Education and Employment Specialist, My First Place

My First Place is an education and employment program developed over two decades ago by First Place for Youth. Envisioning a future where the disparities between foster care-involved youth and their non-foster peers have been eliminated, the My First Place™ program is expanding to communities across the country. Through My First Place™, youth receive stable, safe and affordable housing, community-based case management, and individualized education and employment support. A team of staff including a Youth Advocate, an Education and Employment Specialist, and a Housing Specialist, support a youth in working towards healthy living, education, employment, and housing goals set by the youth. HopeWell began serving youth through My First Place™ in February of 2018 and the program is steadily expanding and launched in Springfield in 2022. This is an exciting opportunity to join a growing and engaged team to serve transition age youth comprehensively.

The Education and Employment Specialist is a dynamic, collaborative and results-oriented service provider who will partner with 18 to 22-year-old youth who have been impacted by the foster care system to support them in their path to independence. This position requires a professional whose passion for HopeWell’s vision is matched with sound judgment in the face of complex challenges, and a proven track record of successfully supporting transition age youth.

The Education and Employment Specialist provides targeted employment and education coaching to support youth in achieving their education and employment goals. The Specialist is active in developing, supporting and implementing an individualized, strength -based, culturally competent, youth-centered approach. This individual must understand what it takes to support youth skill development, be knowledgeable about resources to secure and retain employment, and have a solid understanding of traditional school, post-secondary, and alternative education systems. Successful Education and Employment Specialists understand how to partner with young adults in support of achieving their goals. The Specialist works closely with the Youth Advocate position to coordinate targeted supports for individual youth. This individual must be comfortable working independently and directly with youth in the program and make sound decisions in partnership with youth.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop a partnership strategy with each youth. Provide direct support, coaching, mentoring and intervention to increase youth self-sufficiency and goal attainment.
• Meet with youth regularly to assess educational and employment status and interest; support youth with exploring careers of interest and identifying, enrolling in and pursuing degree programs, vocational programs, and stackable vocational certifications.
• Work collaboratively with other My First Place™ staff and community providers to ensure seamless and effective service delivery. Ensure continuous information sharing and communication.
• Establish and maintain external collaborations with individuals, businesses, agencies, and institutions to identify education and employment opportunities for young adults and create warm handoffs and ongoing collaborations where possible.
• Teach classes and workshops related to career education, job seeking skills and other pre-employment related classes, resumes, development and interviewing skills.
• Complete documentation including but not limited to initial and regular assessments, Care and Services plans, needs assessments, and progress notes.

Qualifications

The ideal candidate will possess:

• Bachelor’s degree in social service field.
• Experience working with transition age youth with complex presentations including chronic trauma preferred.
• Two years of experience working with youth in career development and job placement capacities.
• Excellent knowledge of education and employment resources for youth in the local area.
• Must be comfortable working in community settings.
• High level of personal accountability for the quality and impact of work.
• Excellent communication skills, professional demeanor, sound judgment, and strong organizational skills.
• A high level of professionalism in work and interpersonal interactions with both internal and external contacts
• Strongly prefer a candidate that will have a demonstrated understanding of and competence in serving culturally diverse populations.
• Willingness to work collaboratively, but with the capacity to work independently.
• Computer skills sufficient to perform essential functions.

Other Requirements

• Daily access to an automobile is required.
• A valid MA State Driver’s License.
• Remain current in all DCF required trainings.
• Clearing of background checks as required by state and federal law .

Workplace Culture And Benefits

HopeWell has an unparalleled work culture, with an emphasis on diversity, belonging, inclusion, equity, and holistic wellness. At HopeWell, each team member is called to uphold and live daily the values of empathy, strength, learning, and integrity. HopeWell is an environment where we laugh and smile while handling serious, life-changing work.

HopeWell offers a comprehensive total rewards package that values employee wellness, work-life balance, and continuous learning. Benefits include student loan pay-down assistance , tuition reimbursement, funding for professional development, as well as a full suite of healthcare benefits, and generous paid-time-off.