Career Development Coordinator

Program Summary

YOACAP, a program partner of the Urban Affairs Coalition, has an over 30-year history of providing grassroots community outreach and a comprehensive, holistic program system that supports and nurtures youth and their families. YOACAP's mission is to enhance the quality of life and health for Philadelphians through community-based and culturally competent interventions.

YOACAP offers after-school and summer programs for middle and high school students, a variety of programs to prepare youth and opportunity youth for a career in the building trades, and violence prevention programs.

Position Summary

The Career Development Coordinator will work with young people ages 14-24 years old who are at risk of being involved in violence, including justice-impacted youth and/or youth with limited work experience, to help them find employment. They will accomplish this by building relationships with employers in various industries and working closely with young people to help prepare them for employment.

The Career Development Coordinator will work closely with the Executive Director, Case Manager, and the Youth Unit Leader to support the young people enrolled in YOACAP's programs, focusing on the Anti-Violence Community Expansion Grant (CEG) Program. They must be adept at building relationships with employers and assessing employer needs while making a case for why the employer should give a young person from YOACAP's program a chance. They must also be skilled at connecting with young people and providing intensive career counseling support. Some administrative functions, such as tracking and reporting data, will need to be fulfilled to be successful in this role.

YOACAP's CEG Program works with barbers, outreach workers, and other key partners in the community to identify young people who are likely to be involved in or impacted by gun violence. Through the barbers and other partners, YOACAP engages with young people to help them begin exploring career paths and envisioning a brighter future. When youth are willing, YOACAP begins intensive case management services, including removing barriers to employment.

Key Duties & Responsibilities:

• Help participants develop individual employment plans and provide intensive individual career counseling to help them achieve their goals;
• Assist each participant with writing a resume, cover letter and preparing other career-related materials;
• Conduct employment preparation workshops;
• Conduct mock interviews and provide participants with feedback;
• Provide guidance, support, and follow-up service to participants throughout the job search process and once they obtain employment;
• Identify and help to remove barriers to financial self-sufficiency for participants;
• Understand and track the labor market to identify high-growth job opportunities that have low barriers to entry;
• Identify employer partners through job fairs, individual contact, and the Internet;
• Build and maintain relationships with employer partners to ensure participant success;
• Build relationships with CareerLink;
• Prepare reports and keep well-organized records using a computer.

Education, Knowledge, Skills & Abilities:

• Bachelor's degree preferred;
• Experience working with youth, particularly those who are at risk of being involved in violence or the juvenile justice system;
• Experienced in workforce development and employer engagement;
• Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to connect with both youth and employers;
• Strong attention to detail;
• Strong verbal and written communication skills;
• Ability to work independently, prioritize, organize, problem-solve, and exercise good judgment;
• Proficient in MS Office Suite;
• Willingness to occasionally work flexible, varying hours, including evenings and weekends as needed.

Compensation: $50,000 annually and benefits. Please note - This is a one-year grant-funded position with the possibility of an extension.

Background clearances (Child Abuse, PA Criminal Background, and FBI Fingerprinting) are required.