HopeWell supports transition age youth with child welfare involvement in a variety of community-based environments as they work towards their goals around healthy living, housing stability, sustainable employment, and educational achievement. HopeWell offers a continuum of transition age youth services that offer community-based case management and individualized education and employment support.

Through My First Place™, youth ages 18 and older receive these services while residing in stable, safe and affordable housing provided by HopeWell. My Next Step is for youth ages 16 and older who are typically living in foster care, with extended family, or independently in the community. And for youth who have exited the child welfare system and obtained an FYI voucher through their local Public Housing Authority, we also help them find housing that will accept their voucher.

The Youth Advocate is a dynamic, collaborative, and results-oriented service provider who is passionate about a future where the disparities between foster care-involved youth and their non-foster peers have been eliminated. HopeWell offers a unique approach in a highly collaborative environment, delivering services by a team of staff including a Youth Advocate, an Education and Employment Specialist, and a Housing Specialist. The Youth Advocate will be excited about the ways that delivering services as a unified team can best meet youth needs. 

We are seeking someone who will bring a strength-based, youth-centered approach to partnering with and coaching youth on their path to independence. The Youth Advocate will take an individualized, therapeutic approach to case management, psychosocial assessment, and development and implementation of intervention strategies, and will be comfortable working independently and directly with youth in the program, able to assess danger and risk, and make sound decisions in partnership with youth and program leadership. 

Youth often face uncertainty as they enter adulthood — and this is especially true for those with child welfare involvement. To help them reach their full potential at a pivotal time in their lives, HopeWell’s continuum of services for transition age youth provide support that prepares them for independence as they launch into adulthood. HopeWell’s transition age youth services are steadily expanding, and this is an exciting opportunity to join a growing and engaged team to support youth comprehensively.

• Develop a partnership strategy with each youth. Provide direct support, coaching, mentoring, and intervention to increase youth self-sufficiency and goal attainment.
• Provide youth with individual counseling, crisis intervention, referrals, advocacy and life skills training, as well as crisis counseling as needed.
• Provide on-going assessment of youth well-being and develop plans to ensure safety and de-escalate crisis as needed.
• Provide clinical leadership to multi-disciplinary teams consisting of youth, family and other natural supporters, social workers, Employment and Education Specialists, and Housing Specialists to ensure seamless and effective service delivery. Ensure continuous information sharing and communication.
• Collaborate with community providers including but not limited to social workers, courts, professionals, vocational and independent living skills programs, schools, universities, family members and significant others.
• Complete documentation including but not limited to intake paperwork and consents, Care and Services plans, needs assessments, and progress notes.
• Participate on a rotating basis to provide on-call coverage.
• Actively participate in program and agency internal (e.g. collaborating with colleagues, staff meetings, town halls) and external meetings (e.g. collaborating with other providers, DCF) both in person and virtually as assigned.
• Other duties as assigned. HopeWell’s service continuum is evolving, and as such, the roles and responsibilities of various team members will likely adapt and change over time to most comprehensively and effectively meet youth needs.

This is a comprehensive list of qualifications that we believe will lead to success in the role. We strongly encourage candidates with lived experience with the foster care system to apply.

• Master’s degree in social work, mental health counseling, or related field preferred.
• Experience working with transition age youth with complex presentations, including chronic trauma, preferred.
• Must be comfortable working in community settings.
• High level of personal accountability for the quality and impact of work and demonstrated ability to effectively organize, plan, and prioritize work.
• Effective risk management and sound judgement in the face of complex challenges, including seeking assistance when necessary.
• Strong reading and writing skills and a high degree of effective oral and written communications skills.
• A high level of professionalism in work and interpersonal interactions with both internal and external contacts.
• Demonstrated understanding of and competence in serving BIPOC and LGBTQ+ identifying youth.
• Demonstrated flexibility and collaborative spirit; thoughtful, curious, and open-minded approach to learning, growth, and change.
• Computer skills sufficient to perform essential functions.

• Demonstrated experience working with children, adolescents and families, including experience navigating children’s systems and supports within the community
• Knowledge of and training in child development, children’s mental health, family systems, and therapeutic interventions
• Capacity to be nonjudgmental in interacting with families involved in child welfare
• Ability to support families in developing their strengths to problem-solve and develop practical skills
• Ability to establish trusting relationships through compassion, empathy and insight
• Demonstrated sensitivity to the needs of families from diverse cultural or linguistic backgrounds
• Proficient in basic computer skills and Microsoft Office. Ability to navigate and document in clinical computerized patient care records
• Ability to work in predominantly home based and community-based settings where there may be possible environmental exposures including pets
• Effective teamwork and collaboration skills

• This role involves some home-based and community-based work, some office-based work, and some remote opportunities. During home and community visits there are possible environmental exposures, including pets.
• Daily access to an automobile is required.
• Driving is required in and out of the catchment area and includes some transporting of youth.
• A valid MA State Driver’s License.
• Clearing of background checks as required by state and federal law.
• Remain current in all required training.
• Other duties as assigned to support quality care.

• Generous Hiring Bonus
• We offer a generous bilingual bonus to new hires who speak a second language that meet the needs of our families (other than English) – up to $3,500
• Access to our excellent BCBS medical benefits
• Retirement benefits including 401K match up to 6%
• Generous paid time off up; up to 5 weeks off; 2 floating holidays, 2 personal days, 14 paid holidays, up to 15 sick days
• Professional development opportunities such as tuition reimbursement up to $3,000 per year and discounted tuition rates to select partnership colleges and universities! Additional funds for training and development.
• Reimbursement is available for employees to cover the registration costs and annual fees for any professional license required for work! As well as bonuses for licensure attainment
• Wellness benefits including access to employee resource groups, discounted gym memberships, and an Employee Assistance Program.
• Student Loan Pay-Down Program – Let us help you pay down your student loans!
• Licensure supervision
• And more… Click here to find out more about our benefits beyond the paycheck!