Youth Advocate

We are seeking a dedicated and compassionate Youth Advocate to join our team at Axesspointe Community Health Center. As a key member of our social services team, you will provide essential support and advocacy services to participating youth, ensuring their educational continuity and overall well-being.

Key Responsibilities:

• Implement or coordinate supportive services that foster social, emotional, and educational growth.
• Ensure educational enrollment is not disrupted by homelessness.
• Provide crisis intervention for parents and potential intakes via crisis line.
• Oversee assessments for pregnant women, fathers, infants, and children entering the shelter.
• Provide age-appropriate case management to all children while in shelter.
• Oversee referrals and assist families in interactions with schools, healthcare providers, social services, and legal services as needed.
• Maintain contacts with child and parent-serving agencies and systems.
• Provide parent education and referrals and other related support to mothers and fathers at Safer Futures and in community support groups.
• Report suspected cases of child abuse or neglect to the proper authority.
• Provide a supportive, trauma-informed environment to families at the shelter.
• Create children's programming to ensure available activities for children of all ages while in shelter.
• Recruit, interview, and approve volunteers and interns to assist with children's programming.
• Adhere to all program and agency reporting requirements.
• Participate in team planning, program goal achievements, and new staff training with other team staff.
• Participate in program fundraising efforts.
• Comply with agency policies and procedures, COA regulations, federal and state requirements, and educational/certification/registry requirements.

Requirements:

• Ability to collaborate with parents, teachers, and other service providers to optimize youth's adjustment and progress.
• Ability to model open communication, fair and equitable treatment, and conflict management skills.
• Understanding of domestic violence in the family and in children.
• Valid Ohio Driver's License and ability to meet agency requirements for driving insurability.
• Ability to meet agency requirements for criminal background check.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Bachelor's Degree in Human Services, Education, or related field and/or two years of experience in child development and/or social services.
• One-Two years of experience working in a DV shelter preferred, experience utilizing community resources.