YOUTH CASE MANAGER in Chicago, Illinois at Center on Halsted

Essential Functions:

Position Overview: The Youth Case Manager Youth Case Manager will provide trauma-informed care and support to youth in the community who require assistance with personal, educational, behavioral, developmental, psychological, and emotional challenges. The Youth Case Manager will be responsible for coordinating, organizing, and developing tailored solutions to support the growth and well-being of youth participants, offering both long-term and short-term support as needed. The Youth Case Manager will provide on-site, crisis, and short-term case management to youth participants, with occasional support needed for adults. Case management entails locating resources for participants and making referrals to various support systems.

Key Responsibilities:

Provide trauma-informed case management support to youth, ensuring a safe and welcoming environment.Develop and implement individualized plans to address youth participants' personal, educational, behavioral, and emotional needs.Offer crisis counseling, mediation, and conflict resolution when necessary.Collaborate with external agencies and service providers to coordinate workshops, support services, and resources for youth.Foster andmaintaina safe and supportive space where youth can feel confident and empowered to work through complex life challenges.Advocate for youth needs and help them build the skills and confidence to thrive.Maintain regular communication with youth participants and their families, as well as external service providers.This also applies to youth who haveexitedand/or aged out of Y&FS programming.Monitor and track progress, adjusting support plans as needed to ensure positive outcomes.

Duties:

Administrative Duties:

Contribute to reportsand dashboardsby providingmonthly, quarterly, and annual program statistics.Accurately collect andmaintaindata on clients served, including program activities.This includes data that supports various grants.Provide monthly data on food pantryand gender affirming clothing closet.Maintainfollow-updata on youth exiting and/oraging out ofprogramming.Produce monthly coverage schedule for programmingfor staff and volunteers.Will work alongside Senior Director of Youth Programming to produce schedule.Oversee volunteer onboarding and managementAdminister Diana Screen andobservevolunteer actions while in program toensureappropriateness.Assistother youth staff with volunteer appreciation gathering events.Provideadditionalsupport/supervision to interns whenapplicable.Assistin overseeing monthlycalendarand e-mail newsletters.Work with Senior Director of Youth Programming to providea monthlyoverview of youth programming toCEOand/or CPO.

Service Delivery:

Assistinmaintainingdatasystemfor youth served.Provide emotional and behavioral support for Trans Youth Group, Queer Youth Group, Drop-in, and Lavender Living youth, and other programs as assigned.Document all services and incidentsaccurately,consistently, andin accordance withestablished timelines.Provide casemanagement, including administering intakes, risk assessments, and safety plans when applicable.Conduct regular outreach for youth exiting and/or aging out of programming. Overseeallfunctionsofthe BigSiblings program.Assisteligible participants with the leasing process, some of whichincludeapplication procedures, screening criteria, rent levels, potential subsidies, securitydepositsand other costs of occupancy.Provide referral information for supportive services.Complete exit documents when clientsterminatefrom the program.Provide crisis counseling and mediation/conflict resolution for participants.Supportprogramming byparticipatinginandfacilitatingprograming as needed.SpecificallyDrop-inand LavenderLiving programming.Maintain relationshipsand effectivecommunicationwith youth in the program.Maintain regular communicationwithCOHYouth& Family ServicesProgrammingteam.Attend weekly staff meetings, and stafftrainings,asrequired.Support with the coordinationofyouth program activities:Ensure smooth program operations;Model and enforceyouth spacebehaviors and norms.Work as part ofateam to provide services consistent within COH’s mission, vision, and values.Perform other duties as assigned.

Community Engagement:

Establish sound working relationships with community leaders and organizations.Represent the program and organization and serve as a leadertoproviders of services to youth and other relevant organizations and associations.Assist Senior Director of Youth Programming inlocatingand inviting outside agencies to provide workshops and programming for Youth & Family Services programs.

Qualifications:

Master'sdegree in social services or related field preferred.LCSW preferred.2+ years of social services experience preferred.Knowledge of Chicago’s youth and adult homelessness networks and organizations such as All Chicago, Chicago Housing Authority, Ignite, Night Ministries, etc.Experience with housing programs and tenant issues.Experience working with vulnerable youth.Committed to employing a Racial Equity lens in their work.Highly positive and enthusiastic style capable of motivating others.Demonstrated ability to work constructively with LGBTQ+ youth.Excellent oral and written communication skills; ability to communicate clearly and effectively.Knowledge of the following frameworks:Anti-Violence, Youth Positive Development, Harm Reduction, Trauma Informed Care, Client Centered Practices, Strengths-Based, LGBTQ-Affirming, and Racial Equity and Inclusion.Microsoft Officeproficiencyisrequired.Bilingual/bicultural desirable.

Attributes:

Resultsoriented–evidence of the ability to consistently make good decisions through a combination of analysis, wisdom, experience and judgement;abilityto balance the delivery of programs against the realities of a budget;abilityto solve problems.Strategicvision andagility–abilityto think strategically, anticipate future consequences and trends,and incorporate them into the organizational plan.Actionoriented– enjoys working hard and looks for challenges; able to act and react as necessary, even when limited information is available; not afraid to take charge of a situationPersonal qualities-integrity, credibility,accountabilityand commitment to the mission of Center on HalstedTeam oriented–Commitment to and experience with collectiveprocessand problem-solving.Flexible–Can work in an ambiguous, fast-moving environment, while also driving toward clarity and solutions;demonstratescreative resourcefulnessLesbian,gay, bisexual,transgender, and queersensitivity.

Disclaimer

This job description is not a comprehensive list of all of the possible job-related responsibilities, tasks and duties that are required of this position. Center on Halsted reserves the right to change any and all of the employee’s responsibilities, tasks and duties.

Application Instructions

Apply by email with the subject Youth Case Manager Applicant. Email resume, cover letter, and salary history/salary range expectations to: HR Department, careers@centeronhalsted.org. In your cover letter, please address the following:

What strategies would you use to engage LGBTQ youthsurvivors of violence, and to support them in setting goals for themselves?Please discuss your perspective on positive youth development and explain howyou would work toensurethatall youngpeople are seenas assets, rather than a problem; and as a whole person as opposed tobeingdefined by their need/s(i.e. homelessness, HIV status, etc.)Whatisrequiredto successfully workcollaboratively with a team toward supporting LGBTQ youth?

Equal Opportunity Employer: Center on Halsted hires the most qualified candidates without regard to any person’s race, color, sex, gender identity, gender expression, age, religion, disability, national origin, ancestry, genetic information, sexual orientation, marital status, parental status, pregnancy, military discharge status or source of income.