About Us:

Good Shepherd Services is a leading multi-service agency with more than 85 programs that serve over 30,000 youth and families each year – and builds on their strengths to help them gain skills for success.  At Good Shepherd we respect the dignity and worth of every person and reject intolerance, inequity and injustice in whatever form it may take. Voted one of the top 100 places to work in NYC by Crain’s New York, Good Shepherd Services offers a fantastic work environment, a collaborative team dedicated to fulfilling our mission, and an amazing array of benefits. Join our team and help make a difference! 

Benefits:

Good Shepherd Services provides offers excellent compensation along with benefits. Benefits include; medical; dental; vision; 403B retirement Savings Plan. Along with Self Care Days;Vacation and Sick Time! Apply today to learn more!

Candidates hired in this position will work in person but will have the flexibility to work remotely when program need allows

Overview:

Title:               Education Advocate, Family Foster CareReports To:    Program director of model fidelity & special services, Family Foster Care 

Location:        7 West Burnside Avenue, Bronx NY 10453Hours:            35 Hours/Week; ExemptSalary:             50K-55K Annually(Based on relevant experience)

Job Summary for Successful Education Advocate:  The Education Advocate is responsible for meeting and advocating for the educational needs of youth in foster care in grades 9th to 12th grade from a strength-based perspective while ensuring students are receiving appropriate supports and/or services necessary to thrive succeed and progress academically.  

Major Duties of a Education Advocate:

Review new intakes and psychological screenings/evaluations for the assigned age group to ensure that developmental and/or educational concerns are addressed

Provide continuous support and trainings to foster parents, parents, and case planning team as it relates to education supports and advocacy for youth in foster care

Serve as the agency liaison for school staff and guardians

Advocate for the needs of youth and be able to resolve educational related issues or disputes

Advocate for the needs of youth who are struggling in their current academic setting

Attend and represent Special Services team at mandatory agency and ACS trainings, NYC DOE trainings to remain up to date on policies and procedures

Maintain professional boundaries with youth, foster parents, parents, and staff

Keep case records and education data information up to date and filed in the appropriate section of the case record and other tracking processes.

Commit to working from a strength based prospective

Outreach and maintain ongoing communication with foster parents and parents to ensure that they are aware of the youth’s educational and/or developmental needs and are communicating with school personnel

Ensures all documentation of services is obtained and filed in the appropriate education section of the case record.

Collaborate with Advocates for Children and other outside organizations if legal or other advocacy is needed to ensure the child’s eligibility and access to early intervention and CPSE services

Visit the young person’s school/program and build relationships with school staff, review transcripts and academic data, provide educational advocacy, and discuss progress towards graduation/HSE obtainment

Ensure young people are attending school and have the supports and resources they need to be successful, such as tutoring, individualized educational plans (IEPs), or other special accommodations

Assist and connect students with post-secondary planning, along with the guidance counselors and/or College Specialists and Career Development Specialists

Collaborate with all partners such as, case planners, guidance counselors, coaches, etc.

Promote and model the 7 Sanctuary Model commitments and the SELF (Safety, Emotional Management, Loss, Future) Model into daily practice to create a non-violent and trauma informed culture

Document progress notes in Connections

Qualifications for a Education Advocate:

Bachelors Degree required with at least 1year experience special education and early intervention

Solid knowledge of the NYC public school system including education resources, children’s rights and DOE regulations/procedures.

Bi-lingual (English/Spanish) preferred.

Experience with special education and early intervention

Ability to be flexible to meet the demands of youth in care

Ability to work autonomously as well as part of a team

Proficient with Microsoft Office suite, especially Word and Excel

Excellent written, communication. And organizational skills

Ability to troubleshoot, advocate, and navigate obstacles where there is not always a clear-cut pathway

General Requirements:

All staff is expected to be committed to the mission, vision, and values of Good Shepherd Services, which   includes involvement in quality improvement activities and a willingness and ability to work within a culturally diverse environment.

Additional Information:

Good Shepherd Services is an equal opportunity employer that is proudly committed to becoming an anti-racist and multicultural organization that . We welcome prospective employees from diverse backgrounds, for administrative support and direct service and leadership roles, who will join us on that journey, uphold our and , and believe in our mission. Additionally, we aim to have a racially representative leadership and workforce that is reflective of the communities we work in partnership with.

Good Shepherd Services is committed to providing an inclusive and welcoming environment for all members of our staff, participants, volunteers, subcontractors, and vendors. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion (creed), gender, gender expression, age, national origin (ancestry), disability, marital status, sexual orientation, or military status, in any of our activities or operations. These activities include, but are not limited to, hiring and termination of staff, selection of volunteers and vendors, and provision of services.

We are committed to providing a workplace that is accessible and accommodating to employees with disabilities. As part of our commitment to providing a barrier-free recruitment and selection process, we will provide reasonable accommodations upon request for candidates with disabilities. If you require any accommodations to participate in the hiring process, please inform us of your needs in advance. We value diversity and inclusivity in our workplace and encourage applicants of all abilities to apply.