Job title:	Job Coach
Job Summary:
The Job Coach facilitates the career development of employment disadvantaged youth to access job opportunities within the community. Provision of job specific technical support by the job coach to assist individuals to develop their knowledge and thought processes with respect to tasks required for their new job as outlined in the RTWAP is the primary task. Knowledge and expertise in pre-employment assessment, employment readiness preparation and ongoing employment placement/support form the necessary knowledge base of the position. Working with a particular youth and appropriate community partners, the coordinator will promote and create opportunities for participants to engage in personal and career development initiatives. Experience working with disadvantaged youth and a history of employment within the community environment will enable you to create and maintain work attachments for youth. A strong sense of mission, professional ethics, an understanding of equity hiring practices, and a demonstrated commitment to youth are essential. Key Duties and Responsibilities: On-site Job coaching is allowable under EAS for those participants who face serious employment challenges and who need this support to assist them in reaching some level of self sufficiency in the job for which they have been hired. When offered it must be part of the specific participant's RTWAP. The individuals must have been unemployed at the time they became EAS participants Job coaching is used to assist youth participants in reaching their maximum level of employment capacity (i.e. work as long as possible, independently) and not to replace other workers at the new place of employment. Role of Job Coach Typically, job coaching is offered to participants who have been hired by an employer on condition that the EAS provider will help orient the participant to the workplace and the specific duties required. The participant must be able to perform the duties of the position, but may need help in understanding specific instructions/routines or in adapting to the physical/ social aspects of the workplace. The Job Coach acts as an interpreter or mentor. The Job Coach does not work for the employer. Rather, the Job Coach's concern is to alleviate any additional stresses which an individual with physical or mental disabilities may have in adapting to a new workplace or routine. Apart from the first day(s) of orientation, the Job Coach normally does not work full-time with the client. Once the client has a better understanding of what he/she has to do, the Job Coach gradually withdraws. The Job Coach will periodically monitor the client to see how well he/she is coping with the situation and will intervene as required. That being clarified as often the Job Coach assumes the role of employer/community liaison including job placement services, which is what it appears you have proposed, it is necessary to point out that while these activities are acceptable under EAS as a part of a counselling intervention and can be completed by the Job coach they are not activities within the job coaching intervention itself. To clarify, the job coach interventions are only counted as such when the client has obtained employment for which the employer has agreed to the job coaching as described above. The job coaching intervention activities begin when the client becomes employed.  In addition, as far as case management goes, the RTWAP remains open while the client participates in the job coaching intervention and is closed when it is deemed that the client is independent and no longer in need of job coaching keeping within the time limit restrictions for the intervention. As a result, you would not record the client employed within the RTWAP until the intervention is complete and successful. Job Placement Job placement is the provision to market clients to potential employers for sustainable employment when the participants are unable to successfully market themselves and in such instances, as you have described, the project would work collaboratively with participants to identify their employment needs and may provide the following supports as required based on the assessment of individual client circumstances: provide prospective employers with information on available and appropriate clients and hiring incentives; include personal supports to purchase work clothes and ‘tools of the trade’ up to a maximum average of $150.00 per client; include appropriate transit cost supports to attend local job interviews, program interventions or during the initial transition to employment. This cost category may include transit monthly passes or pre-paid transit tickets whichever is most cost effective; work with employers to understand workforce needs to better target client skills; attend job interviews with the participant; follow-up with the employer to find out interview outcomes; and provide participants with feedback on why they were not hired. 1. Administrative responsibilities include the completion of monthly status reports to the Ministry of Housing & Social Development. The completion of internal reports to Nanaimo Youth Services Association supervisors as required. Maintenance of confidential client files. Development of program related materials and correspondence for community partners 2. Operational responsibilities include the conducting of intake/assessment process utilizing current assessment inventories and tools. The creation of community partners through program marketing. Outreach activities for program participants. Work development and program networking activities. Job placement and monitoring of placements. Employment maintenance activities. Group facilitation for participants 3. Liaise between Employment Assisted Services participants and the project site superintendents, crew-leaders, and rank and file workers of the business community 4. Mediate difficulties and concerns on the job site that may arise between workers and EAS participants where applicable 5. Provide connections to employment for multi-barriered participants by networking and marketing clients to employers 6. Networking with employers in the community and develop strong business relationships 7. Develop and implement successful marketing and job placement strategies 8. Facilitate successful workplace orientation with participants 9. Plan and facilitate skill enhancement, career exploration and job search workshops 10. Determine job accommodations as needed and assist participants to adjust to the worksite 11. Provide job retention and mediation support to resolve problems and issues on the job site 12. Conduct follow-up support to the participant to ensure job suitability and retention 13. Performs other related duties as required.

Qualifications:

Experience working in related occupations within the community. Experience working with disadvantaged youth in youth developmental activities. Knowledge of the vocational education processes and resources. Completion or participation in Post-secondary education in a related field such as Human Services, Child and Youth Care, or Career Development highly desirable. An undergraduate degree in relevant discipline and a minimum of four years experience working with multi-barriered individuals in employment programming and/or vocational rehabilitation Vocational counselling/placement experience with individuals with multi-barriers and/or persons with disabilities.

Skills and Abilities:

· Strong administrative skills

· Excellent interpersonal behavior and communication skills

· Organization, time and general management skills

· Written and verbal communication skills

· Computer literate and able to manage a database using MS Access.

· Good interpersonal, problem solving, negotiation and communication skills

· Knowledge of specific issues and employment barriers faced by multi-barriered clients

· Knowledge of the local labour market, community resources and government funded programs

· Strong knowledge of job modification and realistic accommodation interventions

· Ability to work flexible shifts and hours based on client/ employer work schedules

· Vehicle and valid driver’s license

Additional Information:

The ability to function independently while managing concurrent tasks and deadlines is an ongoing expectation of this position.