Education Support Specialist

Why Work For Simpson?

Our Mission is to house, support and advocate for people experiencing homelessness. We believe that everybody has the right to safe and affordable housing; we strive to strive to create a collaborative community with the individuals we serve, within Simpson, and with the greater community; and we advocate against the injustices of society that cause homelessness and poverty.

Simpson Housing Services Provides an Excellent Benefits Package to All Full-time Employees, Including:

• Generous PTO and 11 Additional Paid Holidays
• Health Insurance, Flexible Spending Accounts and an HSA match
• Retirement Plan with Employer Match
• Up to 12 Weeks Paid Parental Leave
• Free Annual Minnesota State Park Pass or Wellness Stipend
• Mileage Reimbursement
• Dental Coverage and Vision Discount Plan
• An Incredible Culture that Encourages Career Growth and Support!

Wages: $40,000 to $45,000 per year. 1 Position Available.

Full Job Description

Summary

This position is part of the Family and Youth Housing Program at Simpson Housing Services.  The goal of the program is to provide stable housing and effective support services to homeless families and youth in transition.

This position provides education support and advocacy services to families with school-aged children as part of the Children and Youth Services Department.  This mission of the CYS department is to break the generational cycle of homelessness by partnering with parents to support children’s academic success, stability, and well-being.  The major duties of this position include case management through regular home visits, facilitating opportunities for parents to increase their sense of self-efficacy as advocates in their child(ren)’s development, and working with parents and community members to ensure that young people’s strengths and needs are being recognized and addressed.

Services will be provided in participant homes, in area shelters, at Simpson Housing sites, and in schools.  Participant populations may include those with chemical abuse challenges, criminal histories, and/or supportive parenting challenges.  Employee may provide back up for other Youth Team members during periods of absence or during times of increased workloads.

The Education Support Specialist works to assist families in reaching the following goals:

1. Improved child(ren)’s school attendance and grades.
2. Improved child(ren)’s social and emotional wellbeing.
3. Increased parental involvement in education.
4. Increased parental sense of self-efficacy in advocating for children’s needs.
5. Increased connection to community support for children’s needs.

This is a 40 hour per week position. Hours for this position are Mondays to Fridays, 9:00 am to 5:00 pm. Some evenings and weekends required.

Responsibilities

Provide child-focused case management to families with school-aged children (K-12):

• Provide 15 hours of direct service per week that amplifies parents’ role as their child’s first, best advocate
• Meet with incoming families with school-aged children and provide time-limited case management around school enrollment, transportation, school supplies, school readiness and expectations, etc.
• Meet 3-6 times with new families in the first 90 days to support goal-planning and connection to resources to facilitate academic success, emotional wellness, and enrichment opportunities.

Provide support to increase parental self-efficacy:

• Provide goal-focused, short-term case management around IEP meetings, 504 plans, McKinney-Vento access, and parent-teacher conferences
• Facilitate connections to internal and external programs, as driven by parents, that further family’s goals of achieving long-term housing stability independent of Simpson
• Build and maintain connections with schools and relevant community partners; assist parents in building relationships with these partners as appropriate
• Coordinate internal school engagement initiatives (Tools for School, Attendance Celebrations, etc.).

Coordinate and facilitate small-group workshops:

• Lead summer transition institutes for parents with children starting kindergarten, 6th grade, 9th grade, and post-secondary education
• Design and implement activities, discussions, and/or small-group workshops for parents on relevant topics.  These could include, but are not limited to:
  • Children’s growth and development
  • Concrete ways for parents to support children’s learning
  • Parental involvement in their child’s education and/or school
  • Recognizing and advocating for quality education.

Work as part of an effective team to meet goals of program:

• Provide consultation, training, resources to family advocates, with support from CYS Manager
• Communicate and coordinate services with all team members (Children and Youth Services and Family and Youth Housing Team)
• Attend weekly team meetings, other required meetings
• Demonstrate willingness to engage in courageous conversations
• Assist with planning and implementation of Family Housing workshops and other family outings as requested.

Complete accurate and thorough documentation and recordkeeping in a timely manner:

• Maintain case files on families served, including case notes, resources provided, signed data privacy, intake and discharge summaries, release of information, and other relevant information
• Record complete and accurate case notes within 24 hours of each service provided
• Collect data as needed for reporting program objectives
• Maintain accurate records including employee time sheets and travel expenses
• Participate with funding reports, grant writing, and site visits
• Other duties as assigned.

Provide positive representations of SHS through public relations and networking:

• Develop and maintain positive working relationships with staff, volunteers, participants, and other stakeholders
• Network with providers of similar services
• Participate in professional meetings, workshops, and staff meetings.

Demonstrate essential knowledge, abilities, and skills:

• Ability to build rapport and trusting relationships in a short period of time.
• Ability to be reflective in intentional, time-limited relationships.
• Ability and willingness to not overstep the parent’s role.
• Ability to center family needs and goals rather that provider needs and goals.
• Ability to identify and reflect a parent’s strengths and capabilities back to them, and a willingness to uplift parents as leaders in their families.
• Ability to work very well independently, with excellent skills in teamwork and collaboration.
• Ability to be flexible and manage time.
• Ability to think critically and be creative and resourceful.
• Knowledge of Harm Reduction and Trauma-Informed Care and commitment to that model.
• Ability to commit to ongoing personal and professional work identifying and dismantling white supremacy culture.
• Ability to communicate effectively, positively, and professional with participants, providers, family members, and others.
• Ability to work with individuals from very diverse backgrounds.
• Ability to perform non-traditional tasks while meeting participant needs.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality.
• Ability to adhere to a standard framework of boundaries in all interactions with participants, volunteers, staff, and public.

Commitment to racial equity and social justice:

• Work within and across agency departments to build culture of equity and antiracism.
• Evolve knowledge and strategy of equity and antiracism on an individual and team level.
• Participate in meetings, trainings, and workshops hosted by SHS about diversity, equity, inclusion, antiracism, and other related topics.

Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of this position. Duties, responsibilities and activities may change at any time with or without notice.

Scope of Position

Job Requirements:

• Minimum two years of experience working with parents in a community setting required; experience navigating a school system preferred.
• Commitment to transformational services, whole-family services, and anti-racist work.
• Driver’s License and car required.
• All staff are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19.

Desired:

• Knowledge of child development, K-12 education policy and practice, and family systems desired.
• Experience and/or training in working with low-income families, diverse populations, and unhoused persons desired.
• Experience with Critical Time Intervention model desired.
• Knowledge of mental health, chemical dependency, physical or sexual abuse is desired.

Essential Mental Functions

The employee must draw upon the ability to empathize, problem solve, and accept people unconditionally with an openness to new ideas.

To interpret policies and guidelines, the employee must draw on analytical abilities.

The employee must understand and apply knowledge of homelessness, social support systems, advocacy, and youth stages of development and case management in terms of providing services to families.

Home visitation requires the employee to be aware of personal safety.

Essential Physical Functions

Employee must be able to hear and speak, in order to communicate with staff and participants in person, on the telephone, and in writing.  Must be able to move about the community and public places (such as apartment buildings).  Must be able to drive a van.

Percentage time spent away from main office/location:

Time inside: 30%, Time outside: 70%

Time outside includes, but is not limited to, home visits, shelter visits, school visits, attending community meetings, accompanying participants to appointments.

Percentage time spent in direct care:  60% (includes travel time)

Type of guidance and supervision received: Will participate in regular team meetings as well as weekly direct supervision meetings.

Number of Direct Reports: None

Number of In-direct Reports: None

Budget Responsibility: None