Mentor

Description

Agency Conformance Statements

In the performance of their respective tasks and duties all employees are expected to conform to the following:

• Perform quality work within deadlines with or without direct supervision.
• Interact professionally with other employees, clients, customers and suppliers.
• Maintain strict confidentiality of all client, family and personnel records.
• Fulfill the duties of the position in a manner that provides sensitivity to the service population’s cultural and socioeconomic characteristics.
• Work effectively as a team contributor on all assignments.
• Work independently while understanding the necessity for communicating and coordinating work efforts with other employees and organizations.

Summary/Objective of Position

A Mentor works with children and youth (i.e. clients) to create high quality, supportive, and enduring relationships. Referrals are made through the local Department of Social Services (LDSS), and consist of internal treatment foster care clients as well as community based clients.

Together with the Family Services Coordinator, the LDSS worker, the client’s caretaker, and the client, the Mentor identifies goals and objectives at the time of referral. The Mentor participates in team meetings and is responsible for regular documentation which tracks the client’s progress toward the achievement of these goals.

Mentoring services take a strengths-based and trauma informed approach to service delivery.

The Mentor works to build a trusting relationship with the client, believes the client possesses inherent worth, and treats the client with dignity and respect. Within the context of this trusting relationship the Mentor serves as a protective factor in the client’s life, and strives to bolster the client’s resilience and further the client’s positive development.

The position of Mentor is part-time, non-exempt. The expected hours of work for this position vary case by case and are based on the number of hours approved by the local Family Assessment and Planning Team (FAPT). This number is specific to the needs of the case; a common starting point for Mentoring services is 20-25 hours per month.

The position of Mentor reports to the Family Services Coordinator.

Responsibilities/Duties/Functions/Tasks

The Mentor works with clients as defined to provide empathic, non-judgmental assistance to support and facilitate the successful achievement of identified client goals and objectives. The Mentor acts as a positive role model in the client’s life and will expose the client to positive experiences within the community. The Mentor models and teaches life skills to the client while simultaneously remaining open to learning from the client. The Mentor creates plans for outings, but also promotes the client having a voice in what occurs during outings. This service will take place in appropriate community settings.

This job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee. Other duties, responsibilities and activities may change or be assigned at any time with or without notice.

Core Responsibilities

The Mentor works on goals with the client that are identified by the treatment team within the time frame of approved hours and beginning/end dates as approved by the funding source (FAPT). The Mentor performs the obligations of a mandated reporter. The Mentor establishes and maintains good professional boundaries.

The Mentor will participate in monthly individual and group supervision, and will participate in quarterly ongoing training opportunities. The Mentor is required to write timely, thorough, and professional case notes as instructed.

The core responsibility of the Mentor is to develop a supportive, high-quality, and enduring relationship with the client that creates opportunities for the client to engage with and contribute to the community and promotes the client’s positive development.

Through the formation of a trusting relationship, the Mentor will work with the client to achieve the identified goals created by the treatment team. The Mentor will continue to assess the needs of the client throughout the case and will discuss changing and/or adding goals with the treatment team as appropriate. The Mentor will maintain regular communication with the referral source and the Family Services Coordinator so that all members of the team are aware of the client’s progress and challenges.

Requirements

Required Qualifications, Education, Experience, Credentials, Licensure

• Ability to be calm, well organized, and display strong relationship building skills;
• A strong capacity to work as part of a multidisciplinary team;
• Ability to objectively track behavior and communicate responsibly, reliably and accurately in writing;
• Ability to understand the goals and tasks identified by team leaders and follow through with their implementation;
• Ability to relate comfortably and genuinely with adults and children, and the ability to communicate effectively with team members;
• Demonstrate sound judgment and good interpersonal skills;
• Demonstrate strong skills in behavior management and social skills;
• Competency in database skills to document work in a timely, efficient, and thorough way;
• Compliance with People Places background checks.

Preferred Qualifications, Education, Experience, Credentials, Licensure

• Bachelor’s degree in social work from a college or university accredited by the Council on Social Work Education or a field related to social work such as psychology, sociology, special education or counseling
• A minimum of one year experience working in a human service or child welfare organization
• Experience with high-risk youth and/or families

Work Requirements

The nature of this position requires work to be done both in the office and within the communities served by the Agency. To this end, a reliable vehicle and a valid driver’s license are required for this position.

Special Position Requirements

These physical demands are representative of the physical requirements necessary for an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of the Mentor’s job.

• While performing the responsibilities of the Mentor’s job, the employee is required to talk and hear. The employee is often required to sit and use their hands and fingers, to handle or feel and to manipulate keys on a keyboard.
• The employee is occasionally required to stand, walk, carry up to 30 pounds, reach with arms and hands, climb or balance, and stoop, kneel, crouch or crawl. Vision abilities required by this job include close vision.

To perform the Mentor’s job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential responsibility satisfactorily. This job description is intended to convey information essential to understanding the scope of the Mentor position and it is not intended to be an exhaustive list of skills, efforts, duties, responsibilities or working conditions associated with the position. Other duties, responsibilities and activities may change or be assigned at any time with or without notice.

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable people with disabilities to perform the described essential functions of the Mentor’s job.

This job description supersedes all prior job descriptions for the position of Mentor.

Equal Employment Opportunity

People Places, Inc. (the “Agency.”) provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability or genetics. In addition to federal law requirements, the Agency complies with applicable state and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment in every location in which the company has facilities. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation and training.

Any form of workplace harassment based on race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, genetic information, disability, or veteran status is expressly prohibited. Improper interference with the ability of Agency employees to perform their job duties may result in discipline up to and including discharge.