Vocational Educator

Saint John's Program for Real Change mission is to provide a safe space for women and children to heal and develop the skills necessary to transform their lives. We accomplish our mission by holding to our vision to end the generational cycle of trauma and homelessness.

Founded on the steps of St. John's Lutheran Church in 1985, Saint John's Program for Real Change has helped more than 30,000 women and children transform their lives from poverty and dependence to confidence and self-sustainability. Dedicated to the eradication of homelessness once and for all, this up-to-18-month comprehensive residential program provides families with the tools they need to address the root causes as well as the symptoms of homelessness: mental health therapy, drug and alcohol counseling, life skills classes (anger management, parenting, budgeting, positive thinking, healthy relationships and more), a path to a high school diploma and Employment Training. The Female Community Reentry Program (FCRP) allows eligible offenders with serious and violent crimes committed to State prison to serve their sentence in the community at a FCRP as designated by the Department, in lieu of confinement in State prison and at the discretion of the Secretary. The FCRP will provide a range of rehabilitative services that assist with alcohol and drug recovery, employment, education, housing, family reunification, and social support.

Benefits/Perks of a career at Saint John's

• Choice of 8 medical plans
• Choice of 3 dental plans
• Vision, Life and Accident and Injury Insurance
• Employee Assistance Program
• 403 (b) 100% match for 1%-6% of pay
• Paid Time Off includes: 11 paid holidays, 2 floating holidays, 7 sick days and up to 18 days of vacation per calendar year.

TITLE Vocational Counselor

SALARY From $30.00 To $35.00 Per Hour

CLASSIFICATION Full-Time, Non-Exempt

LOCATION On Site Only - Power Inn Rd. Sacramento, CA

SCHEDULE Monday- Friday, 9:00 am to 5:30 pm

About the Position…

The position will be responsible for providing vocational counseling for academic and career development to participants in our FCRP program.

You'll be responsible for…

• Collects, analyzes and interprets educational and employment information regarding each resident and makes a vocational diagnosis.
• Conducts and analyzes a range of standardized career assessments to determine employment skill level, strengths, interests, and challenges.
• Provides pre-vocational training and preparation services such as resumes, job search, self-marketing, job site behaviors, and other essential knowledge.
• Counsel and assist applicants with work ethics, attitudes, and completion of assignments.
• Oversees operation of the computer literacy lab.
• In conjunction with the Case Manager, helps each resident develop their personal career and vocational transitional plans.
• Coordinates services of other agencies and educational institutions to provide access to educational opportunities and training for career growth.
• Identifies and facilitates placement for community internships.
• Works with employers to develop employment opportunities for parole transition.
• Maintains the safety and security of the facility.
• Other duties may be assigned based on business needs.

You must have...

• Teaching credential required
• Vocational counseling experience with primary responsibility for career planning and vocational rehabilitation or equivalent experience
• Must have thorough knowledge of the expungement process, in coordinating completion of the expungement process and/or the ability to provide information (or a referral) on how to expunge a criminal record, or obtain a Certificate of Rehabilitation
• Must be knowledgeable with pre-employment services, transitional work opportunities, and long-term career opportunities within the community
• Excellent communication skills, including good writing skills, attention to detail
• Able to exercise good judgment, discretion, and work well in a team environment.
• Ability to be sensitive to trauma and gender on behalf of the program.
• Good organizational skills.
• Strong computer skills including proficiency in all Microsoft applications.
• Ability to work well in a team environment.
• Not currently on probation or parole. Must be discharged for at least three years.
• Must be able to pass a criminal history background screening and receive clearance from the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation; as well as maintain biannual CPR Certification, First Aid Certification, and annual TB test results.
• Fluent in English language (spoken and written)
• Proficient knowledge of email, copiers, fax, and internet
• Proficiency in Microsoft Suite
• An incredible passion for our mission

Physical Requirements

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. The physical requirements for performing the essential functions of this position require the employee to be able to:

• Standing/walking approximately 30% and sitting 70% of the time
• Close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception and ability to adjust focus.
• Ability to hear and respond to simple and sometimes critical messages exchanged in noisy/high traffic areas.
• Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

It's a plus if you have...

• Fluency in Spanish language (spoken and written)
• Trauma informed training
• Experience working with a female population is preferred.
• Some knowledge of substance abuse and treatment.

You'll be successful if...

You're a strong communicator.

You take your role seriously and are a great communicator in verbal and written communication. You're intentional about giving internal and external clients a positive interaction.

You're organized and diligent.

You can multitask because you keep things in order. You can handle and prioritize multiple projects of various origins at once. You follow through on every request, no matter how big or small. You keep your cool under pressure and know how to prioritize your responsibilities. And when you need help, you're not afraid to ask.

You're exceptionally people oriented.

You can relate to all types of people and you're a skilled conversationalist. You enjoy meeting new people; developing and maintaining relationships is a natural tendency.

You're a problem solver and a strategic thinker.

You find new and efficient ways to streamline and create processes to make things run more smoothly. You are analytical and can infer the implications and consequences of approaches and anticipate potential issues before they occur.

You are a team player.

You care more about overall results than personal recognition. You genuinely love collaboration and the process of working together to accomplish. You thrive in an environment where people are passionate about their work and mission. You're excited to work cross-functionally with other departments.

You are committed to promoting dignity, diversity, and equality.

You believe in focusing on the solution, not the problem, and always write with dignity and respect at the forefront.

You're detailed.

You double and triple-check your work because you know that accurate data is crucial for an Accounting Department to operate successfully. You pay strong attention to detail, have excellent math, grammar, spelling, and proofreading skills. You care about the numbers being right and take the time to make sure everything reconciles or is set up to be error-proof.

You're a self-starter.

You can work unaccompanied, and you work just as hard and thoroughly by yourself as you do when someone is looking.

Saint John's Program for Real Change is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate because of age, color, gender, sexual orientation, disability, national origin, race, religion, marital status, or veteran status.