
Imagine going to work each day knowing that your efforts positively impact individuals and communities. As a global movement and the nation's leading nonprofit organization dedicated to strengthening communities through youth development, healthy living, and social responsibility, the YMCA of Greater San Francisco offers more than just a job—we offer a career with a future and the opportunity to make a lasting difference in your community. At the Y, you can uncover your passion and build a lifelong career addressing some of the nation's most pressing social issues.
At the YMCA of Greater San Francisco, we are committed to demonstrating values that aim to building strong communities where you can Be, Belong and Become. With Truth & Courage, we strive to understand and act on individual and societal truths. We ensure a safe and inclusive environment with Authenticity & Accessibility, allowing everyone to participate according to their needs. Our approach is Dependable & Creative, as we respond to community needs through strong partnerships. Above all, we embody Dignity & Empathy, treating everyone with respect and compassion, and recognizing the inherent dignity in all individuals.
· Must be at least 21 years of age.
· Bachelor's degree in Social Work, Psychology, Education, or a related field, or equivalent professional and community or relevant lived experience.
· Experience mentoring youth, facilitating groups, supporting attendance interventions, and collaborating with school personnel.
· Strong interpersonal, organizational, communication, and relationship-building skills.
· Demonstrated ability to work effectively with people from diverse backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives
· Understanding of challenges that may impact youth and families and commitment to positive youth development and equitable access to opportunities
· Ability to manage multiple priorities, work independently, and collaborate as part of a team.
· Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite, Google Workspace, and basic data management systems.
· Ability to establish positive relationships with youth, families, school staff, and community partners.
· YMCA approved CPR & First Aid/AED certification
· TB test clearance in the last 2 years
· Experience providing school-based case management or social-emotional support services.
· Familiarity with restorative practices, positive youth development, trauma-informed care, and community-based programming.
· Experience facilitating support groups, leadership programs, or transition programs for middle and high school youth.
· Bilingual or multilingual skills that support communication with program participants and families and align with community needs.
Under the supervision of the Program Director, the Student Success Advocate (SSA) provides coaching, case management, outreach, and socio-emotional support services to youth and families. The SSA works closely with our school partners to support student success through individual case management, crisis intervention, advocacy, referrals, support groups, and afterschool program leadership. This role develops individualized service plans, documents participant progress, collaborates with school personnel and community partners, and supports summer transition programming and family engagement efforts. The Student Success Advocate is committed to fostering positive youth development and helping students overcome barriers to academic and personal success.
Program Hours: Monday -Friday 10am-6:30pm
· Provide case management, coaching, advocacy, referrals, and crisis intervention support to youth.
· Maintain a caseload of up to 20 students and develop individualized service plans, goals, progress notes, assessments, and evaluations.
· Facilitate support groups, leadership development activities, and other student-centered programming.
· Monitor participant progress and adjust support strategies as needed to promote positive outcomes.
· Connect students and families with appropriate internal and community-based resources and services.
· Collaborate with school personnel to identify and coordinate appropriate student support services.
· Build and maintain positive working relationships with school administrators, counselors, social workers, teachers, families, and community partners.
· Participate in Student Assistance Program (SAP), Student Success Team (SST), and other school-based meetings as appropriate.
· Maintain regular communication with families to share updates, identify needs, and support student success.
· Serve as a program leader during after-school programming.
· Assist with the development and implementation of summer transition, leadership, and enrichment programming.
· Support family engagement activities and student retention efforts.
· Contribute to a safe, inclusive, and supportive program environment.
· Document participant interactions, maintain case files, and complete required program reporting.
· Support program evaluation activities, surveys, outcome tracking, and continuous quality improvement initiatives.
· Attend required trainings and staff meetings.
· Maintain compliance with YMCA policies, safety procedures, mandated reporting requirements, confidentiality standards, and risk management practices.
This position works primarily on school campuses, YMCA program sites, and other community locations. The Student Success Advocate engages and supervises youth in both indoor and outdoor environments and regularly moves throughout school and program facilities. Duties may include standing, walking, bending, reaching, and lifting or carrying program materials. The position requires the ability to effectively communicate with youth, families, school staff, and community partners and to perform essential job functions with or without reasonable accommodation. Occasional evening and weekend hours may be required to support program events, family engagement activities, meetings, and trainings. Staff assigned to school campuses may also be required to complete additional safety training and comply with applicable school district requirements.
· Must successfully complete a background screening, including criminal and employment verification. Some positions may also require a credit check.
· All duties and responsibilities are essential job functions subject to reasonable accommodation. The YMCA of Greater San Francisco promotes an equal employment opportunity workplace, which includes reasonable accommodation for otherwise qualified disabled applicants and employees. Please contact your manager if you have any questions about this policy or these job duties.
· This job description may not be all-inclusive, and employees are expected to perform other duties as assigned by management. Job descriptions and duties may be modified by management as needed.
· Job offers are conditional and contingent upon background clearance. Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance and CA Fair Chance Act, we will consider qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records for employment.
The Student Success Advocate position offers a compensation range of $26.50 to $28.00 per hour. This rate is based on salary benchmarking for similar roles and is aligned with grant fund approvals and requirements for the position.

The YMCA of Greater San Francisco focuses on youth development, healthy living and social responsibility by enriching the lives of all people in spirit, mind and body.
For more than 150 years, the YMCA of San Francisco has provided comprehensive programs and services to meet the diverse needs of the Bay Area. Through its 14 branches from Marin County to the Santa Cruz Mountains, YMCA programs address the most pressing needs in our communities. In addition to our holistic wellbeing and youth programs, we provide services that address critical issues such as food insecurity, housing, mental health, employment, senior isolation and more.
We rely on philanthropic contributions from organizations and individuals who share our share our commitment to supporting the wellbeing of our communities.