Job Summary
Under general supervision, this position is responsible for connecting youth who wait for permanent homes with families who wish to adopt by implementing and coordinating effective recruitment, matching and support services for a caseload of 12-15 active youth. Collaborating with other stakeholders, the Youth Connections Advocate follows an established evidenced based, child- focused model to find loving homes for youth, especially those hardest to place, in the foster care system and will also build relationships within the community and raise awareness and education about foster care and adoption. At its core, this position is about problem solving, advocacy, and finding lost connections for the youth to help them find stability in their lives and raise their future.
A key strategy in the child-focused recruitment model is to explore the youth's history and contact people with whom the youth has a pre-existing relationship (such as relative, neighbors, mentors, teachers, pastors, etc.) who may serve as potential adoptive placements or as sources of information to find a permanent home for that youth. Finding an adoptive placement who the youth already knows can increase their comfort with and openness to adoption.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities
Adhering to the fidelity of evidence-based, child-focused model, and agency protocol and structure, the Youth Connections Advocate is responsible for:
30% child-focused recruitment
• Review the case record, interview the youth, caseworker, other agency staff with knowledge of the case and any available family members to assist in the recruitment process.
• Contacting possible adoptive placements and past connections including biological family members.
• Networking to find positive connections for youth.
• Creating and reviewing genograms for assigned youth.
• Collaborate with agency staff to identify older youth for referrals to the program.
• Utilize internet and social media search tools to identify, locate, and connect with resources within the youth's network.
• Develop an initial written adoption readiness assessment describing the youth's understanding and feelings about adoption.
• Create child-focused recruitment plans for the youth.
• Communicate with the caseworker monthly to review the progress of the recruitment plan.
• Meet with family members and supportive connections to discuss the progress of locating permanent resources for the youth.
• Once matched, work with the caseworker, youth and the adoptive resource to ensure preplacement visits are implemented.
• Assist with the development and coordination of the transition plan with the youth and family. Work with the youth and family during the transition process to assist with placement support.
• Work in conjunction with Adoption caseworker to ensure that the adoptive family is working towards adoption finalization.
30% meeting with the children
• Consists of monthly visits with youth to build rapport, complete adoption preparation activities, as well as conduct discussions about family or other connections the youth has.
15% meetings and trainings
• Attending staff meetings, permanency round table meetings, and other professional meetings.
• Conceptualizing case and implementing new resources and recommendations
• Attend educational opportunities provided by the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption including, but not limited to classroom training, online modules, database training, webinars, and the Wendy's Wonderful Kids Summit hosted by the Foundation
15% data entry and reports
• Submit monthly data, case notes and reports regarding the caseload as well as quarterly assessments of the youths' readiness for adoption and recruitment plans.
• Submit yearly grant renewals and intermittent bi-annual reports.
• Perform monthly data entry in relevant databases.
• Accurate and timely submission of monthly, quarterly, and annual reports.
• Submit timely expense, mileage and credit card reports, as needed.
10% other duties as assigned
SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES
NA
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
• Bachelor's Degree in social work or related field
• 2+ years' experience working with child welfare – CASA work, courts, probation, child custody service, foster care, group home, day treatment program, mental health, middle & high school teachers
• Up to 50% travel, mostly driving within the state, is required. Must have dependable car and be insurable as a driver on the auto liability policy of Raise the Future.
• Ability and willingness to travel with flexibility to work evenings and occasional weekends.
To take the SSW exam the following requirements must be met:
Education:
Bachelor's degree in Social Work
– OR –
Master's degree in Psychology, Marriage and Family Therapy or Mental Counseling
– OR –
Bachelor's degree in another field AND
Completed first academic year of a CSWE approved Master's of Social Work curriculum and practicum.
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
• Master's Degree in Social Work
• Located in or near one of the regions where services are to be delivered.
• Experience in the foster care and adoption field
• Bilingual in Spanish.
KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES
• Demonstrated ability to organize and manage multiple projects.
• Demonstrated ability to cultivate strong working relationships with diverse populations, including public agency staff.
• Willingness to engage in cold calling.
• Ability to work autonomously.
• Demonstrated ability to effectively build rapport with families and children.
• Demonstrated knowledge of adoption issues and challenges.
• Understanding of the child welfare system.
• Ability to demonstrate cultural humility.
• Demonstrated knowledge of Microsoft Office, Word, Excel, Outlook, Teams, the internet, Zoom and various database applications.
• Leadership/Ownership: Demonstrates ability to create and communicate a vision and plan, accept ownership, take initiative, and assume responsibility. Develops solutions and ideas that add value. Does not blame or pass problems off onto others but takes the initiative to get the right people involved and to resolve matters quickly and effectively. Can effectively challenge and influence superiors, peers and team members to approach all work with an equity lens while simultaneously promoting trust, collaboration, and partnership between programs, and staff.
• Decision-Making/Problem-Solving/Analysis: Ability to make sound and timely decisions and involve others appropriately in decision-making. Demonstrates strong analytical skills, including an ability to provide solutions to compliance issues. Good understanding of impact of business decisions. Excellent problem-solving skills – able to think through likely cause of problems before referring them to others.
• Adaptability: Ability to be flexible and work within the system. Able and willing to take on and learn additional and different responsibilities. Effectively manages pressure, maintains composure and is not easily frustrated. Works effectively in ambiguous situations. Must be able to adapt to a continually evolving environment and thrive in an autonomous and deadline-oriented workplace. Demonstrates consistently positive attitude toward change.
• Communication: Solid ability to write and communicate well. Able to effectively communicate (verbally, written, and interpersonally) with poise and professionalism in highly charged and stressful situations. Ability to interact effectively with others and exercise good judgment when dealing with people in sensitive situations. Able to tailor communications appropriately to the size and nature of the audience, including public speaking, presenting trainings at conferences and support groups Demonstrated questioning, listening, and non-verbal communication skills. Expresses disagreement professionally.
• Ability to Maintain Confidentiality: This position requires the direct access to and management of confidential client and organizational data. It is imperative that confidentiality is applied at all times when handling this information.
BENEFITS
What We Offer As a nonprofit organization, we are mission driven, and our employees are highly engaged in the work they do. The best reward is when our efforts payoff and our youth find lasting connections with an adult. We offer a great culture and a full benefits package too. We value the need for work life balance offering four (4) weeks of PTO and 10+ paid holidays per year, plus much more-- ** that's 30 paid days off per year!** Our benefits include:
WORKING CONDITIONS AND PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS
This position works primarily in a typical office environment, mostly indoor office environment with windows, with office equipment noise and may include frequent interruptions. This job duties may be performed in a work from home setting. This position also may be required to meeting with clients, and stakeholders in other settings outside the office. Considerable time is spent sitting at a desk using a computer terminal, and telephone, and attending meetings with others.
Salary Range: $23.07 - 25.00 / hour