POSITION: Independent Living Program Life Coach

REPORTS TO:  Independent Living Program Program Director 

LOCATION: As per the need of the service needs, generally work is at the client residences, community, and within the YESS administrative office.

JOB SUMMARY:  The Independent Living Life Coach is responsible for ensuring that the educational, medical, emotional and social needs of the youth are met through day to day operations. The ILP Life Coach is also responsible for documenting and maintaining youth’s file as well as providing and/ or coordinating ancillary and social services for the assigned youth in the program.  The Life Coach must demonstrate the ability to use good judgment in daily activities and overall progress toward established goals and desired outcomes for youth.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES: Youth Empowerment Success Services reserves the right to unilaterally modify, remove, or add to any of the following.

PROGRAM INTEGRATION & SERVICE PLANNING

• Manage an assigned caseload of youth ages 18- 21.

• Orient new clients upon entry in the program and complete documents required for placement and ongoing reporting to State and YESS.

  • ·  Develop and update all Individualized Service and Skills  Plans (ISSP) according to state requirements;

• Must have a written plan for each youth which includes at least bi-monthly face- to-face sessions with youth. The plan must be incorporated into the Independence and Supervision plan.

• Must utilize the results of the youth’s Casey Life Skills Assessment and the youth’s goals and service needs in ISSP.

Develop and update a Supervision and Independence plan providing supervision based on a specific youth’s maturity, acquired skills, and abilities in collaboration with appropriate agency and state personnel. 

• Develop and update a safety and crisis management plan for each youth to include a minimum of the following: Safety, health, and overall well-being.

• Ensure that Casey Life Skills Assessments are completed for each youth based on the state standards.

• Joint designee with the ILP Director and for responsible and prudent parenting decisions for youth on assigned caseload.

CLIENT SUPERVISION & LIFE COACH SUPPORT

• Provide applicable phone numbers to ILP youth in order to ensure twenty-four (24) hour access to appropriate personnel within the agency.
• Maintain keys to each ILP youth’s housing to ensure twenty-four (24) hour access to all ILP residences.
• Communicate with youth on caseload weekly and document interactions in the YESS ILP tracker, and state systems.
• Conduct visits to each assigned youth in their apartment living space at least weekly in face-to-face sessions. 
• Conduct monthly documented apartment checks to each apartment to ensure that living space is safe, tidy and note any needed repairs to the unit.
• Document at least two (2) efforts weekly that record the ILP youth’s engagement in independent living skills development, to include coordinating educational services, daily living skills, and or employment/career development.
• Assist the ILP youth with the development and implementation of a career plan to include the youth’s interest, strengths in school visions for career and personal life and opportunities for career and work experience.
• Assist ILP youth to identify tutors as needed or applicable, and support the ILP youth with attaining educational goals.
• Connect ILP youth with local industries and employment programs so that youth will have the opportunity to explore career opportunities and develop a plan to achieve their career aspirations.
• Offer job search training in areas such as resume’ writing and interviewing.
• Administratively supervises/monitors youth’s progress, based on youth’s skills development and level of maturity.
• Document all reportable and non-reportable incidents that occur with clients on assigned caseload and notify the appropriate parties within the timeline outlined within program and state policy.
• Visit and monitor the independent living skills of ILP youth in their apartments to ensure that youth are provided with a decreasing degree of care and supervision over a 12 month period of participation and prepare them for transition to single occupancy living housing by the 13th month of being in the program.
• Ensure rights of all youth are upheld as relevant to job duties.

DOCUMENTATION

• Ensure case notes documentation is entered into case management software systems within 72 hours of client contact/visit.  
• Ensure service plan documentation, program notices, referrals, and  supplemental documents (i.e. Monthly Goal Trackers, Work Schedules, Pay stubs, grocery lists, receipts,  are uploaded in the clients file via the electronic case management systems by the end of each service month.

COMMUNICATION, MEETINGS  AND REPORTING

• Prepare applicable correspondence in conjunction with management of youth caseload.
• Maintain consistent communication with with each youth’s DFCS Case Manager 
• Reports to management or to proper authorities any non-compliance with agency, regulatory agencies’ rules or policies and/or any suspicions of abuse or neglect.
• Participate with a multi-disciplinary team to provide comprehensive service to our youth, i.e. housing, job placement, life skill development, and community connections.
• Ensure the community integration of social services/case management, with other external service organizations, agencies, housing processes and healthcare facilities
• Maintain communication with the Program Director to attain supervision, encouragement, support and intervention, as necessary to the home environment according to State guidelines. 
• Maintain confidentiality and other responsibilities listed in governmental laws and regulations, as well as company policies and procedures.
• Enter all applicable information into the various case management systems e.g. ILP Client Track system, GA Score and SHINES systems in the timeframe prescribed by PBC for the State of GA. 
• Attend all staff meetings as applicable

REQUIREMENTS:

• Bachelor's Degree in a human services related field 

• Minimum of 2 years’ experience working with foster youth between the ages of 16-21

• Valid Driver’s Licenses

• Excellent Written and Oral Communication skills

• Excellent organizational and computer skills

• Successful completion of all required Criminal Background checks

• Be knowledgeable of and perform duties in accordance with RBWO (Room Board and Watchful Oversight) standards

• Participate in a rotating after-hours support schedule to provide after-hours advisory support to ILP youth and  documents after-hour incidents and contacts.

• Must participate in a basic certification training provided by the state IL Program Manager.

• Must successfully complete 120 hour RBWO Foundations Training with in the first 120 of employment

• Must attend at least one county/regional/ state IL training, meeting or workshop quarterly.

• Must participate in at least twenty-four (24) hours of annual training (8 hours per quarter). At least twelve (12) hours should be directly related to working with teens including understanding developmental needs of adolescents and strength-based assessments.

PREFERRED REQUIREMENTS

·                      RBWO Foundations Certified

·                      CPI Trained

·                      First/Aid CPR Certified

ESSENTIAL DEMONSTRATED SKILLS AND ABILITIES

•                    Leadership qualities to attract develop and retain youth in our programs

•                    Knowledge of social services, record keeping, reporting requirements and confidentiality

•                    Excellent written and verbal communications skills

•                    Ability to make independent decisions when circumstances warrant such action

•                    Ability to effectively communicate with others and foster good working relationships

•                    Ability and willingness to follow deadlines and/or complete assignments/trainings as assigned by supervisor

•                    Demonstrates a strong sense of urgency and accuracy

WORK ENVIRONMENT:

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing essential job functions. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential job functions. May be subject to imposed deadlines. May be subject to hostile and emotionally upset clients, staff, family members, or the general public at times.  General office environment: some stress may occur in meeting required deadlines. This position uses office equipment, software systems and a computer approximately 70% of the work day.

HAZARDS: The behavior of some clients  may change dramatically without obvious cause, which may create, at times, hazardous situations.