YOUTH ADVOCATE

YOUTH PATHWAYS YOUTH ADVOCATE

Job Description

REPORTS TO: VP of Youth Pathways

FLSA STATUS: Non-Exempt, Hourly (40 Hours/Week)

JOINT INITIATIVES FOR YOUTH FAMILIES (JI) – An Equal Opportunity Employer

Joint Initiatives for Youth Families (JI) is a nonprofit organization established in 1989 specifically for the purpose of bringing together agencies that serve children and youth to drive collective impact and ensure higher impact services for young people ages 0-21 and their families in El Paso and Teller Counties.

YOUTH PATHWAYS PROGRAM OVERVIEW

Youth Pathways commenced in 2017 with a focus on providing delinquent, truant, or municipal court-involved youth with a team of professionals assembled and designed to support the unique needs of the identified youth and their family. This multi-agency team approach creates customized plans to ensure each young person’s success. JI has Memorandums of Understanding or MOUs with over 20 partnering organizations selected to participate in the teams that share their expertise and organizational resources. JI supplements these plans with a variety of family supports and flexible funding streams.

SUMMARY OF POSITION

JI recently launched the Ascend Center, a multi-agency collaborative hub based on the “Juvenile Assessment Center” model, housed within Galileo Middle School. The Pathways Youth Advocate leads fun and meaningful activities that teach skills like self-awareness, teamwork, communication, and decision-making. They are a consistent, caring presence for youth in various settings which could include, but are not limited to school, home, and youth shelter, focused on getting to know students and helping connect them to extra support or resources when needed. The Advocate also promotes respect, accountability, and community through connection conversations and works with youth and families to identify goals and opportunities, such as mentoring, leadership programs, or career exploration - all while keeping students safe and supported in a welcoming, inclusive environment. In addition, the Advocate supports after-school programming by helping to staff enrichment activities, ensuring that opportunities are well-supervised, youth-centered, and aligned with the goals of JI.

RESPONSIBILITIES DUTIES

• Provides services to youth enrolled in Joint Initiative’s programs.
• Follows JI policies and procedures to ensure youth safety and security at all times.
• Treats youth with respect, dignity, and empathy, utilizing Trauma-Informed Care best practices and de-escalation techniques.
• Facilitates engaging, age-appropriate lessons and group activities during advisory periods, focused on self-awareness, teamwork, emotional regulation, communication, and decision-making.
• Maintains a consistent, approachable presence within partners to build trusting relationships with youth during advisory periods, passing times, lunch hours, and other informal settings.
• Connects with students who may benefit from additional support, ensuring smooth links to appropriate resources through JI or partner organizations.
• Supports connection conversations within various settings by promoting reflection, accountability, and positive community-building among youth.
• Engages youth and families in identifying needs, barriers, and opportunities; recommend programs such as mentorship, leadership development, career exploration, or peer support groups.
• Contribute to after-school programming by providing on-site support and supervision, ensuring a safe, welcoming environment where students can explore interests, build confidence, and strengthen peer connections
• Protects the confidentiality of all clients and their information.
• Collects and stores “Release of Information” documentation for clients served.
• Keeps regular updates for accuracy as youth transition in and out of programming.
• Integrates Restorative Practices and utilizes JI’s Racial Equity Action Plan (REAP) to drive JAC programming to address racial inequities, appropriate services for LBGTQI youth, youth with disabilities, and youth for whom English is not their native language.
• Maintains a cooperative working relationship with law enforcement and other partnering agencies.
• Engages in cross-training and fills Ascend Center related responsibilities when needed.
• Ensures relationship-based, trauma-informed, and reflective support is available to all staff working to support overall organizational functions.
• Works collaboratively with JI’s Data Evaluation team and/or other requesting partners to collect and report data for programming, and to inform iterative programmatic changes.
• Represents the program and agency in a professional manner within JI policy, with internal and external stakeholders at the local, state, and federal levels.
• Engages in productive and respectful communications with JI leadership and colleagues.
• Works productively with JI’s management team to pursue policy changes and recommendations as driven by data and Collective Impact discussions.
• Displays a positive attitude, works well with others, and accepts direction well.
• Works well under stressful and emotionally taxing circumstances and engages in effective self-care.
• Works effectively with those representing a variety of needs and abilities, with varying socioeconomic, cultural, and racial backgrounds.
• Recognizes that we hold attitudes and beliefs that can detrimentally influence our perceptions of and interactions with individuals who are diverse from ourselves.
• Treats children and families with respect, dignity, and empathy.
• Reviews work for accuracy, clarity, timeliness, and conformance with procedures and processes.
• Commits to JI’s organizational mission, vision, and operating philosophies in compliance with instructions, policies, and guidance.
• Assumes other tasks and projects as assigned.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS ABILITIES

• Works with diverse individuals and agencies.
• Promotes consensus among diverse opinions.
• Balances multiple priorities, various goals, and needs.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills.
• Ability to empathize, listen, encourage, and guide.
• Manages conflict constructively and applies problem-solving skills to develop solutions for unanticipated issues and challenges.
• Proficient in a Windows and web-based technology environment.
• Maintains confidentiality regarding work performed.
• Background checks, drug testing, education and previous employment verification required.

QUALIFICATIONS

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skills, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.

EDUCATION EXPERIENCE

• A minimum of a bachelor’s degree from a four-year college is required; one year of related experience and/or training; or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Minimum of three years of experience working within the juvenile justice system and/or three years of experience working with youth, and their families, who are considered at-risk

HOURLY PAY RANGE

$21-23 hourly, with an additional 15.35% benefits stipend to provide for health insurance and savings plans.

COMPUTER SKILLS

To perform this job successfully, an individual should have knowledge of Microsoft software (e.g., Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and Teams). Knowledge of and comfort with internet tools is desirable (e.g., Zoom, Safari, Google Chrome).

LANGUAGE MATH REASONING ABILITY

• Read, analyze, and interpret general periodicals, professional journals, technical procedures, or governmental regulations.
• Effectively present information and respond to questions from groups of managers, clients, customers, and the general public.
• Add, subtract, multiply, and divide in all units of measure, using whole numbers, common fractions, and decimals.

CERTIFICATES LICENSES

Current, valid Colorado driver’s license and proof of auto insurance.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate. Remote working may be necessary; travel is primarily within the Pikes Peak Region, with occasional travel to surrounding areas in Colorado. For positions that do not have a dedicated JI office, work will be conducted at home, in JI’s open office space, and/or within the community. Staff working at the youth shelter will be required to work indoors as well as outside. A laptop computer and cell phone will be provided for every employee regardless of office space designation.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision and distance vision. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk and hear. The employee is frequently required to stand; walk; sit; use hands to finger, handle, or feel and reach with hands and arms. The employee is occasionally required to stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl.

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $21.00 - $23.00 per hour

Expected hours: 40 per week

Benefits:

• 401(k)
• Employee assistance program
• Loan forgiveness
• Paid time off

Education:

• Bachelor's (Required)

Experience:

• Juvenile Justice: 3 years (Required)
• troubled youth: 3 years (Required)

Ability to Commute:

• Colorado Springs, CO 80909 (Required)

Work Location: In person

Salary : $21 - $23