Life Coach Associate

Hourly Salary Range: $25-$50

Position Summary:

The Life Coach Associate position at CACPCS will provide valuable and timely support to scholars and families by providing social/emotional support, community resources, assistance in navigating multiple systems, and coordinating care that will support the scholar’s success in school and the family support system as needed. The Life Coach Associate will work directly with a small caseload of students to deliver supports to students and their families aligned with the work of the CACPCS Life Coaching team. The Life Coach Associate will collaborate with the other Life Coaches and teachers in the implementation of the social/emotional curriculum for assigned grades.

The Life Coach Associate will provide support to scholars and participate in completing tasks or duties that support the daily operation of the school. CACPCS Life Coach Associate work collaboratively with the other Life Coaches, the Senior Life Coach and under the daily supervision of the Life Coach Director who works under the direction of the Community School Director and the Head of School. The incumbent will understand and promote the organization’s Mission, Vision, and Core Values to ensure alignment with the functions of the position.

Children’s Aid Mission

To help children in poverty to succeed and thrive. We do this by providing comprehensive support to children and their families in targeted high-needs New York City neighborhoods. Children’s Aid annually serves children and their families at over 40 sites in New York, as well as through three national program models. Children’s Aid is concentrating its efforts on creating cradle-through-college pathways in high-need neighborhoods, with a focus on children’s health, family stability, education, and social and emotional development.

Culture and Values

We put children, youth, and families first: We listen to and incorporate the voices of children, youth and families in all that we do.

We seek equity and transformation in our communities: We courageously work within and outside systems to create opportunities for children, youth and families.

We strive for excellence: We hold ourselves to the highest standards and are committed to continuous learning and improvement.

We are powered by collaboration: Our work is stronger when we trust, partner, and respect each other and the communities we serve.

We are driven by compassion: We lead with kindness, care, and empathy and believe in the endless potential of the people we serve and our team.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Foster positive and healthy relationships with each student/family in a grade and/or as assigned
• Foster positive and healthy relationships with all school staff including the Principal, Deans and Directors, teachers and all other school personnel
• Apply knowledge of human behavior and the social environment, person-in-environment, and other multidisciplinary theoretical frameworks to engage with students and parents or caregivers. Assess
• Collaborate with Life Coaches, students and families to assess needs and make appropriate referrals (ex. Completing Health Connections, Referrals, and other outside referrals to help support scholar and family)
• Work with Life Coaches and the Life Coach Director to identify and coordinate academic and socio-emotional resources for students and their families ● Attend Scholar Success Meetings and parent conferences of assigned students
• Work with Life Coaches to assure classrooms have all necessary supplies and materials to support Life Skills and Power Groups and to provide scholars with the tools and materials needed to enhance self-regulation skills and to support teachers and scholars with how to use these tools and materials
• Provide in-class support for struggling students based on recommendations and collaboration with Life Coaches, the Life Coach Director, teachers or paraprofessionals to ensure children are able to le
• Organize demographic information for scholars involved in the Child Welfare System, Homeless, and/or impacted by incarceration into school database under the direction and supervision of the Director
• Monitor and track all referrals made and request assistance from Life Coaches, the Director or CSD when needed.
• Facilitate and implement social/emotional curriculum weekly for each class assigned under the direction of the Life Coaches and/or Director
• Children’s Aid and other community resources and create presentations to enhance knowledge on the development of children and how to provide trauma-informed care
• In collaboration with Life Coaches and the Director, use the resources provided by Children’s Aid to meet the needs of scholars on a daily basis
• In collaboration with Life Coaches and the Director, advocate for scholars, families, and staff in order to access external resources
• Use empathy, reflection, and interpersonal skills to effectively engage diverse scholars, staff, parents and caregivers
• Use supervision and consultation to guide professional judgment and behavior.
• Make ethical decisions by applying the standards of the NASW Code of Ethics, relevant laws and regulations, models for ethical decisions-making, ethical conduct of research, and additional codes of ethics as appropriate to context
• Recognize the importance of diversity and difference in practice at the micro, mezzo, and macro levels
• Apply self-awareness and self-regulation to manage the influence of personal biases and values in working with diverse clients and constituencies
• Participate in on-going training and professional development provided by Children’s Aid and CACPCS and other community-based organizations as needed or required
• Participate in group and individual supervision meetings
• Maintain updated weekly case notes

Minimum Qualifications

• At least 1-2 years of experience working with young people (in-school and/or out-of-school settings)
• High School Diploma/GED required / Bachelor’s in Social Work or a related field preferred
• Bilingual Spanish or French Speaker - Preferred

Key Competencies

• Experience with group facilitation and classroom management
• Excellent organizational and time management skills
• A demonstrated willingness and ability to meet the professional expectations of a dynamic work environment like a school or other community-based educational setting
• A demonstrated commitment to goal-orientated work and focus on outcomes and results
• A demonstrated ability to effectively work with students who have been traditionally under-served; Learners, children with special needs, children who have been or are currently involved in the below self-sufficiency, and children from single parent households
• Demonstrated ability to engage and motivate young people in various settings
• Ability to work independently and creatively as well as handle multiple tasks with exceptional attention to detail
• Ability and willingness to work collaboratively with colleagues to create a strong network of support for scholars and their families
• Professionalism, sound judgment, foresight, flexibility and maturity
• An entrepreneurial spirit which embraces creativity and hard work
• Flexible and able to adjust to changes required to support team or children
• Ability to take initiative in solving problems when clear solutions or policies are not delineated
• Proficient computer skills, including Microsoft Office (Outlook, Word, PowerPoint, and Excel)

Working Conditions and Physical Demands

☐ Ability to travel to multiple work sites via public transportation

☐ Repetitive movement of hands and fingers (typing and/or writing)

☐ Ability to stand or walk long distances

☐ Visual acuity to view documents on a computer screen for long periods of time

☐ Typical office environment

☐ Work in extreme heat or cold conditions

☐ Flexibility to work evenings/nights/and-or weekend

☐ Traverse through multiple flights of stairs

☐ Able to lift or carry ___ lbs.

☐ Other(s):

It is the policy of Children's Aid to provide equal employment opportunity to all employees and applicants for employment and is dedicated to maintaining a work environment that is free from harassment and discrimination. Children's Aid will not tolerate discrimination, harassment, or retaliation on any basis, including race, creed, color, national origin, ethnicity, alienage or citizenship status, gender/sex (including pregnancy), disability, religion, source of income, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, familial status, caregiver status, military status, marital or partnership status, status as a victim of domestic violence, sexual violence or stalking, predisposing genetic characteristics, arrest or conviction record, credit history, unemployment status or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local law. Children’s Aid is committed to complying with applicable state and local laws governing non-discrimination in employment. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including, but not limited to, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training.

Children’s Aid will conduct a prompt and thorough investigation of all allegations of discrimination, harassment, retaliation, or any violation of the Equal Employment Opportunity Policy in a confidential manner and will take appropriate corrective action, if and where warranted. Children’s Aid prohibits retaliation against employees who provide information about, complain about, or assist in the investigation of any complaint of discrimination or violation of the Equal Employment Opportunity Policy.

The incumbent is expected to work a schedule, whether in-person or hybrid, as determined by the department's needs to facilitate effective collaboration with the team. This flexibility is essential for maintaining seamless communication, fostering teamwork, and ensuring the smooth operation of the department's processes. The position's requirements are subject to periodic review and adjustment based on organizational needs and changes in work dynamics.