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FEATURED JOB
Youth Advocate – Roxbury
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Communications Specialist
Reporting to the Director of Communications, the Communications Specialist will help support teams, programs, and initiatives across the organization.
In this role, you will educate and engage different audiences and sectors as we grow a movement of people motivated to make a difference — including community advocates, other nonprofit organizations, elected officials, foster families, youth, donors and partners, and the general public. The Communications Specialist will:
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- Support targeted efforts to educate key populations about the Federal Foster Youth to Independence (FYI) Voucher program. 40-50% of youth who age out of foster care will experience homelessness within 18 months. This is happening despite the availability of a federal resource designed specifically to provide housing to youth transitioning out of foster care: Foster Youth to Independence (FYI) Housing Choice Vouchers. The reasons for this gap are complex, but we believe Massachusetts can do more to leverage these vouchers and make them accessible to youth who need them — and that strategic communication is a key piece of this puzzle. With support from Liberty Mutual Foundation, HopeWell has teamed up with two other nonprofits to address this challenge and ensure all youth aging out of foster care have the safe, stable housing they need to grow and thrive.
- Support a wide range of organizational communications efforts, including but not limited to writing and designing materials, search engine optimization, and social media.
- Support our fundraising team by creating compelling annual appeals and donor communications.
Please note that this is currently a grant-funded position for a 3-year duration, with the possibility to extend longer-term.
Who We Are Looking ForWe are looking for a communications professional who wants to utilize their unique skills to build awareness and support around the life-changing work we’re doing on behalf of children, adults, and families at HopeWell. The ideal candidate is a strategic, creative, and detail-oriented communicator with a passion for social justice and a deep understanding of the issues facing the communities we support (or a willingness to learn!) We are seeking someone with top-tier writing and graphic design skills, who is fluent in digital media and marketing, such as social media and web strategy.
Your Impact Will Include (Job Responsibilities)The Communications Specialist role will focus on three main bodies of work:
#1: Special Project: FYI Vouchers
With support from our Director of Communications and Policy & Advocacy team, the Communications Specialist will create and disseminate educational and marketing materials for key groups, including elected officials, youth, child welfare organizations, and more.
This work will involve developing and implementing a targeted communications strategy and calendar. The Communications Specialist will craft and help distribute audience-specific content, including:
- Social Media: Create and post thoughtful social media content, including managing paid advertising.
- Website and Blog Content: Highlight stories, key information, and tools/resources related to FYI vouchers and other youth services.
- Presentations: Create clear and persuasive PowerPoint decks for a variety of audiences.
- Print Materials: Write, design, and produce brochures, fact sheets, and other collateral for distribution to target audiences.
- Media Relations: Draft press releases and media alerts. Coordinate media inquiries about FYI vouchers. Help identify opportunities to connect with journalists, radio/TV reporters, writers, and podcast producers to elevate our expertise and leadership in this area.
#2: Organizational Communications
Writing, Design, & Content
- Create high-quality, well-designed materials (such as PowerPoints, brochures, and one-pagers).
- Write short-form content, including fact-checking, editing, and incorporating feedback along the way.
- Ensure consistent visual identity and on-brand messaging throughout HopeWell’s footprint.
Digital Media
Social Media
- Craft and implement a social media strategy to grow HopeWell’s visibility and engagement.
- Regularly create and post content and manage HopeWell’s accounts (LinkedIn, Facebook, and YouTube).
Newsletter
- Write and design a quarterly newsletter using Constant Contact.
- Implement best practices and creative thinking for email marketing, including audience growth, list segmentation, A/B testing, and staying up-to-date on field-tested strategies.
Website & Digital Marketing
- Use Word Press (Elementor) to develop new web content, such as blogs, toolkits/resources, photo albums, and specialized landing pages. Update existing web content, as needed.
- Review SEO metrics and make adjustments to content accordingly.
- Develop and implement digital advertising strategies — including running paid social media campaigns, coordinating with a vendor to maximize our Google nonprofit ads grant, and identifying other opportunities for impact.
Partnerships & Programs
- Collaborate with the Director of Communications to shape and execute communications strategies, campaigns, and calendars, based on both needs and opportunities.
- Work closely with HopeWell’s offices and programs by responding to requests for support and delivering small-to-medium sized projects, such as one-pagers and event assets.
- Capture and edit basic photos and video clips at events.
- Follow key issues, conversations, and outreach trends in social services, foster care, and the nonprofit landscape. Use insights to help shape timely and relevant communications.
Data & Administrative
- Regularly monitor and track analytics to assess the effectiveness of our efforts and inform decision-making. Provide information on trends and key takeaways to the Director of Communications and other HopeWell team members.
- Coordinate with external partners and vendors, including peer organizations, event planners, consultants, printers, web developers, and designers.
- Track and submit invoices and expense reports.
#3: Development/Fundraising
- Create and rollout materials for fundraising appeals (twice per year), including a printed mailer, emails, website content, social media posts, and targeted digital advertising.
