Life Skills Instructor - Education

lifeworksaustin.org; Austin, Northern (TX, KY); Hybrid; USD 34,000 - 50,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

PTO 24 days per year

11 paid holidays per year

Health plan with HSA contribution

Job summary

LifeWorks Austin is seeking a Life Skills Instructor to join the Life Skills team. This full-time role delivers in-person and virtual life skills classes to youth, covering topics from health and safety to housing, job readiness, and financial literacy.

You will facilitate engaging, developmentally appropriate sessions, maintain classroom standards, and collaborate with partners and caregivers to support youth toward independent living.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Education, Social Work, Psychology, or related field.
• 2+ years of teaching or training experience with transition age youth.
• Equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Bilingual in English and Spanish required.
• Experience with databases and MS Office (Word, Excel, Outlook).

Responsibilities

• Facilitates life skills classes for youth during daytime and evening hours, ensuring engaging and developmentally appropriate instruction.
• Establishes and maintain standards of student behavior to provide an orderly, inclusive classroom environment.
• Maintains timely, professional, and quality communication with funders, community partners and staff.
• Initiates contact with caregivers and referral sources to coordinate assessment.
• Develops, updates, and refines life skills curriculum to ensure content is relevant and culturally responsive.

Skills

Bilingual English and Spanish

Database experience

Microsoft Office proficiency

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Education, Social Work, Psychology, or related field

Tools

Microsoft Word

Microsoft Excel

Microsoft Outlook

Job description

South Site
3700 S 1st St
Austin, TX 78704, USA

Description

LifeWorksofAustin, TX is looking for a Life Skills Instructor to join our Life Skills team!

A Life Skills Instructor works with a variety of youth populations by facilitating both in-person and virtual life skills classes to prepare youth to live independently as adults. The Instructor addresses identified core life skills through classroom facilitation, presentations, community collaboration, experiential field trips, and enrichment activities. Core life skills include health and safety, housing and transportation, job readiness, financial management, life decisions/responsibilities, and personal/social relationships.

This full time, non-exempt position earns a competitive rate ranging from $25.64 - $36.25 hourly depending upon experience. Benefits are also included, which consist of 24 PTO days per year (accrued); 11 paid holidays per year; a premium-free employee medical plan with $100 per month HSA contribution (plus other affordable employee or family medical, dental, and vision options!); a retirement savings plan with 50% match on the first 6% of contributions, and much more!

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Facilitates life skills classes for youth during daytime and evening hours, ensuring engaging and developmentally appropriate instruction.
• Establishes and maintain s standards of student behavior needed to provide an orderly, inclusive, and welcoming classroom environment for all students.
• Maintains timely, professional, and quality communication with funders, community partners and staff members.
• Initiates contact with caregivers and referral sources to coordinate assessment
• Maintains up-to-date class and assessment waitlists and enters referrals and authorization forms in the Agency database by given deadline.
• Develops, updates, and refines life skills curriculum to ensure content is relevant, culturally responsive, and aligned with program goals and youth needs. Responsible for conducting Casey Life Skills Assessments (CLSAs) and facilitating a discussion about the results of the CLSAs for both the youth and their caregivers in their home, in the community, or in a classroom setting as needed by contract holders.
• Applies de-escalation techniques to situations as needed to reduce tension and promote safety for clients, staff, and community.
• Communicates timely with all contract holders about teaching locations and referred youth within required timeframe.
• Responsible for recruiting youth to Life Skills classes, and leads classroom instruction, discussion, activities, and field trips. Also responsible for recruiting guest speakers to present on community resources.
• Compiles and prepares required reports and assessments for all contract holders to ensure timely completion.
• Maintains timely, complete, and accurate program documentation related to contractor assessments, reports, youth surveys and client data entry in Agency database .
• Develops and maintains positive working relationships with community contacts, such as referral sources, community site and residential treatment staff, juvenile justice staff, and other service providers and contract holders.
• Completes Independent Study Guides (ISGs) as needed and required for contract holders.
• Refers youth to client services with community agencies as needed.
• Responsible for the primary supervision of youth engaged in services.
• Meets with individual clients to establish a safe, healthy relationship for learning, problem-solving, and participating in community activities, as needed.
• Transports clients as needed.
• Other duties as assigned.

QUALIFICATIONS

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE

• Requires a Bachelor’s degree in Education, Social Work, Psychology, or a related field; and
• 2+ years of related teaching or training experience with transition age youth; or
• Equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Bilingual in English and Spanish required.
• Experience with databases;proficientlevel experience withMicrosoft Office including Word, Excel, andOutlook.

CORE COMPETENCIES AND SKILLS

• Client Focus - Builds transformational relationships with clients and delivers mission-centered solutions.
• Collaborates and Adapts - Builds partnerships and works collaboratively with others to meet shared objectives and fulfill our mission; adapts one’s approach and demeanor to meet the shifting demands of different situations.
• Honors Differences - Embraces different perspectives, cultures, and backgrounds by being open to others’ opinions, ideas, and experiences; develops an inclusive culture that creates solutions to meet the needs of our clients.
• Nimble Learning - Actively learns from successes, failures, and others’ experiences, and shows a willingness to pivot and try new things.
• Builds Trust - Gains the confidence and trust of others through integrity, dependability, and authenticity.
• Action Oriented - Takes initiative, shows resourcefulness, and directs focus and energy on mission-critical opportunities, challenges, and changes.

CERTIFICATES, LICENSES, REGISTRATIONS

• Must possess or be able to obtain a valid driver's license and provide proof of valid insurance.
• Must possess or be able to obtain Standard First Aid and Infant, Child, and Adult CPR Certification within 6 months of start date.

ABOUT LIFEWORKS

With more than 50 years of experience working with youth experiencing homelessness, youth aging out of foster care, young adults, and young parents, LifeWorks is committed to solving youth homelessness through housing, mental health, education, and workforce services. Our vision is a Central Texas where every young person has a place to call home, a sense of belonging, and the support to pursue a life they love.

We provide a full range of support services for vulnerable youth, ensuring that every young person has access to a safe home, the chance to heal, and opportunities to learn and work. Through innovative problem-solving, shared accountability, and evidence-based solutions, we are relentless in achieving real, sustainable, and measurable results for the clients we serve.

A career at LifeWorks offers opportunities to grow professionally while making an immediate, lasting impact on the lives of youth and families in our community. Join us in building a future where every young person has the stability and support to thrive.

Equal Opportunity Employer
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.