Education and Career Specialist

Minneapolis, MN

ORGANIZATIONAL INFORMATION

Avenues for Youth provides emergency shelter, transitional housing, rapid re-housing, collective housing, and host homes housing for youth and young families experiencing housing instability and homelessness. We strive to do that in a safe and nurturing environment through a social justice lens. Avenues seeks to partner with youth and young families while they define their experiences, life dreams and future. Our work takes into account historical trauma, systems of oppression, and intersectionality while being grounded in the power of resiliency, healing, and community.

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

Avenues’ original and oldest program is now known as Minneapolis Avenues. Located in North Minneapolis, this program provides emergency shelter, transitional housing and intensive supportive services for 21 youth at a time, ages 18 to 24. Annually, the program supports 170 to 190 young people.

In early 2015, we expanded into the northwest suburbs with the opening of Brooklyn Avenues, a 12-bed shelter and transitional housing program for homeless youth ages 16 to 21 from the northwest suburbs of Hennepin County. We anticipate this program will support 80 to 100 young people every year.

Our Young Families Program provides housing and support for youth ages 18-24 and their children in apartments. Families in this program must be referred by coordinated entry. Families (with one or two parents) may have up to two children in the program.

ConneQT is a creative, community-based response to LGBTQI+ youth homelessness. The goal of this program is to provide safer, culturally responsive housing within a youth's own community. ConneQT supports LGBTQI+ identified youth ages 16-24. Youth and community members share a home and resources.

PRIMARY DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

The following duties are normal for this position. These duties are not to be construed as exclusive or all-inclusive.

Youth Support and Coaching

Support and coach marginalized and vulnerable homeless youth as they identify and work on their goals for education and career, overcoming multiple barriers.
Provide hands-on support for youth in all Avenues programs to help them overcome barriers that impede the complete of secondary education, explore career objectives and related postsecondary opportunities, and successfully enroll and advance in vocational, certificate, 2-year and 4-year degree programs, as appropriate for each young person.
Assist youth directly in establishing, furthering, and completing their educational goals through intensive support and coaching. Guide and motivate young people around education.
Help youth navigate systems and access community resources, including financial aid and supports, education and training.

Partnership Management and Program Development

Establish and manage partnerships with educational and training institutions to increase and improve opportunities for Avenues youth.
Establish and manage partnerships with community organizations that focus on youth employment and empowerment.
Establish and manage partnerships with employers to help reduce the barriers between youth who are experiencing homelessness and beneficial job opportunities.
Contribute to the future development and implementation of expanded programming initiatives, providing expertise and insights to shape future youth support services.

Educational Support

Support youth in identifying appropriate secondary and post-secondary schools, then enrolling in those schools.
Advocate for youth with McKinney-Vento Homeless Youth Liaisons and other school personnel.
Assist youth in accessing resources to prepare for prep tests for entry into education and training institutions.

Career Development

Assist youth in creating a dream plan, which helps to establish goals around career paths that are directly or indirectly linked to education achievement.
Track youth career goals and outcomes towards those goals.

Care Coordination and Tracking

Coordinate care within Avenues as part of our broader case management team. Participate actively in a care team approach to supporting our youth.
Coordinate care within the broader community to ensure the success of the youth in their educational journey.
Other duties as assigned.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

Demonstrated experience navigating secondary and post-secondary education and training institutions on behalf of youth who face multiple barriers. Existing knowledge of and relationships with secondary and post-secondary educational institutions and workforce preparation programs in the Twin Cities metropolitan area.
Minimum BA/BS in education, social/human services or related field. Combination of education and lived experiences will be considered.
At least 3-5 years’ experience working with culturally diverse, disenfranchised youth. Experience working with communities of color.
Demonstrated ability to apply culturally competent intervention strategies.
Demonstrated experience with evidence-based principles of working with youth, including harm reduction, trauma-informed care, strengths-based and positive youth development.
Demonstrated knowledge of life goal setting, addiction, mental health issues and domestic violence.
Valid drivers license with the ability to travel to and from in-person meetings.

ADDITIONAL QUALIFICATIONS

Excellent organizational and communication skills.
Excellent writing skills.
Ability to function independently and in collaboration with staff, Board, and volunteers.
Proven ability as a collaborator with all levels of staff and volunteers.
Detail-oriented and able to manage multiple projects simultaneously.
Meets deadlines in a fast-paced work environment.
Ability to work as a team member and independently, taking initiative to problem solve.
Understanding of power, privilege, and systems of oppression.
Cognizant of, and sensitive to, the needs of youth experiencing homelessness.

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 the job. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit, stand, bend, twist, kneel, and communicate. The employee must regularly lift and/or move up to 40 pounds.

OUR COMMITMENT TO DIVERSITY, EQUITY & INCLUSION (DEI)

Avenues for Youth is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer. We embrace diversity, foster inclusion, and do our work through an equitable lens. Persons of color, women, members of the LGBTQ community, veterans, other minorities, and individuals with disabilities are strongly encouraged to apply.

In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, the organization will provide reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities and encourages both prospective and current employees to discuss potential accommodations with the employer.

COMPENSATION

$23.73 to $27.29 per hour, depending on qualifications. Avenues approaches staff well-being from a holistic perspective which includes our compensation and benefits program, employee assistance resources, and staff appreciation. We recently increased wages for staff in order to keep us competitive in the marketplace as well as in keeping with our commitment to provide living equitable wages. Avenues pays 85% of health insurance costs, as well as full dental, life, AD&D, short term and long term disability. Along with a generous paid-time-off policy, we recognize 8 holidays including a floating holiday for staff to use. In addition to providing an Employee Assistance Program (EAP), we demonstrate appreciation for our staff through annual celebrations, year-end bonuses, and team-building activities.

Job Title: Education and Career Specialist

Department: Shelter & Transitional Housing, ConneQT Host Home, Young Families

Primary Location: All Locations

Reports To: Program Director (new Manager within 3 months of hire)

Employment Status: Full Time,

Core Schedule: Monday through Friday 40 Hours per week; some evenings and weekends may be required.

Please include your resume, cover letter and references with your application.