Youth Advocate Coordinator

Direct Report: Community Wellness Manager

Status: Full-time; Exempt with benefits: Blue Cross Medical/Dental/Vision, 403(b) retirement plan, Holidays, 4 weeks Paid Time Off, 10 weeks paid Parental leave 

Salary: $61,880

Alternatives Overview

Our mission is to inspire young people to create a just future through practices that heal individuals, restore communities, and transform systems. Since 1971, Alternatives has modeled innovative alternatives to the status quo in Chicago's youth services field. Our school and community-based therapy, prevention and leadership development programs support young people to individually and collectively address causes of substance abuse, grief and trauma while building social-emotional, career and social change skills. In addition to working directly with young people, we train, coach and advocate for youth-serving institutions like Chicago Public Schools to be restorative and trauma-informed.

Position Overview

The Youth Advocate Coordinator supervises youth advocates (case management staff) providing crisis intervention, family reunifications/preservation and youth development services to high-risk youth in both the behavioral health and restorative justice programs, and is under the supervision of the Manager of Community Wellness.

Responsibilities

Perform the following from a racial, gender, sexuality, and ability equity lens:

• Provide direct weekly supervision and program oversight of youth advocates (case managers/youth workers).
• Ensure implementation of program duties by staff through training, paperwork review and collaborative service provision.
• Provide backup evening and weekend crisis consultation coverage.
• Train staff in and across departments to use a positive youth development philosophy, and Balanced and Restorative Justice framework for working with youth, as well as any other relevant or required training to serve youth effectively.
• Work with the director, manager, data coordinator, and other relevant staff to ensure accurate data collection and evaluation of the program.
• Develop and facilitate youth development programming with youth enrolled in SCaN and other funding as applicable.
• Work with case managers to manage budget lines related to direct service with program participants.
• Serve as a leadership team member of the agency.
• Actively participate in all agency meetings, staffings, weekly supervision, and assigned partner/school/DHS meetings.\
• Demonstrate knowledge of Alternatives, Inc. policies, practices, and services.
• Demonstrate a commitment to Positive Youth Development, Restorative Justice and Trauma Informed practices.
• Complete in a timely fashion all other tasks as assigned.

1. MSW required or related field
2. Past experience supervising case managers.
3. Knowledge of youth development, adolescent/family dynamics, substance abuse, trauma, child abuse issues and juvenile justice involvement.
4. Interest and commitment to working in a community-based youth service agency.
5. Use of a car during working/ on-call hours with valid drivers license and auto insurance.
6. Consistently learning and working within the following frameworks: Anti-oppression, Positive Youth Development, Trauma-informed and Balanced and Restorative Justice.
7. Skilled at working with young people at high risk for juvenile justice and child welfare system involvement.
8. The COVID vaccine is mandatory for all employees to the full extent permissible under applicable law.

Alternatives, Incorporated is an Affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity Employer committed to providing reasonable accommodations to individuals with disabilities.

Applicants of the communities we serve are strongly encouraged to apply.