Community Engagement Specialist, South County Academy
Bachelor's
$26.78 - $33.30 USD hourly
Job Details: Job Location: South County Academy - Exeter, RI, Position Type: Full Time, Education Level: 4 Year Degree, Salary Range: $26.78 - $33.30Hourly, Travel Percentage: Up to 50% , Job Shift: Any, FSRI is always looking for candidates that want to make a positive impact on the community!
ABOUT THE PROGRAM:
South County Academy (SCA), a program of Family Service of Rhode Island and in partnership with the Rhode Island Department of Children, Youth and Families (DCYF), is a residential treatment program upholding RIDE standards located in Exeter, Rhode Island. The Academy serves up to 16 adolescent females, ages 13 to 17, who have experienced trauma and present with complex behavioral health needs. Students live in single-bedroom accommodations and are supported by staff 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Our clinical model is grounded in evidence-based practice, including Trauma Systems Therapy, Dialectical Behavior Therapy, and Restorative Practices. On-site academic instruction allows students to continue their education without interruption.
ESSENTIAL FUNCTION: The Community Engagement Specialist (CES) is an outward facing, non-clinical position. Responsible for building and expanding the program’s relationships outside its walls, and for turning those relationships into real opportunities for students. Develops and maintains a working inventory of community partners, including employers, volunteer sites, faith communities, libraries, recreation departments, youth sports and arts organizations, vocational and pre-employment programs, colleges, and local businesses. The Coordinates the logistics of community access so that students leave campus regularly and safely and builds the practical skills students need to navigate a community on their own. Supports the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI) principle that a young person’s connection to her own home community must be maintained during placement, not rebuilt at discharge.
SPECIFIC DUTIES/RESPONSIBILITIES:
Provides services in a culturally responsive and inclusive manner that respects each individual's and family's cultural background, identity, values, language, beliefs, abilities, and preferences.
Conduct outreach that engages, supports, and collaborates within the community in order to develop and expand relationships on behalf of the program.
Identify, contact, and cultivate community organizations, employers, volunteer sites, and providers willing to host, employ, or include SCA students.
Build and maintain a current, written inventory of community resources, including contact person, what the partner offers, requirements, cost, capacity, accessibility, and any restrictions.
Educate community partners about the program and about working with adolescents who have trauma histories, in coordination with program leadership.
Maintain regular communication with internal and external contacts and keep partnerships active between uses.
Represent SCA at community meetings, coalitions, and local events as assigned.
Assess the interests of students in order to identify community programs and resources that match, in consultation with the treatment team.
Plan and coordinate a regular calendar of community access opportunities, including recurring activities that students can count on.
Coordinate all logistics for community outings, including scheduling with the partner, confirming the site, arranging transportation, and confirming staffing needs with the residential management team.
Verify that required permissions, consents, and DCYF or guardian approvals are in place before an outing occurs and confirm any individual restrictions with the treatment team.
Confirm that each outing plan accounts for known safety and clinical considerations identified by the treatment team and communicate any partner site concerns back to the team promptly.
Assist in servicing and monitoring recreational and educational activities within the residence or out in the community as assigned.
Debrief outings with staff and the treatment team and adjust future planning based on what worked and what did not.
Assist students in developing the skills to troubleshoot barriers that arise when accessing community resources.
Provide hands on practice in real settings with skills such as using public transportation, budgeting for an outing, ordering and paying, asking for help, and following a schedule.
Support students in obtaining practical documents and access items such as a library card, a state identification card, a bus pass, or a work permit, in coordination with the Care Coordinator who maintains vital records.
Support students in identifying volunteer, employment, and enrichment opportunities and in completing applications and preparing for interviews.
Coordinate with the onsite school regarding community-based learning, service learning, and vocational opportunities that support educational goals.
Collaborate with the FSRI Development Department on volunteers, donations, and relationship development.
Coordinate the intake, screening, orientation, and scheduling of volunteer programs in accordance with agency policy and licensing requirements.
Coordinate the receipt and appropriate distribution of donations to the program.
Ensure that volunteers and community partners enter the building following facility access, identification, and confidentiality requirements.
Identify and develop resources in each student’s own home community, not only in the area surrounding the program, so that connections survive discharge.
Contribute community resource information to discharge and aftercare planning and coordinate with the Care Coordinator and Family Support Partner so that the students and family receive one coordinated plan.
Support BBI aligned practice by keeping community connection active throughout placement rather than treating it as a discharge task.
Collaborate and maintain regular communication with the residential treatment team to ensure coordination and quality of care.
Maintain appropriate program records, reports, logs, and data as required, including outing records, community contact logs, partner agreements, and volunteer records.
Complete TST training, participate in consultation calls, and adhere to the TST model of treatment.
Attend staff meetings, in service trainings, workshops, and any special meetings required.
