CASE MANAGER- Out of School Youth

Job Description

Job Description

Description:

Description

Location: Cleveland, OH & Lorain, Oh

Position Schedule: Full-time; Monday-Friday 8:00am-4:30pm

Salary Range & FLSA Status : Nonexempt, $40,000-43,000

BACKGROUND: Founded in 1976, Towards Employment (TE) is a non-profit leader in providing innovative solutions to move people out of poverty, into quality jobs and along a career pathway. Towards Employment has gained local and national recognition for achieving excellent outcomes through the hard work of its dedicated staff of 74 and an $8 million annual budget. Towards Employment offers a continuum of support to low-income individuals preparing to enter the workforce or looking to advance from low-wage employment while also fulfilling the staffing needs of local employers.

TE offers competitive benefits including employer subsidized medical, prescription drug, vision and dental insurance; matching traditional and Roth 401k; company provided life and disability insurance. Voluntary benefits include HSA and FSA savings accounts, accident, critical illness and hospital indemnity insurance and dependent life insurance. Additionally, employees receive paid vacation, 10 sick days, 13 paid holidays plus the days between Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve off annually.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES

Provides case management and support to participants in the CCMEP Out of School Youth (OSY) career pathway program. This includes assessment, individual plan preparation and updates, assistance in removing barriers to employment, career exploration and navigation to appropriate services. Work closely with other program staff to ensure that pre-employment barriers are removed and to facilitate the job matching, education, training, retention, and advancement.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• To provide individualized case management
• In collaboration with team members, provide an extensive assessment of each participant, including career goals and employment readiness.
• To develop with the participant a service strategy which includes a goal plan/individual opportunity plan.
• To maintain accurate participant files and records according to program guidelines
• Provide assistance and referral to resources for barrier removal.
• Provide and process supportive service requests and associated documentation.
• Monitor participant progress during career readiness program according to the established procedures.

Individual Case Management

• Conduct case management discussion and assessment with assigned participants to assess career readiness, strengths and skills, interest, and barriers to be addressed. Determine if candidate for First Step or direct engagement into career readiness workshop. Individual opportunity plan (IOP) developed to include goals and next steps.
• Develop positive relationships with program participants.
• Provide information and referrals, accessing community resources to help participants address their barriers.
• Provide case management preventing and eliminating barriers related to work/life balance, time management, substance use/relapses, criminal activity, and transportation/clothing/housing issues.
• Ensure proper assessment documentation for performance measurement and contract compliance are in each file.
• Provide at a minimum, weekly contact throughout the workshop phase of career readiness; work with Career Coach to ensure continued contact until employment is stabilized for six months.
• Work closely with other team members, communicating regularly with assigned career coach, attending training and team meetings, etc.

Career Readiness Support

· Work closely with facilitators and Employment Specialists to communicate existing barriers and barrier resolution plans for each participant as needed.

· Work with the Career Coach to ensure IOP and goal plan are finalized before workshop completion.

Retention and Follow-up

• Provide case management for participants at specified intervals to assist in the continued prevention and elimination of barriers to successful employment/advancement.
• Continue to provide information and referral access to community resources to help participants address identified barriers which may hinder successful employment.

Record Maintenance & Quality Assurance

• Maintain accurate participant files and records according to program guidelines (ARIES).
• Using internal database and othe record keeping tools, input all case notes and service requests within 48 hours of service delivery.
• Other duties as assigned.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor’s degree in social work or relevant degree or equivalent through combination of experience and education
• Minimum 3 years’ experience in similar field/position.
• Knowledge and experience working with young adults with barriers to employment; experience with young adults who have been involved with the criminal justice system a plus.
• Excellent relationship building and customer service skills to keep participants engaged in program services.
• Demonstrated understanding of community resources and how to access them.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Strong organizational, time management and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to work independently, be flexible and dependable, and demonstrate initiative and creativity.
• Willingness to travel between facilities and Towards Employment to coordinate services for participants and attend relevant meetings.
• Experience with data entry and strong attention to detail which includes proficiency with computers including Microsoft Office Products: Word, Power Point, Outlook, and Internet.
• Commitment to Towards Employment mission and core values.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

• Work is performed in an office setting. Some travel required.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

• Must be able to remain in a stationary position 75%.

Competencies

• Success in this position also requires:
• Continuous Improvement – Committed to learning, development, assessment, and measurement to continuously improve.
• Coaching Capacity – Ability to provide guidance and to support the advancement of others.
• Team Builder – Leads others through collaboration, influence, and managerial strength.
• Social Justice Advocate – Passionate about promoting racial equity and inclusion at personal, organizational and systems level.
• Growth Mindset – Embraces a culture of continuous learning and a can-do attitude, readily adapts to change, is intellectually curious and a critical thinker.