Hourly Pay Range: $19.19 - $27.21
Pay will commensurate with qualifications and experience.
This position typically pays the minimum of the pay range.
Why Work for Goodwill Southern New England?!
Perform diversified job duties to support and advocate for assigned individuals, in particular those identified as “high risk” due to involvement in violent crime(s). Act as a mentor, a trusted ally and role model. Assist program participants to navigate the stressful demands of transitioning back into the community in such areas as housing, employment, childcare, financial management, counseling and mental health needs, etc., in coordination with case manager and other service providers.
Special Requirements:
Weekend, evening and holiday hours may be required based on individual work schedules of assigned participants and their support needs.
PEER SUPPORT
It is recognized that reintegration supports provided by an individual who has successfully transitioned from a period of incarceration to community life is a valuable component of a comprehensive community reentry service model.
The Community Advocate must have successfully transitioned from a period of incarceration, including successful completion of any period of probation or parole, and be able to share positive experiences and strategies for overcoming obstacles. The Community Advocate will share community resources and support networks to help facilitate a positive transition for GRI program participants. The Community Advocate must be a positive role model, be able to establish a good rapport and build a relationship of trust in order to effectively mentor program participants.
ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES include the following. Other duties may be assigned.
Work as part of the interdisciplinary team to assist participants in ensuring their successful reentry to the City of New Haven. Assist the team to develop individualized plans for each assigned participant that may include in-person meetings, assisting participants with problem-solving, assistance with learning actual job skills and/or workplace culture, and ability to discuss difficult issues such as addiction, discrimination and/or destructive personal habits. Must effectively balance support and encouragement while fostering personal responsibility, accountability and the capacity for good independent decision-making.
Identify natural supports, i.e. friends, family, counselor, minister, etc., that may be available for long-term support to foster reentry success as well as to help overcome barriers to successful community reintegration. Work with interdisciplinary team to resolve barriers to successful community reintegration.
Work closely with GRI personnel to assist participants to access community support services to overcome obstacles and barriers to successful reentry while maintaining professional and ethical boundaries with participants and community partners and stakeholders at all times.
Provide mentorship to program participants. Identify other adult mentors and peer mentors as needed.
Offer support, encouragement and motivation to an adult who has been incarcerated.
Organize opportunities for positive social, faith-based and community interactions for newly released offenders.
Identify other community and family-related supports which encourage positive family interaction and successful family reunification.
Support development of independent living skills such as financial education management, career planning, effective parenting and job retention.
Communicate ongoing issues and concerns with appropriate Agency and other professional personnel to ensure health and safety needs are met for participants, staff, employers and community members.
Use a computer to complete required communication and documentation of all activities, including data entry into the data management system of Agency programs (SETWorks) and of stakeholders (i.e. City of New Haven’s Apricot 360 data platform). Documentation will be completed to meet agency, state, federal and funding source guidelines in a timely, accurate and professional manner.
Assist with participant transportation as required, including use of personal vehicle.
Requirements
QUALIFICATIONS
To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE
High School diploma or G.E.D and one to three years work experience mentoring individuals with justice-involved backgrounds (may include experience during a period of incarceration).
LANGUAGE SKILLS
Ability to read and interpret documents such as participant files, evaluation reports, job descriptions, personnel procedures and safety rules. Ability to write professional reports that are grammatically correct and easily understood for referral sources or others outside the Agency. Ability to clearly communicate, in verbal and written form, participant status, problems or needs.
MATHEMATICAL SKILLS
Ability to add, subtract, multiply, and divide in all units of measure, using whole numbers, common fractions and decimals. Ability to compute rate, ratio and percent.
REASONING ABILITY
Ability to solve practical problems and deal with a variety of variables in situations where only limited standardization exists. Ability to interpret a variety of instructions furnished in written or oral form. Ability to observe participant behavior and make recommendations that are realistic, sensible and practical regarding job skills or out of work issues.
CERTIFICATES, LICENSES, REGISTRATIONS
Valid Connecticut driver license, auto registration and insurance.
OTHER SKILLS AND ABILITIES
Ability to obtain clearance to enter CT Department of Correction facilities.
PHYSICAL DEMANDS
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to stand, walk and sit; use hands to finger, handle, or feel objects, tools, or controls; reach with hands and arms; and talk or hear. The employee may be required to stoop, kneel, crouch, climb or balance. The employee may be required to lift and/or move up to 10 pounds and occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds, particularly when substituting for TEP crew leader. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus.
WORK ENVIRONMENT
The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
While performing the duties of this job, the employee may work near moving mechanical parts. The employee may work in outside weather conditions. The employee may be occasionally exposed to wet and/or humid conditions, cold, and heat. The noise level in the work environment is usually quiet.
Equal Opportunity Employer
Goodwill of Southern New England is a progressive, community-based organization committed to the mission of enhancing employment, educational, social, and recreational opportunities for people with disabilities or other challenges throughout south-central and eastern Connecticut and Rhode Island.
Goodwill of Southern New England owns and operates 14 second hand retail stores, 6 attended donation centers, and 1 outlet store throughout south-central and eastern Connecticut. We also own and operate one second hand retail store in South Attleboro, Massachusetts and an attended donation center in Providence, Rhode Island. You can find donation bins all across south-central and eastern Connecticut, as well as Rhode Island.
Every purchase made at one of our stores supports our community programs. We offer services including job training, case management, and recreational opportunities for individuals with disabilities and other challenges in the community. When you shop or donate, you’re supporting our mission to help those in need build a better life, one step at a time.
