Mile High United Way's Bridging the Gap (BTG) program provides supportive services to youth age 18 through 24 as they transition out of the child welfare system. As an essential part of Bridging the Gap, the Independent Living Coach (ILC), will employ a strengths-based approach to support young people ages 18-24 experiencing homelessness, and/or exiting the foster care system and Division of Youth Services. The ILC will provide one-on-one support, resources, and interventions to these emergent adults as they identify and access critical basic needs and services related to their transition to independent living, including the Family Unification Program transitional housing voucher.
- Facilitate the development of both formal and informal supports for each of their participants. The ILC will engage young adults with programs, services and opportunities within the following four domains: personal growth including workforce and education, physical and mental health, financial health and social well-being and engagement.
- Utilizing a trauma-informed coaching model, the ILC will support participants as they develop a vision of what they would like to achieve within the four domain areas. Through the co-creation of an independent living plan that supports the participants understanding and practice of behaviors and skills that can develop confidence, promote independence, and establish stability. The ILC will collaborate with and assist participants in learning the skills to advocate for themselves.
- Connect young adults with opportunities to discover their strengths and interests and to explore pathways to education and employment. Provide guidance and hands on support related to employment, job readiness (resume writing, job leads, interviewing preparation, etc.) as well as high school graduation, GED completion and post-secondary pursuits (FAFSA, scholarships, applications, etc.).
- Provide support, guidance, and intervention to participants as they navigate challenging situations with the goal of helping them anticipate and develop a plan to minimize the impact and prevent future challenges.
- Build relationships with participants to support them as they identify, access and navigate systems designed to support their transition to living independently including obtaining medical coverage as well as forms of public assistance (TANF, SNAP, CCAP, bus passes, etc.).
- Provide basic financial information to participants about earning money, spending it wisely, saving and investing so that they may maintain the sufficient economic resources to meet their daily needs.
- Assist participants with the process of understanding, opening, and maximizing use of a savings account and a credit building account.
- Coordinate with colleagues on the planning, marketing/recruitment and implementation of BTG events and activities.
- Responsible for documenting accurate participant information and activities in the database system, following client confidentiality, database security protocols and data integrity.
- Provide support to participants in searching for and applying for housing.
Additional Responsibilities
- Assist the BTG Housing Coordinator in the completion of housing paperwork and required reporting by the Family Unification Program/Section 8.
- Harness the resources and connections of the organization to assist youth in successfully moving toward independence (classes, workshops, connections to corporations and agency partners).
- Experience working with the following sectors: school districts, juvenile justice, mental health, law enforcement and human service agencies, preferred.
- Strong understanding of youth development factors
- Strong ties and understanding of community resources
- Strong case management skills
- Excellent communication skills
- Strong organizational skills
- Creative and flexible nature
- Basic computer skills, including
- Must also successfully meet and maintain Mile High United Way's driving criteria.
- Must possess and maintain a valid driver's license.
- Reliable transportation is required as you will be utilizing your own personal vehicle for visiting youth's homes and conducting coaching sessions in the community. You will be reimbursed for mileage.
- Proficient in Microsoft Office.