Complete all mandatory agency trainings on time.
Transport students as needed.
Perform additional responsibilities consistent with agency needs, defined in consultation with the supervisor.
QUALIFICATIONS:
Bachelor’s degree in human services, social work, communications, recreation, education, or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education and directly related experience.
Skilled in operating various medical record software and hardware, word-processing, and database software programs
Experience working with adolescents and young adults required. Experience with youth who have trauma histories or behavioral health needs strongly preferred.
Excellent customer service skills, including the ability to communicate with external stakeholders in a courteous and professional manner.
Strong organizational and interpersonal skills. Self-motivated, resourceful, able to manage multiple projects, and highly attentive to detail.
Spanish Speaking preferred and is compensated
Willingness and capability to work a flexible schedule including evenings and weekends, since community activities frequently occur outside standard business hours.
Excellent multitasking and communication skills necessary
Ability to work independently and part of a team
Bilingual/ASL skills are compensated by an additional 6%, above base pay.
Multilingual skills are compensated by an additional 8%, above base pay.
PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS (With or without reasonable accommodation):
This position requires community visits, employees in this position must have the ability to:
Current driver’s license, reliable transportation, registration, and auto insurance
Ability to communicate effectively
Travel to and from community locations and office site, which could include using walkways, stairs, and/or elevators
Utilize a computer and an electronic medical record to complete documentation.
Ability to lift up to 20lbs
Provide emergency coverage; ratio to the programs as needed
Don’t meet every single requirement? Here at FSRI, we’re dedicated to building a diverse and inclusive workplace. If you’re excited about one of our career opportunities, but your experience doesn’t align perfectly with every qualification, we encourage you to apply anyways. You may be the perfect fit for this or another opportunity!
We offer our employees a comprehensive benefits package that includes health, dental and work life benefits.
Only together can we continue to grow and make a difference in our communities.
Join our FAMILY today!
Family Service of RI (FSRI) is a statewide organization with a 130 year track record of improving the health and well-being of children and families. We are passionate about our mission to advance opportunity and hope. FSRI’s diverse and inclusive teams – working across the Health, Healing, Home and Hope divisions, are experts in their fields, delivering strategies to positively impact lives. We provide services statewide, and currently operate in three locations in Providence; and four locations in East Providence, Smithfield and North Smithfield.
Family Service of Rhode Island provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, marital status, or status as a covered veteran in accordance with applicable federal, state and local laws.
FSRI determines pay based on a candidate's relevant and transferable experience, certifications, licenses, degree and language ability.
Qualifications:
ABOUT THE PROGRAM:
South County Academy (SCA), a program of Family Service of Rhode Island and in partnership with the Rhode Island Department of Children, Youth and Families (DCYF), is a residential treatment program upholding RIDE standards located in Exeter, Rhode Island. The Academy serves up to 16 adolescent females, ages 13 to 17, who have experienced trauma and present with complex behavioral health needs. Students live in single-bedroom accommodations and are supported by staff 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Our clinical model is grounded in evidence-based practice, including Trauma Systems Therapy, Dialectical Behavior Therapy, and Restorative Practices. On-site academic instruction allows students to continue their education without interruption.
ESSENTIAL FUNCTION: The Community Engagement Specialist (CES) is an outward facing, non-clinical position. Responsible for building and expanding the program’s relationships outside its walls, and for turning those relationships into real opportunities for students. Develops and maintains a working inventory of community partners, including employers, volunteer sites, faith communities, libraries, recreation departments, youth sports and arts organizations, vocational and pre-employment programs, colleges, and local businesses. The Coordinates the logistics of community access so that students leave campus regularly and safely and builds the practical skills students need to navigate a community on their own. Supports the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI) principle that a young person’s connection to her own home community must be maintained during placement, not rebuilt at discharge.
SPECIFIC DUTIES/RESPONSIBILITIES:
Provides services in a culturally responsive and inclusive manner that respects each individual's and family's cultural background, identity, values, language, beliefs, abilities, and preferences.
Conduct outreach that engages, supports, and collaborates within the community in order to develop and expand relationships on behalf of the program.
Identify, contact, and cultivate community organizations, employers, volunteer sites, and providers willing to host, employ, or include SCA students.
Build and maintain a current, written inventory of community resources, including contact person, what the partner offers, requirements, cost, capacity, accessibility, and any restrictions.
Educate community partners about the program and about working with adolescents who have trauma histories, in coordination with program leadership.
Maintain regular communication with internal and external contacts and keep partnerships active between uses.
Represent SCA at community meetings, coalitions, and local events as assigned.
Assess the interests of students in order to identify community programs and resources that match, in consultation with the treatment team.
Plan and coordinate a regular calendar of community access opportunities, including recurring activities that students can count on.
