Summary

Per the tenets of the SAMHSA NC Healthy Transitions grant, the Educational & Vocational Coordinator will adhere to the principles of System of Care (SOC) to support youth and young adults ages 16-25 in achieving their educational and employment goals, who are struggling with serious mental illness and/or co-occurring disabilities. Assists youth and young adults in exploring, enrolling in, and completing educational programs while also supporting career readiness, job placement, and vocational training. The coordinator will collaborate with youth, families, service providers, and community partners to reduce barriers and promote long-term success.

Principal Duties and Responsibilities

• Provide individualized, strengths-based, coaching and support to youth pursuing education and employment opportunities, and ensure that youth voice and choice are respected and prioritized.
• Assist youth in securing internships, apprenticeships, and part-time/full-time employment.
• Advocate for accommodations and support services for youth with disabilities or mental health needs in educational and vocational settings.
• Support job readiness through resume building, interview preparation, soft skills training, and career exploration.
• Assist transition-aged youth in identifying educational goals, enrolling in high school completion and GED programs, vocational training, and higher education institutions.
• Collaborate effectively with internal and external stakeholders who provide direct support to youth and young adults with the purpose of promoting youth and young adult-driven care with improved access and engagement.
• Attend care team meetings on behalf of youth and young adults if requested by the youth or young adult.
• Build relationships with community organizations, government entities, providers, and other entities (including but not limited to local schools, colleges, employers, and workforce development programs) that serve youth and young adults to promote collaboration and sustainable educational and vocational paths for transition-aged youth.
• Collaborate with community providers to develop and facilitate low-barrier engagement groups that are appealing to youth and young adults.
• Assist in the development of a Youth Advisory Council and facilitation of their meetings.
• Attend Youth Advisory Council meetings or ensure the Youth Peer is in attendance.
• Provide logistical and planning support to the Youth Advisory Council as they plan and host community events.
• Develop and maintain a knowledge of local resources, career training programs, and post-secondary education options.
• Partners with NC State Healthy Transitions Team at UNCG and direct service providers to develop and provide training and presentations to stakeholders about the NC Healthy Transitions project.
• Partner with the NC State Healthy Transitions Team at UNCG, NC DMHDDSAS, and fellow CHA Healthy Transitions Team members to define, implement, support, and sustain the role of Youth & Young Adult Peer Support and to assist with updates to System of Care Guidelines for transition age youth.
• Participate in local collaboratives that leverage the voice of youth and young adults including the County System of Care Collaborative.
• Assist in the development of campaigns and events to increase community awareness and anti-stigma efforts focused on youth and young adults.
• Provide input into System of Care Guidelines for transition age youth.
• Remain abreast of current and emerging industry trends and best practices for transition age youth, particularly in the areas of workforce development, post-secondary education, and youth engagement.
• Assist with interviews and training of other Healthy Transitions Team members to establish understanding of youth & young adult-driven programming.
• Support development, implementation, and evaluation activities of the Healthy Transitions Project.
• Support efforts to meet or exceed Healthy Transition Project grant goals and objectives.
• Complete all documentation within agency deadlines, according to regulatory guidelines.
• Prepare reports and reviews in a timely, clear, and concise manner as requested or assigned.
• Complete assigned training within required time frames.
• Other duties as assigned.

All employees have the following expectations:

Mission: Contribute to and enhance company mission

Organization: Prioritize and plan work responsibilities appropriately

Professional Development: Attend and/or successfully complete all required trainings and meetings

Timeliness and Accuracy: Perform quality work within given deadlines and expectations with or without direct supervision

Professionalism: Comply with all applicable policies, practices, and procedures; report all out-of-compliance and unsafe activities to supervisor; interact professionally with other employees, volunteers, families, children, and the community

Teamwork: Serve effectively as a team contributor on all assignments

Communication: Utilize effective communication skills both verbally and in writing; provide effective feedback and is receptive to feedback

Leadership: Work independently while understanding the necessity for communicating and coordinating work efforts with other appropriate individuals

Cultural Competence: Is sensitive to the cultural, ethnic and religious views of the children and families served, and in community and public contact.

Education and Experience Requirements

• High school diploma or equivalent required.
• One year of previous work experience in the mental health field preferred.
• Bachelor's degree in psychology, social work, or related field is preferred.
• Qualified Professional (QP) designation is preferred.

Physical Requirements

• 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 accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit, use hands and fingers, handle or feel objects, tools, or controls, talk, and hear. The employee is frequently required to reach with hands or arms, stand, walk, climb or balance, stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl.
• The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 30 pounds.
• Specifics vision abilities required by this position include close, distance, color, and peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus.
• Physical functions which are considered essential to the satisfactory performance of the job include the following: reading, typing, writing, speaking, and using the telephone and prolonged sitting at a desk and working on a computer.
• Employee must be able to operate a vehicle for job duties, and keep a valid NC drivers license with insurance.
• The work environment will contain slight to moderate office-related noises. The employee is not exposed to extreme weather conditions, toxic fumes, or airborne particles.
• The employee must occasionally travel to different locations in the course of work.
• Physical functions which are considered essential to the satisfactory performance of the job include the following: public speaking, reading, typing, writing, using the telephone, driving, therapeutically restraining children and adolescents in crisis situations.

Salary expectations: 

•  New employees are generally hired at the midpoint of the posted salary range. However, the exact salary may vary depending on factors such as qualifications, internal equity, and the budget allocated for the role.