Youth Mentoring Case Manager

at  YMCA of Greater Houston

YMCA International Services is a unique branch of the Y of Greater Houston and seeks to meet the needs of Houston’s significant refugee and immigrant communities. We provide comprehensive programs that focus on building human assets and fostering self-sufficiency. The goal of the Youth Mentoring Program is to match youth, (15 – 24 years old), with volunteer mentors who will support their successful integration. Youth participate in group experiential learning activities and mentoring sessions. The case manager will be responsible for assessing youth’s needs, referring them to Y services or community services, developing service plans, and collaborating with mentors to help youth achieve their educational and career development goals through social, educational, and vocational supports to ensure they are on a path towards self-sufficiency and integration. Additionally, the Case Manager will work closely with other case managers, program director, and mentor specialist to coordinate a variety of virtual and in person experiential learning opportunities such as college campus tours, student panels, speaker series, museum outings, and other acculturation events for our clients. As a newly developing program, the opportunities for innovation are abundant and creativity, innovation, and outside of the box thinking is encouraged!

REQUIREMENTS

• Bachelor’s Degree in Communication, History, Education, or Social Sciences (or related field).
• 1-3 years of experience working with refugee and immigrant populations.
• Culturally aware, sensitive, and continuously works towards cultural competency as a life goal.
• Assessment and relationship development experience with child and young adult populations; understanding of child development? ?and family dynamics.
• Experience working with volunteers, community members, and community partners.
• Excellent interpersonal and organizational skills.
• Must travel to local communities and neighborhoods.
• Must be able to provide flexible hours to meet client needs.
• Experience supporting youth with college and career readiness highly desired.
• Ability to create and manipulate documents and databases.
• Is flexible, innovative, practices sound judgement, takes initiative, uses time effectively, focuses on details, and draw solid conclusions.
• Ability to form and sustain appropriate child and adult volunteer-based relationships, based on positive youth development and volunteer satisfaction.
• Ability to effectively assess and execute the following relational support skills: guiding, supporting, confronting, advising and/or negotiating.
• Works well under pressure and thrives under limited guidance.
• Computer skills with Microsoft Suite, databases, and office equipment
• Bilingual capability highly desired in most common refugee languages; Spanish preferred.
• Texas Driver’s License; clean driving record; own vehicle; and applicable auto insurance.

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS:

Flexibility and adaptability to program needs and schedule are key. As the medium of programming and youth interests needs shift, the Case Manager will need to work creatively to adjust to new content, platforms, and approaches.
Note: Positions are filled in response to current refugee arrivals and their language needs. As language needs change, this necessitates flexibility in our staffing.
Position is RSS (Refugee Support Services) TXOR (TEXAS OFFICE FOR REFUGEES) (grant) funded.

• Determine participants’ eligibility for services.
• Conduct comprehensive interviews and complete intakes with prospective clients.
• Determine eligibility, assess the needs, and create service plans.
• Create and maintain accurate case files for all eligible participants; Track participation of participants and goal progress, while ensuring that all administrative processes and other administrative issues are done to the highest standards.
• Work closely with volunteer mentors and Specialists to ensure a positive youth development experience for the client, and successful and satisfying experience for the volunteer.
• Work closely with Specialists and Program Director to foster and collaborate with community partners, educational institutions, and visual and performing arts entities to carry out experiential learning component of the program.
• Facilitate match initiation and termination or closure meetings between clients and mentors, and involve Outreach Specialist as needed to assess closure request and provide guidance and support to resolve conflict.
• Actively participate in multidisciplinary team meetings with the RYM team.
• Provide monthly program data.
• Assist with and attend experiential learning activities and field trips; working closely with community partners, vendors, and specialists.
• Support and facilitate the day- to- day operations of the Youth Mentoring Grant.
• Manage logistics for mentees including providing supportive services to ensure mentees can make required mentor meetings and outings.
• Assist the Program Director in preparing both quantitative and narrative reports.
• Report suspicious and inappropriate behaviors and policy violations.
• Follow mandated abuse and incident reporting requirements.
• Meet timelines and deadlines related to supporting systems and employee compliance. Example includes but are not limited to Kronos Workforce Ready for review and approval of time sheets.
• Other duties as assigned including airport pick-ups of newly arriving refugees.