Employment Specialist

Volunteer Center of Santa Cruz County

Community Connection

Career Services Program

Employment Specialist

General Description:

The Volunteer Center of Santa Cruz County is a dynamic, mission and values driven agency engaging 20,000 local people a year to connect for good in our community. Our values are quality, equity and engagement for our staff, clients, community and volunteers. Community Connection (CC) is the mental health department of the Volunteer Center consisting of 12 high- impact programs serving 800 youth and adults with a mental health diagnosis across Santa Cruz County. The mission of CC is to empower our mental health community through wellness, meaningful activity, and community connection.

Under the supervision of the Career Services Program Coordinator II, the Employment Specialist provides employment services to adults with a mental health diagnosis in Santa Cruz County. Using the recovery approach, the Employment Specialist helps individuals identify and remove barriers to employment, provides employment preparation services and vocational assessment, and ensures successful outcomes by providing post-employment job coaching. Services aim to connect participants to job and career opportunities that are both appropriate to their backgrounds, skills, and interests, as well as supportive to their mental health recovery.

Essential Functions

Provision of Direct Services

1. Provides direct services to clients in accordance to the Department of Rehabilitation (DOR) plan to identify and reduce barriers to employment.

2. Provides employment preparation services, including resume development, interviewing skills, work related behaviors, grooming and labor market research.

3. Develops trial work situations for client to be evaluated on work readiness and interest, and to determine client skills, needs, interests, and barriers.

4. Provides assessment utilizing simulated work, volunteer observation, and/or career exploration to identify current level of employability or as part of eligibility.

5. Provides assistance with benefits counseling, reasonable accommodations, SSI/SSDI work incentives, and other pre-employment issues.

6. Collaborate with our Job Developer to facilitate successful placements in competitive employment settings that are tailored specifically to the client.

7. Provides on and off-the-job, non-supported employment job coaching and support.

8. Completes all necessary documentation related to service activities, including monthly progress reports and daily contact notes.

9. Communicates with multiple individuals and agencies surrounding the health and wellness of each client as they relate to employment.

10. Other duties as assigned.

Administrative Duties

1. Attends Career Services, All Staff and DOR team meetings.

2. Participates in agency-wide workgroups and events.

3. Assists with fundraising, hosting special events and program promotion activities.

4. Manages case records in accordance with program standards.

5. Utilizes agency-wide tools effectively including google calendar, email, timecards and forms.

6. Other administrative duties as requested.

Qualifications and Skills:

1. A.A. in a related field and six months of relevant experience, or two years of relevant experience working in jobs of a similar nature.

2. Knowledge of labor market trends in a range of occupational fields (professional, skilled, semi-skilled and industrial).

3. Understanding of the employment needs of individuals with mental health disabilities.

4. Ability to outreach, network, and market participants and program.

5. Computer software literacy and experience with Mac OS.

6. Experience in service documentation.

7. Good oral and written communication skills.

8. Must have a vehicle, California driver’s license, auto insurance & clean DMV record to effectively meet with participants in the community.

9. Work collaboratively and effectively with participants, colleagues, service providers and other community members.

10. Work with diverse groups and understand culturally-specific needs and values.

Plus Factors:

1. Experience working with dual-diagnosis

2. Personal or family experience as a mental health consumer

3. Bilingual in English/Spanish

Employment Term and Conditions:

The Volunteer Center defines a full-time work schedule as 36 hours per week to value a healthy work/life balance of our team. The Career Services Employment Specialist is a full-time, hourly position, budgeted between 32 – 36 hours per week. The position is eligible for full Volunteer Center benefits including paid vacation, sick leave, holidays, health insurance, 401(k) plan with a company match and access to other employee optional benefits. Starting hourly pay is $20.18 – $22.38 depending on experience, with regularly scheduled increases. This position also requires mandated reporting and adherence to HIPAA and 42 C.F.R.

The Volunteer Center offers a robust benefits package valued at over $8,000.00 annually. This package includes Medical, Dental, Vision and Chiropractic insurance. In addition, we offer a 401(K) plan with company match, a Flexible Spending Account, Dependent Care Reimbursement Program, Employee Assistance Program and a half hour paid lunch. We have mileage reimbursement for work travel and a hybrid work schedule to support a flexible schedule for our staff. You will also receive 12 days of vacation for the first year of employment, 10 paid holidays and 6 floating holidays as well as 12 days of sick time accrued each year!

Job Types: Full-time, Part-time

Pay: $20.18 - $22.38 per hour

Benefits:

• 401(k)
• 401(k) matching
• Dental insurance
• Employee assistance program
• Flexible schedule
• Flexible spending account
• Health insurance
• Paid time off
• Parental leave
• Professional development assistance
• Retirement plan
• Vision insurance

Schedule:

• 4 hour shift
• 8 hour shift
• Monday to Friday

Ability to commute/relocate:

• Santa Cruz, CA 95060: Reliably commute or planning to relocate before starting work (Required)

Education:

• Associate (Preferred)

Experience:

• vocational and/or mental health counseling: 1 year (Preferred)

License/Certification:

• Driver's License (Preferred)

Work Location: One location

Salary : $20 - $22