Life Skills Coach/Specialist

Work Location: 3rd Avenue Women’s Shelter, 968 3rd Ave., Brooklyn NY, 11232
Reports: Assistant Program Director
Hours: Full Time - 35 hours per week - Monday-Friday from 12:00pm - 8:00pm
Salary Range: $44,000 - $44,000

Program Description:
Brooklyn Community Services is one of Brooklyn’s first and largest non-sectarian social services
agencies. BCS, which presently serves more than 10,000 individuals annually, is committed to a broad
and diverse range of services including education and child care; services to strengthen families; and
services to foster self-sufficiency for adults.
Third Avenue is a NYC DHS transitional shelter program designed to provide employment assistance and
permanent housing for young women ages 18 - 25 years old. The program is located in Sunset Park
Brooklyn, NY.

Position Summary
A Life Skills Coach helps individuals develop practical abilities (like money management, communication,
goal-setting) and overcome obstacles to achieve personal & professional goals, acting as a motivator,
accountability partner, and guide through life changes, using tools like action planning and self-
reflection to foster self-empowerment and success. They provide support and techniques for emotional
regulation, career transitions, work-life balance, and building confidence, empowering clients to reach
their full potential.

Responsibilities:
- Work directly with residents to enhance their daily living skills (i.e. includes but not limited to
budgeting, grocery shopping, cooking meals independently, apartment organization/maintenance,
entitlement support, personal hygiene, safely accessing public transportation, scheduling and attending
appointments on time, etc.)
-Meet will all clients assigned to caseload a minimum of once per week and/or as instructed by Program
Director
- Facilitate groups weekly to assist residents with acclimating to independent living environment (i.e.
medication management, substance abuse education, anger management, budgeting, employment
preparation, cooking skills group, discount shopping/couponing, game night, etc.)
- Coordinate client social events and create monthly calendar
- Work in collaboration with case managers to aid consumers with achieving all goals identified in their Individualized Treatment Plan
- Facilitate individual counseling session as applicable (i.e. mental health/substance abuse support, ADL
skills development, stress management, etc.) and document all sessions in progress notes within 24
hours
- Provide crisis intervention services and complete all incident reports in accordance with DOHMH
standards
- Provide case management coverage in the event of program vacancies to preserve the quality of care
of all residents
- Escort clients to appointments as instructed by Program Director (i.e. medical, psychiatric, Social
Security Administration, Public Assistance, and Emergency Room, etc.)
- Assist residents with navigating involvement in the child welfare and criminal justice system (i.e.
accompany clients to court appointments as needed, referrals to legal aid services, etc.)
-Refer and connect program residents to community resources to enhance their overall health and
social support networks (i.e. youth social clubs, physical fitness centers, farmers market, etc.)
- Encouraged tenants to participate in recreational events in the community to increase consumer
socialization skills
- Work with the social service team to ensure residents provide all necessary documentation to recertify
apartment units and collaborate with property management to navigate all tenant apartment needs and
repairs
- Collaborate with property management to navigate all client apartment needs and repairs
- Aid with coordinating resident move-ins and move-outs
- Attend all meetings, trainings, seminars, workshops, and case conferences as assigned and required
- Provide support to community residents and church social programs
- Complete all other tasks as assigned

Qualifications Required:

- High School diploma or equivalent, with a minimum of two years of experience with homeless
youth living in supported housing.
- Must undergo pre-employment screenings such as the Criminal Background Check required by
OMH
- • Must have strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Strong organizational, time-management, and technical skills to help young people make
progress toward their goals
• Must have a propensity and willingness to learn, persevere, and think outside the box.
• Ability to work from a strength-based, trauma-informed, youth development lens;
• Ability to relate to young people, engage them in conversation, and provide support and
encouragement;
• Ability to form collaborative, working relationships with parents/families, school and agency
staff;
• Consistent and reliable;
• Values and promotes diversity;
• Carries a belief that change is possible;
• Able to maintain healthy boundaries;
• Able to remain calm during moments of tension and stress.

TECHNICAL & PROFESSIONAL SKILLS
• Ability to troubleshoot, advocate, and navigate obstacles where there is not always a clear-cut
pathway;
• Open to learning how to use and interpret data to inform decision-making.
• Ability to collaborate in team settings and build relationships with external partners;
• Ability to use trauma-informed techniques;
• Knowledgeable about community resources and services
• Position requires direct face-to face-contact with consumers and the general public on an
ongoing basis.

BCS is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Auxiliary aids and services are available upon request to
individuals with disabilities