Care Coordinator

Position Title: Care Coordinator – Engagement

Location: Whatcom County

Reports to: Youth Engagement Manager

Hours: 40 hours per week, non-exempt position

Wage Range: $22.63 – $25.22 per hour; wage dependent on relevant qualifications, experience, and education

Women, people of color, transgender individuals and members of other underrepresented populations are strongly encouraged to apply.

Mission: At Northwest Youth Services, we affirm youth experience and autonomy, as we work together to foster collective healing and justice, in order to dismantle the systems of oppression that perpetuate youth homelessness.

Core Values:

Community – We promote interdependence and recognize that everybody needs a community to thrive. We know that we are stronger together.

Justice & Liberation - We believe that it is critical to acknowledge, name, and actively work to dismantle the historic systems and societal structures that fuel crisis and poverty.

Humanity - We work with respect and compassion for each other and believe that everyone deserves to belong: to be safe, heard, and valued.

Accountability – We believe that no one is done learning; as a community we hold each other to a high standard, and work to educate, grow and heal together.

Vision: Guided by our core values and commitment to becoming an Anti-Racist organization, Northwest Youth Services envisions a community in which all young people are seen as catalysts in creating a just and liberated society that supports each of our unique journeys through life.

This position contributes to Northwest Youth Services’ (NWYS) success by providing basic coordination of care for youth program participants within NWYS Ground Floor Day Services. The Ground Floor is a youth daytime drop-in center for unhoused youth and young adults in the Bellingham area. Under the direction of the Youth Engagement Manager, Care Coordinators are responsible for facilitating and cultivating an environment where young people feel welcomed, are oriented to the services that are provided at the Ground Floor and referred to social and clinical support services when appropriate. Care Coordinators must operate in a collaborative team format that offers group activities, housing support services, and resource navigation.

To perform this job successfully, the individual should demonstrate the following competencies:

Change Agility: Able to embrace needed change; able to provide and implement feedback; effective in the face of ambiguity.

Integrity: Must be honest and take responsibility for actions and enforce healthy boundaries with both youth and staff members.

Positive Impact: Have a passion for NWYS’ mission and vision; display a positive attitude.

Learning Agility: Seeks to improve knowledge, skills, and abilities in related service areas. Accepts and is receptive to supervision, accepts direction and integrates feedback.

Creativity: Resourceful in finding ways to improve and advocate for change when necessary; fosters creativity in others.

Active Listening: Ability to effectively work independently and in partnership with team members; ability to communicate effectively with youth and others.

Informal Communication: Articulate ideas clearly and organize ideas effectively. Answers phone calls and emails promptly and respectfully.

Organizational Knowledge: Understands operational procedures; demonstrates an in-depth understanding of what the organization does.

Initiative: Proactive; act without being prompted.

Team Player: Effectively partner with people across the organization; is committed to the success of all team members as it supports the vision and mission of the organization.

Sensitivity: Communicates empathy and respect of individuals; ability to be appreciative of diversity.

Care Coordination:

• Provide friendly, informed, and client-centered care by welcoming all guests who visit the Ground Floor and by answering phone calls and responding to emails promptly.
• Be part of the welcoming committee to the Ground Floor for youths who want to access drop-in services
• Be proactive by connecting with youths so that they have a sense of community and belonging at the Ground Floor
• Solicit youth feedback about services;
• Help to organize and promote youth activities at the Ground Floor;
• Inform youth of scheduled activities that take place on a daily and/or weekly basis
• Uphold appropriate boundaries and mediate conflict in group spaces
• In collaboration with the clinical partners, coordinate safety planning and crisis response of youth when needed.
• Support youths who may need to be referred to community partners (clinicians/mental health professionals)
• Be part of a collaborative team that provides a combination of providing basic needs as well as offering housing support and mental health support services
• Engage youth in diversion discussions and complete HPDF requests;

• Provide one on one employment and education coaching and support including but not limited to help with employment search, developing resumes, enrolling in school or GED programming and preparing for interviews;
• Assist youth and young adults enrolled in pre-housing supports to create goal plans and decrease barriers as they work to achieve their identified goals;
• Assist youth and young adults to complete service forms and screenings to enter and remain active on NWYS’s Housing Interest Pool and other service waitlists;
• Develop and maintain community partnerships to facilitate easy pathways for youth and young adults to connect with NWYS and increase external referrals and wrap around services options;
• Work closely with Housing Services to understand programming and support cohesion of services within one program model;
• Provide follow-up and aftercare services as needed; coordinate referrals to other relevant programs or agencies for exiting youth;
• Availability both in-person and by phone 9am to 5pm, Monday – Friday;
• Manage time and tasks to conduct work in a timely manner;
• Research and provide appropriate referrals and information to youth about NWYS services and other resources within the County;
• Uphold appropriate boundaries.

Operations and Clerical

• Ensure that the day-to-day operations of the Ground Floor function smoothy
• Be responsible for opening and/or closing the Ground Floor facilities and maintaining its cleanliness
• Clean facilities including restrooms, organize clothes, linen, pantry, remove trash and take care of other areas that need care
• Keep supervisor informed of issues and concerns related to youth.
• Maintain up to date, organized and complete files and case logs;
• Assist in processing and distributing incoming donations

• Knowledge of program policies and procedures.
• When requested, participate in program evaluation efforts

• Actively complete professional training and development each year as required by the agency.
• Must be able to meet deadlines;
• Other duties as assigned.

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 35 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, and depth perception. While performing these job duties, the employee is regularly required to listen to others and provide verbal feedback. The employee is required to frequently sit for extended periods of time, stand, walk, climb, or balance.

Minimum Qualifications

• Demonstrated experience working with young people in crisis.
• Demonstrated experience working with people experiencing homelessness.
• A minimum of:
  • one year experience working with young adults ages 13-24 or
  • one year experience working with people experiencing homelessness or
  • one year experience working as a Case Manager or
  • two years’ experience working with other vulnerable populations or
  • a post-secondary education that demonstrates acquired knowledge applicable to this position.
• Must be 21 years of age or older;
• Proof of Washington State Driver’s License, driving record, and auto insurance;

• Must pass background checks.

Required within first 30 days of employment:

• CPR/First Aid/Bloodborne pathogens certifications required;
• Must have a negative TB test
• Full understanding of the CPS reporting requirements
• Participate in the onboarding and training process (agency-wide and team-specific) within 30 days, including topics on Positive Youth Development, Trauma-Informed Care, Motivational Interviewing, CSEC 101, and Harm Reduction.

Preferred Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree in Social Work, Human Services, or related field;
• 2-3 years of experience working with at-risk and/or homeless youths
• Knowledge of issues faced by young people at-risk of/experiencing homelessness.

Benefits

Earn paid time off based on hours worked;

Medical, vision, and dental insurance benefits begin first of the month following date of hire (positions at or above 0.75 FTE);

Voluntary life, critical illness, supplemental vision, long term disability, and accident insurance eligibility begins first of the month following date of hire (positions at or above 0.75 FTE);

Simple IRA Retirement plan with match up to 3% of employee contributions, per pay period, after first year of employment;

Annual Healing Fund stipend

Juneteenth and Indigenous Peoples Day paid holidays;

The position is located in beautiful Whatcom County, Washington, in the Pacific Northwest

Northwest Youth Services is an Equal Opportunity employer. Employment is based upon individual qualifications without regard to race, color, sex, religion, national origin, citizenship, age, marital status, veteran status, disabilities, political ideology, sexual orientation, or any other legally protected status.