- Support fundraising and stewardship events by creating invitations, website landing pages, and event signage; promoting attendance and engagement via social media and community calendars; and providing follow-ups, such as photos, quotes from attendees, and post-event emails.
- Help shape content that shares inspiring stories and demonstrates our impact to current and prospective donors.
- Assist with funder meetings by creating and updating materials and presentations tailored to funder interests, including clear talking points and polished design.
- Bachelor’s degree in communications, marketing, digital media, visual communication, graphic design, journalism, or related field — or relevant on-the-job experience.
- 2+ years of work experience in communications or marketing, preferably within a nonprofit, social services, or public sector environment.
- Advanced graphic design skills and proficiency with tools, such as Adobe InDesign, Photoshop, Illustrator, and Canva.
- Exceptional writing and editing skills, including the ability to summarize complex material and data sets into short, accessible formats.
- Strong digital marketing skills, including social media management, email marketing, website CMS, SEO, and data analytics.
- A high-level of proficiency with Microsoft Suite (PowerPoint, Word, Outlook) is required.
- A combination of strong organizational skills/attention to detail AND fun, creative thinking!
Additional Expertise & Experience
- A user-experience mindset and proven ability to consider content from multiple perspectives and differentiate for diverse audiences.
- Basic photography and videography skills, including editing.
- Working knowledge of how to design print and digital content for accessibility.
- Basic knowledge of AP style writing/editing.
- Professional communication skills to act as a liaison to outside vendors — for example, providing a vendor or contractor with complex directions or critical feedback.
- Familiarity with the Massachusetts nonprofit landscape and state-level social services is a plus.
Proficiency With Communications Tools
- Adobe Creative Suite
- Constant Contact
- Word Press (Elementor)
- SEMRush (or other SEO tools)
- Google tools, including Google Business, Google Analytics, Google Search Console, Google Tag Manager, and Google Ads.
- Project management tools (such as Monday.com)
Approach to the Work
- Intellectually curious — willingness to ask questions, do research, find solutions, and learn new skills and information.
- Belief in the dignity, strengths, and leadership of the youth, adults, and families we serve, with demonstrated care to prioritize inclusion and representation.
- Comfort managing multiple tasks at once and complex, multi-faceted projects.
- Ability and willingness to contribute as a thought-partner, anticipate organizational needs, and “manage up.”
- Commitment to giving and receiving feedback.
Other Essential Requirements
- Clearing of background checks as required by state and federal law.
- A strong commitment to HopeWell’s mission and values, with sensitivity to the issues facing children, youth, and families in the child welfare system.
- Demonstrated ability to work with diverse populations.
- This is a hybrid role, reporting in-person to our Dedham office twice per week (remote the rest of the week).
- In rare instances, emergency response outside of normal business hours may be required.
- Other duties as assigned.
- We offer a generous bilingual bonus to new hires who speak a second language (other than English) that meets the needs of our families – up to $3,500.
- Access to our excellent BCBS medical benefits.
- Retirement benefits including 401K match up to 6%.
- Generous paid time off
- 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.
- 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!
- And more…Click this link to find out more about our benefits beyond the paycheck! hopewellinc.org/careers/benefits
Youth Advocate – Roxbury
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.
Who We Are Looking ForThe 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.
The Impact You’ll CreateYouth 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.
Your Impact Will Include (Job Responsibilities)- 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!
Shared Living Caregivers
Shared Living Caregiver
Caregivers will become an essential part of the individuals’ life and through modeling and teaching will empower them to maximize their independence. They will assist the individual to maintain optimal health, which could include the oversight and assistance with their medications, medical and psychiatric appointments. Caregivers need to be strong advocates for individual’s and when a crisis occurs, evaluate and report this to the Shared Living team, as well as assist the individual to work through their crises.
Caregivers, depending on the individual’s ability and training needs, could be supporting the individual in the management of their funds and/or following a financial teaching plan. They will attend and provide input at the individual’s planning meetings with the Department of Developmental Services (DDS) and assist them in setting goals based on their life desires.
The Expertise We Can’t Do Without (Qualifications)Caregivers must be 18 years or older, have a valid driver’s license and go through a background check (CORI & fingerprinted). Additional requirements for mandatory trainings apply.
Other Essential RequirementsCaregivers will need to participate in mandatory and elected trainings as deemed necessary by DDS and the Shared Living team. The mandatory trainings are as follows, but are not limited to:
- First Aid (2 Years)
- CPR (2 Years)
- Infection Control
- COVID-19
- DDS Mandated Reporter
- Fire Safety & Safety Plan
- Positive Behavioral Supports (PBS)
- Health Observation Guidelines – Signs & Symptoms of Illness
- 509 Healthy Eating Habits
- Unique Support needs of the individual
- Individual Service Plans (ISP) Goals & Objectives
If Applicable:
- Medication Treatment Plan (MTP)
- Guidelines/Behavior Plan
- Supported & Protective Devises