Life Counselor

Communities In Schools; San Antonio (TX); On-site; USD 44,000 - 66,000; Full time

Job summary

Communities In Schools is seeking a Life Counselor for the NXT-Level Center in San Antonio. The role provides counseling and case management to opportunity youth, with supervision under Texas licensure requirements.

The candidate will coordinate assessments, ISPs, and connections to community resources to support education and employment goals. The position emphasizes collaboration with Life Coaches, trauma-informed care, and keeping thorough progress documentation while meeting grant and

Qualifications

• Minimum Master’s Degree in social work, counseling or related field.
• Excellent communication skills, verbal and written.
• Knowledge of client groups and/or issues related to the program area.
• Proficiency in the use of computers for word processing, databases, spreadsheets, e-mail, internet.
• Experience with at-risk populations and cross-cultural environments.
• Demonstrating empathy toward clients, their challenges, and viewpoints.
• Experience working with youth and young adults.

Responsibilities

• Provide individual and group counseling to targeted participants and crisis intervention during critical situations.
• Implement an intake and assessment process with each opportunity youth to establish a baseline for services to include using the ACEs Assessment tool.
• Assess and create Individual Service Plans (ISP) to provide or coordinate services to help navigate and enable the opportunity youth to re-enter academic tracks and/or enter post-secondary education, employment or training.
• Provide case management services that connect opportunity youth to community resources that meet their assessed needs.
• Collaborate regularly with Life Coaches to gather recommendations, seek input and share participant updates and identify individuals who may benefit from services through the NXT Level Life Counselor.
• Monitor and document participants progress towards counseling and/or case management goals.

Skills

Counseling experience

Excellent communication

Clinical supervision

Trauma-informed

Youth engagement

Computers (MS Office, databases)

Education

Master’s degree in social work, counseling, or related field

Tools

LMSW/LPC supervision

Job description

Pay Range: Associate ($43,900 - $65,520 yearly)

Full Licensure ($47,174 - $70,762 yearly)

Job Description

The NXT- Level Center is a multi-department City of San Antonio and non-profit collaborative. The Life Counselor will provide counseling and case management services to opportunity youth who face obstacles to personal success and maintains a clinical counselor licensure. An LPC-Associate or LMSW placed in this role must be under the supervision of a Texas State Board of Examiners of Professional Counselors or Texas State Board of Social Worker Examiners, approved Clinical Supervisor as a requirement of this position.

Primary Responsibilities & Essential Functions

(The following statements describe the general purpose and responsibilities assigned and should not be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, skills, efforts, or working conditions that may be assigned or skills that may be required.)

Counseling & Case Management Support

• Provide individual and group counseling to targeted participants and crisis intervention during critical situations


• Implement an intake and assessment process with each opportunity youth to establish a baseline for services to include using the ACEs Assessment tool.


• Assess and create Individual Service Plans (ISP) to provide or coordinate services to help navigate and enable the opportunity youth to re-enter academic tracks and/or enter post-secondary education, employment or training.


• Provide case management services that connect opportunity youth to community resources that meet their assessed needs. Develop and implement individual and group Trauma Informed services that address the individualized youth assessed needs.


• Collaborate regularly with Life Coaches to gather recommendations, seek input and share participant updates and identify individuals who may benefit from services through the NXT Level Life Counselor.


• Monitor and document participants progress towards counseling and/or case management goals.

Program Operations

• Assure the adherence to all contractual and grant provisions and any assigned budgetary requirements.


• Implement, manage, and report any needed information for grants and projects assigned to program.


• Meet contract obligations by obtaining qualified caseload and goals by prescribed deadlines.


• Maintain quality of programming and submit accurate required reports.


• Keep abreast of program developments and changes and updates from NXT Level Site Lead, NXT Level Center Partners and CIS-SA.


• Communicate any updates, successes, and any pertinent information in job responsibilities to the NXT Level Site Lead.

Integrative Services

• Broker with outside agencies, businesses, volunteers and interns to provide direct services or referrals that meet student needs.


• Assist Nxt-Level partners with client success through collaborative case management support to meet individual goals.


• Maintain strategic collaborations, established for the NXT- Level Center; with businesses, universities, community organizations to create opportunities for the opportunity youth.


• Coordinate and effectively communicate with partners to ensure clear collaboration and integrative services to ensure success of the program.


• Provide volunteer and community partner orientation regarding CIS-SA & NXT Level program policies.


• Coordinate in-kind donations to support participant needs and program activities.

File and Data Maintenance

• Follow policies and procedures for all aspects of documentation in a timely manner.


• Collect CIS-SA forms, demographic information and other required data


• Document all required information to include Individual Service Plan (ISP) and services in the approved database system.


• Establish, document and maintain accurate and complete youth files with appropriate and up-to-date information/documentation as per program procedures and guidelines.


• Obtain sign-in sheets for services in accordance with program procedures and guidelines.

Administrative

• Manage timecard.


• Attend all meetings and trainings as required.


• Ensure the completion of required programmatic reports.


• Plan appropriate expenditures and maintain budgets


• Maintain required licensure by participating in relevant professional development activities and clinical supervision


• Attend CIS-SA Clinical Supervision sessions as required

Exhibit CIS Core Values:

• Passion


• Compassion

Position Type/Expected Hours of Work

This is a full-time position. Days and hours of work generally are Monday through Friday, 8:00a.m. to 5:00p.m. or 8:30am to 5:30pm depending on work location. Employees may be required to adjust daily work hours based on location/site. This position on occasion requires long hours and weekend work.

Travel

Travel is primarily local during the business day, although some out-of-area and overnight travel may be expected.

Required Education and Experience

• Minimum Master’s Degree in social work, counseling or related field and 3 years’ experience in related field


• LPC, LMFT, or LCSW, or currently licensed through the Texas State Board of Examiners of Professional Counselors or Texas State Board of Social Worker Examiners, LPC-Associate or LMSW on a Clinical Social Worker supervision plan and receiving clinical supervision.


• Excellent communication skills, verbal and written.


• Knowledge of client groups and/or issues related to the program area.


• Proficiency in the use of computers for: word processing, databases, spreadsheets, e-mail, internet.


• Experience with at-risk populations and cross-cultural environments.


• Demonstrating empathy toward clients, their challenges, and viewpoints


• Experience with at-risk populations and identifying barriers to success, developing practical solutions, creating action plans, providing supports, and advocating for resources.


• Proven ability to set priorities, manage multiple responsibilities, meet deadlines to set priorities and work with minimal supervision.


• Communicating effectively to understand needs, convey information and collaborate on solutions.


• Adaptable to diverse work environments, frequent changes, and various leadership styles.


• Experience working with youth and young adults.

Preferred Experience and Qualifications

• Bilingual ability in Spanish and English.


• Collecting and analyzing data to inform decision making and intervention strategies.


• Knowledge of social service resources that can support social, emotional, and academic needs.

Additional Eligibility Qualifications/Requirements

• A willingness to follow the CIS-SA model, be adaptable to client and system change, and coordinate efforts in a collaborative team environment.


• Maintain confidentiality and professional and ethical behavior in all interactions and interventions.


• Must have reliable transportation.


• Must be able to pass a criminal history background check.

What is Communities In Schools?

To gain insight into our Mission: To surround students with a community of support, empowering them to stay in school and achieve in life.

From Communities In Schools of San Antonio student, to San Antonio Councilman, to now leading as the Communities In Schools National CEO and President, Rey Saldaña represents the potential that each of our students has. Every student that walks through our door has the potential to define their own success, but many of them just need one caring adult to encourage them and support them as they go.