap into their innate resilience, and hone their interests and skills to forge new pathways to independence. This work is carried out across Covenant House sites in 31 cities in the US, Canada, Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua.
Primary Responsibilities
This position provides direct, individualized, supportive care to youth who reside in our residential program and/or who attend the drop-in program while establishing good rapport with staff and partnering agencies.
Key Responsibilities/Job Duties:
Duties and responsibilities include, but are not limited to:
Ensure the provision of the highest quality delivery of services to youth in accordance with the Covenant House Mission Statement and Principles and Core Values.
Assist in the implementation of youth case plans.
Have an understanding of Trauma Informed Care, Harm Reduction, and Positive Youth Development.
Participate in required training and team meetings.
Support implementation of positive youth development principles and trauma informed interventions.
Supervise all youth activities and engage youth in a positive manner.
Ensure a safe, healthy environment which reflects Covenant House principles.
Escort youth to external activities.
Facilitate and monitor group support services including activities and meetings.
Document information using case files and ETO regarding all client interaction, caseload progress and outside agency contact.
Ensure supervision of youth access for showers.
Make bagged breakfasts and lunches for youth and distribute as needed.
Provide laundry assistance for youth as needed.
Assist with locker assignments and maintenance.
Participate in special projects which enhance the experience of the youth.
Ensure accurate and timely tracking, documentation, and reporting of data and statistics as required for agency reports using ETO.
Provide assistance with events/activities as assigned.
Must be able to work with youth that have poor social skills, suffer from mental illness, and have substance abuse problems.
Must be dedicated to the mission of Covenant House.
Perform all additional job duties as assigned.
Minimum Qualifications
Bachelor’s Degree in Social Work, or a social service field preferred; or High School Diploma with 5-10 years of related experience.
Effective written, verbal, listening and communication skills.
Ability to maintain order and exercise appropriate judgment in crisis situations, with effective interpersonal skills.
Must be willing to function as an active member of an interdisciplinary team.
Work environment and physical demands:
Required to do light physical work.
Regularly required to remain stationary for some periods of time; use hands and fingers; communicate; move; occasionally required to position self to stoop, kneel or crouch; frequently required to reach with and use arms and hands.
Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, and ability to focus.
Must be able to walk upstairs and lift up to 10 lbs.
Work environment for this position includes an offices and residential space with a low to high noise level
Our Community
Our critical mission demands that we have all voices at the table. A team of diverse people, perspectives, and experiences is smarter, stronger, and more effective for our young people. At Covenant House, every team member is valued, respected, heard, and supported, and we welcome honest and courageous self-reflection on any aspects of our work that are based on biased or outdated viewpoints. We deliberately create opportunities for our staff to grow and thrive.
Covenant House Illinois is an Equal Opportunity Employer and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any kind: CHIL is committed to the principle of equal employment opportunity for all employees and to providing employees with a work environment free of discrimination and harassment. All employment decisions at CHIL are based on business needs, job requirements, and individual qualifications, without regard to race, color, religion, belief, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran status, family or parental status, disability status, or any other status protected by the laws or regulations in the locations where we operate. CHIL will not tolerate discrimination or harassment based on any of these characteristics and encourages all qualified applicants to apply. If you are fun, dynamic, and hardworking, come join our awesome international team in an organization with a heart!