Residential Site Coordinator

Organization Overview

United Friends of the Children empowers current and former foster/justice involved youth on their journey to self-sufficiency through service-enriched programs, advocacy, and consistent relationships with a community of people who care.

Founded over 40 years ago, United Friends’ is a leading provider of youth development services to current and former foster youth in Los Angeles County. Through its housing and education programs, the organization has helped thousands of young people imagine and actualize their own dreams and futures. United Friends’ programs focus on commitment, trauma-informed care, and empowerment by prioritizing a whole-person-development approach. Through a Social Justice Positive Youth Development (SJPYD) model, we center building relationships with youth over an extended period to achieve greater outcomes. Around those relationships, United Friends wraps an array of supportive services to help youth successfully transition to adulthood. As a result of services, United Friends alumni have greater housing and economic stability, higher educational attainment and a stronger sense of community and emotional wellbeing.

Position Overview

Pathways is a low-barrier to entry housing program that provides intensive case management and support services to transitional aged-youth (TAY), ages 18-24. The Pathways program utilizes the Housing First Approach in which, assertive engagement with our youth is essential to ensure youth are aware of and participate in a myriad of resources and supportive services offered by the program. The Residential Site Coordinator plays a key role in daily monitoring of site safety and implementation of youth services essential to onsite housing support. The position promotes community and wellness and supports in conducting site inspections. In collaboration with program staff, the Residential Site Coordinator helps to plan youth services, such as activities, workshops, or events, and provides general resources as needed. The Residential Site Coordinator builds strong rapport with residents and is able to intervene to de-escalate incidents.

The ideal candidate will have a keen understanding of best practice service models, such as trauma-informed care, harm reduction, and social justice positive youth development. Specific knowledge related to transitional aged youth experiencing housing instability is a plus.

United Friends currently implements a hybrid work environment – schedule is determined at the discretion of management and the needs of the program and/or agency. This position will work full-time hours, requiring evening hours and one weekend day (Tuesday-Saturday 1p-930p). The Residential Site Coordinator will work across housing sites. United Friends’ downtown office will serve as a hybrid work location for administrative and meeting purposes (as specified). Travel between United Friends’ housing sites across Los Angeles County is required.

Duties and Responsibilities

Community and Youth Engagement

• Collaborate with Pathways Team to maintain an engaged, safe, and thriving community
• Build strong rapport and relationships with residents and creatively engage youth to attend workshops and events
• Support in the implementation of life skills workshops, activities, and events led by staff, community partners or volunteers
• Collaborate with community agencies to coordinate youth events or services
• Create and maintain a list of community resources relevant to youth needs and program services
• De-escalate incidents and provide crisis management using restorative justice practices and crisis interventions

Program and Site Coordination

• Conduct daily property inspections to maintain resident safety and site compliance
• Maintain adequate inventory and storage of program and office supplies
• Support with program intakes and exits as needed

Administrative Support

• Report and document incidents and maintenance requests in a timely manner
• Assist in the preparation of required program reports
• Track outcomes, data entry, and assessments as required

Other

• Other duties as assigned.

General United Friends Responsibilities

• Act as a role model within the organization to uphold and implement United Friends’ organizational values:
• Embrace program evaluation that leads to excellence and impact.
• Build effective and empowering partnerships with the youth, community, and each other.
• Create a fun and exciting environment that inspires learning and innovation.
• Communicate openly, honestly and with humility across all groups.
• Work together as one organization.
• Staff hold a commitment to:
• A culturally responsive Trauma-Informed Approach to our population and client centered advocacy
• Strong knowledge of the communities served and centralize this cultural understanding into the work.
• Support in Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (JEDI)
• Evaluating the completeness, accuracy and relevance of data to determine information value and improve client services.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in social work, Psychology or related field preferred. Related work or lived experience will be strongly considered in place of or in addition to a bachelor's degree.
• 1-3 years of experience providing direct services to high-risk youth
• Experience working with vulnerable populations
• Establishes and cultivates respectful relationships with people from diverse backgrounds
• Trauma-informed and client-centered advocacy
• Understand the communities served and centralize this cultural understanding into the work
• Passionate about United Friends’ mission
• Experience in crisis management and conflict resolution
• Responds effectively and urgently to critical incidents
• Works collaboratively and cooperatively as a member of a multi-disciplinary service team
• Works responsibly with sensitive and confidential information
• Balances multiple competing priorities with strong organizational skills and attention to detail
• Holds self-accountable, sets high expectations for self and others, works independently and collaboratively
• Conveys thoughts and ideas clearly, listens well, communicates in a solution-oriented manner, and incorporates others’ views into work
• Must have valid California Driver’s License and an insured and reliable vehicle

Preferred Qualifications

• 2+ years in housing setting with TAY population
• An understanding and sensitivity to issues concerning former foster care youth
• Knowledge of the TAY resource landscape in Los Angeles
• Knowledge of the Los Angeles County Coordinated Entry System and Measure A
• Knowledge of Positive Youth Development