Job Description

About Covenant House New York

Join a Legacy of Hope and Empowerment at Covenant House New York!

For over 50 years, Covenant House New York (CHNY) has been at the forefront of transforming lives by providing comprehensive shelter, housing, and wrap-around support services for vulnerable homeless, runaway, and exploited youth. As the largest provider of these essential services in New York City, CHNY impacts the lives of over 1,500 young people aged 16-24 every year.

At CHNY, our doors are open to all young people in need, regardless of race, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, and expression. Our dedicated team offers various services, including shelter, housing, education, employment, health, mental health support, youth development, and anti-human trafficking initiatives. We operate with harm reduction and trauma-informed principles to ensure the best care for our youth.

But our mission goes beyond immediate support. We are passionate advocates for systemic change, influencing public policy, and raising awareness of the critical issues surrounding youth homelessness. Our ultimate goal is to provide a safe refuge and empower young people to build a brighter future founded on compassion, unconditional love, and absolute respect.

Join us in making a difference in the lives of countless young people. Join a team that inspires long-term transformation and hope.

About the role

The Rights of Passage (ROP) Resident Advisor (RA) provides supportive services to up to 20 young people aged 16-21 living in an ROP site in the Bronx. Reporting to the Program Coordinator of the ROP site, the RA is an energetic, creative, and diligent member of a team that includes case managers and a cadre of specialty staff including employment/education specialists, housing specialists, youth development staff, and credentialed mental health staff.

ROP is a transitional living program funded by the NYC Department of Youth and Community Development, where youth may reside for up to 24 months. The RA supports all aspects of the program, and assists youth living at the site holistically, providing support and motivating encouragement wherever needed. RAs are also responsible for cooking meals for up to 20 youth, at times with other staff and/or youth, or on their own. RAs will be provided assistance in obtaining food handling licenses and other culinary training if needed. RAs also assist with keeping the site clean and well-maintained, including working with youth and other staff to manage garbage and day-to-day cleaning of all areas of the site. These sites will also use evidence-based and other proven models. RAs will be expected to participate in training and implementation activities for these social service models. Ultimately, RAs assist youth to achieve the goals of ROP: stabilize and address any immediate trauma experienced by the youth in our care, maintain housing stability, and assist the youth in advancing towards their individualized goals including a long-term housing plan, while ensuring the site is well-maintained.

As these sites are new to CHNY, the RA will need to be comfortable in a rapidly changing environment where processes and protocols are being developed and refined as the program is operating. Additionally, this position requires independent judgment and proactivity, as the RA will be working within a newly opened, stand-alone site. Flexibility and excellent communication and problem-solving abilities are critical to successfully fulfilling the requirements of this position.

What you'll do

(Responsibilities to include but not limited to the following)

Youth Engagement and Program Support

• Directly engages, supervises, and supports youth residing at the ROP site.
• Ensures that the site, including youths' rooms, is clean and kept in a good and safe condition.
• Welcomes youth to the site and orientates youth to site expectations, CHNY's mission and principles, and child protection policies and protocols.
• Assists youth with preparation for the day. Ensures youth are awake and out of bed, fed, and on their way to work, school or other activities in a timely manner.
• Monitor program and client activities to ensure a safe and secure environment.
• Cooks, or assists in the cooking of meals for the youth. Engages with youth during mealtimes and works with youth to facilitate post-meal clean up.
• Assists in keeping the site clean and well-maintained by participating in daily tidying up and facilitating the work of facilities and maintenance staff.
• Provides support to Case Managers as needed, including distributing appointment slips, appointment follows up, collection and filing of paperwork, file maintenance, and file compliance.
• Maintains records in the Efforts to Outcomes (ETO) computer system, and enters all required documentation in a timely.
• Escorts youth to other agencies and services when necessary (e.g., hospitals, school visits)
• Maintains healthy, supportive relationships with the youth, mindful of boundaries, and mutual respect.
• Leads and/or participates in recreational and holiday activities at the site and off-site trips.
• Completes incident reports by the end of the shift, and submit them to appropriate parties.
• De-escalates crises; attend to emergencies following agency protocol, as needed.

Professional Development and Embracing CHNY's Mission

• Participates in all required training, either in-person or via CHNY's online Learning Management System (Relias).
• Actively participates in the training and implementation of evidence-based and other proven models.
• Embraces a data-driven culture that is outcomes-oriented and creatively responsive to programmatic challenges.
• Promotes a healthy, inclusive, and equitable organizational culture and a thriving, engaged staff.
• Promotes child protection within the site and is diligent about the safety of clients and fellow staff members.
• Always uphold CHNY's mission, vision and principles, standards of conduct, policies and procedures.
• Perform other duties as assigned and needed.

Qualifications

• High school, GED, or one year of relevant work experience is required—Bachelor’s Degree Preferred.
• Experience working with at-risk youth is strongly preferred.
• Driver's license preferred—comfortability driving a 7-passenger van is a plus.
• Interest in working with youth who have experienced homelessness is required.
• Strong multi-tasking skills are required.
• Positively responds to supervision and coaching.
• Excellent verbal, written, and problem-solving abilities, willingness and ability to move throughout the day, and an upbeat, creative, and fun demeanor are required.
• A strong focus on child protection and ensuring the safety of residents is required.
• Flexibility in the work schedule is required, including weekends, evenings, and holidays if needed. Adherence to attendance and punctuality requirements is a must.
• Dedicated to the mission of Covenant House

Benefits

Covenant House New York offers a rich package of benefits, including but not limited to:

• Medical
• Vision
• Dental
• Life & Supplemental Life Insurance
• Short-term and Long-term disability insurance
• Eligibility for medical benefits begins on the date of hire
• PTO includes three weeks of vacation in the first year, ten holidays, 13 sick days, five personal days, and birthday days off
• 403b with employer contribution after 12 months