School Liaison en Old Colony YMCA

JOB SUMMARY: The School Liaison is an employee of the FRC who works closely with local school districts to help Family Members navigate through educational and school-related concerns and needs, as well as works with school districts to identify Family Members that may be in need of family support services. The Liaison shall ensure that all Family Members experiencing CRA-related issues are connected to services that meet their individual needs and shall ensure that there is a process established to provide information and referral and direct assistance where possible for individual Family Members. S/he will accept and display the values of caring, honesty, respect and responsibility.

JOB FUNCTIONS:

1. PROGRAM/DEPARTMENT RESPSONSIBILITIES:

• Serve as a resource to families, schools and the community in improving overall student attendance and graduation rates, reducing truancy rates, identifying systemic issues, barriers, trends and needs, networking and disseminating information, designing solutions and expanding system capacity.
• Develop strong working relationships with school personnel to identify key needs and priorities of students and their parents and to become a resource to the schools and FRC staff as they work to meet students’ and parents’ educational and non-academic needs.
• Develop creative and proactive approaches to individuals’ and families’ crisis patterns and help address their problems before they develop into crises.
• Assist individuals and families in locating and obtaining community-based services and conducting self-advocacy.
• Responsible for negotiating and implementing special events and other activities at the FRC or in the community that involve schools.
• Develop relationships with local state agency staff, become conversant in agency service/programming offerings to at-risk students, act as connector between local state agency staff and youth facing academic and other challenges.
• Develop programming with/at local FRC that meets needs of families in the community – particularly those whose children attend the local public school system.
• Work closely with DESE staff that are working in the local communities where the Liaison is located, identify opportunities to work collaboratively in meeting student needs.
• Document work to track successful strategies with youth and evidence of success and student-focused strategies worth replicating. Present cases for review both in a team setting and as part of utilization review with contractors.
• Collaborates with FRC Staff to provide support to all families seeking services at the FRC.
• Attends FRC staff meetings weekly.
• Maintains professional boundaries at all times.
• Attends and actively participates in weekly supervision and group supervision to review progress, improve communication and work on professional growth.
• Completes required documentation in a timely manner, adhering to the highest professional standards.
• Other duties as assigned by program leadership.

1. SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES: N/A

1. FISCAL RESPONSIBILITIES:

1. FACILITY RESPONSIBILITIES:

• To develop and maintain a culture of safety, security, and cleanliness within the main office.
• To assure and maintain the highest level of safety and cleanliness of the program, by reviewing daily environment checks and to follow up immediately on any maintenance or security issues.

1. INTERDIVISIONAL/COMMUNITY/VOLUNTEER RESPONSIBILITIES:

YMCA LEADERSHIP COMPETENCIES - LEADER

Mission Advancement:   Accepts and demonstrates the Y’s values.  Demonstrates a desire to serve others and fulfill community needs.  Recruits volunteers and builds effective, supportive working relationships with them.  Supports fundraising. 

Collaboration:   Works effectively with people of different backgrounds, abilities, opinions, and perceptions.  Builds rapport and relates well to others.  Seeks first to understand the other person’s point of view and remains calm in challenging situations.  Listens for understanding and meaning; speaks and writes effectively.  Takes initiative to assist in developing others.

Operational Effectiveness:  Makes sound judgments, and transfers learning from one situation to another.  Embraces new approaches and discovers ideas to create a better member experience.  Establishes goals, clarifies tasks, plans work, and actively participates in meetings.  Follows budgeting policies and procedures, and reports all financial irregularities immediately.  Strives to meet or exceed goals and deliver a high-value experience for members.

Personal Growth:  Pursues self-development that enhances job performance.  Demonstrates an openness to change, and seeks opportunities in the change process.  Accurately assesses personal feelings, strengths, and limitations and how they impact relationships.  Has the functional and technical knowledge and skills required to perform well; uses best practices and demonstrates up-to-date knowledge and skills in technology.