Coordinate all logistics for community outings, including scheduling with the partner, confirming the site, arranging transportation, and confirming staffing needs with the residential management team.
Verify that required permissions, consents, and DCYF or guardian approvals are in place before an outing occurs and confirm any individual restrictions with the treatment team.
Confirm that each outing plan accounts for known safety and clinical considerations identified by the treatment team and communicate any partner site concerns back to the team promptly.
Assist in servicing and monitoring recreational and educational activities within the residence or out in the community as assigned.
Debrief outings with staff and the treatment team and adjust future planning based on what worked and what did not.
Assist students in developing the skills to troubleshoot barriers that arise when accessing community resources.
Provide hands on practice in real settings with skills such as using public transportation, budgeting for an outing, ordering and paying, asking for help, and following a schedule.
Support students in obtaining practical documents and access items such as a library card, a state identification card, a bus pass, or a work permit, in coordination with the Care Coordinator who maintains vital records.
Support students in identifying volunteer, employment, and enrichment opportunities and in completing applications and preparing for interviews.
Coordinate with the onsite school regarding community-based learning, service learning, and vocational opportunities that support educational goals.
Collaborate with the FSRI Development Department on volunteers, donations, and relationship development.
Coordinate the intake, screening, orientation, and scheduling of volunteer programs in accordance with agency policy and licensing requirements.
Coordinate the receipt and appropriate distribution of donations to the program.
Ensure that volunteers and community partners enter the building following facility access, identification, and confidentiality requirements.
Identify and develop resources in each student’s own home community, not only in the area surrounding the program, so that connections survive discharge.
Contribute community resource information to discharge and aftercare planning and coordinate with the Care Coordinator and Family Support Partner so that the students and family receive one coordinated plan.
Support BBI aligned practice by keeping community connection active throughout placement rather than treating it as a discharge task.
Collaborate and maintain regular communication with the residential treatment team to ensure coordination and quality of care.
Maintain appropriate program records, reports, logs, and data as required, including outing records, community contact logs, partner agreements, and volunteer records.
Complete TST training, participate in consultation calls, and adhere to the TST model of treatment.
Attend staff meetings, in service trainings, workshops, and any special meetings required.
Complete all mandatory agency trainings on time.
Transport students as needed.
Perform additional responsibilities consistent with agency needs, defined in consultation with the supervisor.
QUALIFICATIONS:
Bachelor’s degree in human services, social work, communications, recreation, education, or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education and directly related experience.
Skilled in operating various medical record software and hardware, word-processing, and database software programs
Experience working with adolescents and young adults required. Experience with youth who have trauma histories or behavioral health needs strongly preferred.
Excellent customer service skills, including the ability to communicate with external stakeholders in a courteous and professional manner.
Strong organizational and interpersonal skills. Self-motivated, resourceful, able to manage multiple projects, and highly attentive to detail.
Spanish Speaking preferred and is compensated
Willingness and capability to work a flexible schedule including evenings and weekends, since community activities frequently occur outside standard business hours.
Excellent multitasking and communication skills necessary
Ability to work independently and part of a team
Bilingual/ASL skills are compensated by an additional 6%, above base pay.
Multilingual skills are compensated by an additional 8%, above base pay.
PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS (With or without reasonable accommodation):
This position requires community visits, employees in this position must have the ability to:
Current driver’s license, reliable transportation, registration, and auto insurance
Ability to communicate effectively
Travel to and from community locations and office site, which could include using walkways, stairs, and/or elevators
Utilize a computer and an electronic medical record to complete documentation.
Ability to lift up to 20lbs
Provide emergency coverage; ratio to the programs as needed
Don’t meet every single requirement? Here at FSRI, we’re dedicated to building a diverse and inclusive workplace. If you’re excited about one of our career opportunities, but your experience doesn’t align perfectly with every qualification, we encourage you to apply anyways. You may be the perfect fit for this or another opportunity!
We offer our employees a comprehensive benefits package that includes health, dental and work life benefits.
Only together can we continue to grow and make a difference in our communities.
Join our FAMILY today!
Family Service of RI (FSRI) is a statewide organization with a 130 year track record of improving the health and well-being of children and families. We are passionate about our mission to advance opportunity and hope. FSRI’s diverse and inclusive teams – working across the Health, Healing, Home and Hope divisions, are experts in their fields, delivering strategies to positively impact lives. We provide services statewide, and currently operate in three locations in Providence; and four locations in East Providence, Smithfield and North Smithfield.
Family Service of Rhode Island provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, marital status, or status as a covered veteran in accordance with applicable federal, state and local laws.
FSRI determines pay based on a candidate's relevant and transferable experience, certifications, licenses, degree and language ability.
Qualifications:
Dallas, Texas, United States
On-site
$26.78 - $33.30 USD hourly