Life Coach / Case Worker

The Home for Little Wanderers, Inc.; Lowell (MA); On-site; USD 42,000 - 54,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Generous time off

Health, Dental & Vision Insurance

Extensive training

Tuition reimbursement

403(b) Retirement Plan

Disability & Life Insurance

Job summary

The Home for Little Wanderers, Inc. is seeking a dedicated Life Coach to provide direct support, life-skills coaching, and case-management assistance to residents at The O’Connell House in Lowell, MA.

You will help create a trauma-informed, structured environment fostering stability, healthy routines, and skills for independence and wellness. Responsibilities include coaching, advocacy, crisis support, documentation, and collaboration with the program team and community partners.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree preferred; high school diploma or GED with relevant lived, volunteer, or professional experience may be considered.
• Experience with trafficking victims, survivors of trauma, homelessness, domestic violence, exploitation, or related challenges preferred.
• Ability to work respectfully with people of different backgrounds, cultures, languages, and life experiences.

Responsibilities

• Uphold and support program standards, policies, procedures, client rights, ethics, and trauma-informed approach.
• Build consistent, professional relationships with residents based on individualized goals and needs.
• Provide direct life-skills coaching related to daily routines, relationships, budgeting, employment readiness, education, transportation, appointments, self-care, and community engagement.
• Support residents in accessing benefits, documentation, health care, behavioral health supports, housing resources, and community services.
• Coordinate with the Program Director, Clinical Director, clinicians, residential staff, and community partners for care and transition planning.
• Assist with intake, orientation, goal planning, safety planning, and progress updates as directed.
• Provide calm crisis intervention and de-escalation, seeking guidance when concerns arise.
• Maintain timely, accurate documentation, progress notes, referrals, and records.
• Participate in staff meetings, supervision, trainings, and other relevant activities.
• Complete additional duties to support resident safety, healing, permanency, and transition.

Skills

Relationship-building

Crisis intervention

Communication

Trauma-informed care

Advocacy

Documentation

Education

Bachelor’s degree preferred

HS diploma or GED with relevant experience

Tools

Microsoft Office

Electronic documentation systems

Job description

The O’Connell House is seeking an enthusiastic, compassionate, and dependable Life Coach to provide direct support, life-skills coaching, and case-management assistance to residents. The Life Coach will help create a safe, structured, trauma-informed, and relationship-centered environment where residents can build stability, confidence, healthy routines, and the practical skills needed to move toward independence and long-term wellness.

Job Description: The Life Coach provides client-centered support to individuals living at The O’Connell House, with a focus on safety, stability, healing, and skill development. In collaboration with the Program Director, Clinical Director, OH Clinician/Case Manager, residential staff, religious sisters, volunteers, and community partners, the Life Coach supports residents with daily living skills, healthy decision-making, goal setting, appointments, employment and education readiness, community resources, and transition planning. This position requires initiative, follow through, strong boundaries, sound judgment, cultural humility, and a commitment to trauma-informed care for survivors of sex trafficking and other residents who may have experienced homelessness, domestic violence, exploitation, or complex trauma.

Hours: Sunday to Thursday or Tuesday to Saturday, 3-11PM

The Life Coach will build consistent, trusting, and professional relationships with residents while reinforcing the program’s expectations, daily structure, and individualized goals. The role is primarily direct-service oriented and includes coaching, advocacy, crisis support, documentation, coordination with providers, and participation in team meetings and supervision.

Qualifications – Bachelor’s degree preferred; high school diploma or GED with relevant lived, volunteer, or professional experience may be considered. Experience working with trafficking victims, people with lived experience, or experience working with adolescents, young adults, survivors of trauma, individuals experiencing homelessness, domestic violence, exploitation, behavioral health needs, or related challenges preferred. Must be able to work respectfully with people of different backgrounds, cultures, identities, languages, and life experiences.

• Strong relationship-building, communication, crisis de-escalation, and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to support residents with life skills, appointments, employment, education, benefits, transportation planning, housing readiness, and community resources.
• Comfort working in a structured residential setting and maintaining professional boundaries.
• Computer literate, including Microsoft Office, email, electronic documentation systems, and the ability to learn new software applications.
• Current First Aid and CPR certification, or willingness to obtain as required.

Responsibilities and Duties:

• Uphold and support The O’Connell House’s standards, policies, procedures, client rights, professional code of ethics, and trauma-informed approach.
• Build consistent, professional, and supportive relationships with residents based on their individualized goals, strengths, and needs.
• Provide direct life-skills coaching related to daily routines, healthy relationships, budgeting, employment readiness, education, transportation, appointments, self-care, and community engagement.
• Support residents in identifying and accessing benefits, identification documents, health care, behavioral health supports, legal resources, housing resources, and other community services.
• Coordinate and communicate with the Program Director, Clinical Director, TOH Clinician/Case Manager, residential staff, referring agencies, family members when appropriate, community partners, and other providers involved in the resident’s care and transition planning.
• Assist with intake, orientation, goal planning, safety planning, and ongoing progress updates as directed by the Program Director and TOH Clinician.
• Provide calm, supportive crisis intervention and de-escalation as needed, and seek clinical or supervisory guidance when concerns arise.
• Maintain timely, accurate, and professional documentation, including progress notes, contact notes, referrals, and other required program records.
• Participate in staff meetings, case consultation, supervision, trainings, and other meetings relevant to resident support and program operations.
• Complete other responsibilities or duties assigned by the Program Director or TOH Clinician to support resident safety, healing, permanency, and transition planning.

We are committed to excellence in diversity, equity, and inclusion, while simultaneously creating a culture that supports those values. We believe the differences we bring enhance our ability to provide exceptional service and care to diverse children, families, and communities. Moreover, diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging align with our values and our mission to help vulnerable children and their families build permanent, positive change.

What The Home Can Offer You

In addition to the chance to make a lasting impact on the lives of the youth we serve, The Home for Little Wanderers offers competitive salaries and a comprehensive benefits package including:

• Generous time off including up to 15 days per year for new full-time employees, plus 11 holidays, and 5 sick days
• Health, Dental and Vision Insurance available
• Extensive training to new staff
• Tuition reimbursement of up to $3,000 per fiscal year
• 403(b) Retirement Plan with employer match
• Employer paid Long-term and Short-term Disability Insurance, plus Basic Life and AD&D Insurance
• And more!

The pay range listed represents the company’s good faith estimate of the salary or wage range for this position at the time of posting, as required under applicable law. Actual compensation will be based on a variety of factors, including a candidate’s relevant experience, education, skills, and internal equity relative to other employees in similar roles. Candidates with less directly related experience may be placed toward the lower end of the range, while those with extensive or specialized experience may be placed toward the higher end. Market conditions and budget considerations may also influence final pay decisions.

Equal Opportunity Employer/Protected Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities
This employer is required to notify all applicants of their rights pursuant to federal employment laws.For further information, please review the Know Your Rights notice from the Department of Labor.