Bootstraps Program Coordinator

If you are looking for an opportunity to use your Leadership and Program Development skills, and enjoy working as an important part of a small team with an organization that makes a real difference in the lives of hundreds of youths every year, please apply.

About Us:

Aunt Leah’s Place (ALP) supports youth leaving the foster care system in BC by providing programs and services housing, education, employment and life skills, food security, and health. A leader in the community for over 35 years Aunt Leah’s advocates for an environment where all children connected to the foster care system have equal opportunities akin to what parented children receive. We value and respect each individual, and encourage success through communication, celebration, entrepreneurial spirit, and community building.

About the Position:

This is a leadership position to supervise, manage and expand Aunt Leah’s Place’s (ALP) current Bootstraps Program. The Bootstraps Program is a unique employment training program focused on providing a continuum of supports for youth aging out of government care with a focus on employment, equitable access to employment and improving quality of life with the goal of providing supports akin to what parented peers receive.

ALP recognizes youth from foster care come from a system steeped in colonization where youth in and from care are not provided the same opportunities around education and employment that their parented peers received. The Bootstraps Program provides a socially innovative learning environment and opportunities for tactile and ‘doing’ learning to set up these young people for future success and successful bridging to labour markets and/or future schooling. The Bootstraps Coordinator implements innovative approaches for this proposed project through:

• Providing multiple opportunities for different individual learning styles to develop essential employment skills
• Offering a portion of their learning in a non-class-based venue
• Ensuring youth’s base needs are met so that goal setting and planning for the future can occur

The key areas of this position include leadership and supervision of the Bootstraps Team and ensuring program meets funding deliverables which include monthly reporting and ongoing communications with Provincial and Federal funding officers.

Reports to: Director of Training and Social Enterprises

Job Responsibilities

• Oversee the day- to-day operations of the program by ensuring that the necessary facilities and equipment are in place, staffing levels are maintained, program guidelines and policies are adhered to, and program standards and funding requirements are met
• Formulate program policies and procedures and evaluate the program in consultation with the Director of Training and Social Enterprise
• Develop, plan and implement program activities
• Provide leadership, support, and mentorship to youth and program staff, including chairing regular team meetings, individual coaching sessions and annual performance reviews
• Participate in the recruitment and selection of the program’s frontline staff such as screening applicants, participating in interview panels and making hiring recommendations
• Monitor and authorize program expenditures and maintain financial records in accordance with established procedures and funding levels
• Liaise with community service providers and other professionals to coordinate service provision, facilitate referrals to the program and represent the organization or program. Work with the team to reach out to other private sector employers in order to create quality job opportunities for youth
• Maintain related records and statistics and produce reports as required including Monthly Summary Report of Project Activities and all Progress Markers achieved by Participants and a forecast of Progress Markers and Expected Participant Outcomes
• Work with Case Manager to set youth candidates up for success by arranging for supports to be in place, including child care, transportation, work appropriate clothing and other supports as applicable
• Support both employer and youth to achieve a successful employment experience through regular check-in, site visits, etc.
• Informs past youth and mothers of events and activities taking place on a regular basis through email, Facebook and flyers
• Have an in depth understanding on all levels of work within the Bootstraps program; work collaboratively with other program coordinators to ensure all Aunt Leah’s Participants have access to the Bootstraps Program
• Using effective communication skills build trust and rapport and maintain effective working relationships with participants and staff to allow for the transfer of required information, and promote a co-operative and productive work environment
• Participates as a member of the Health and Safety Committee
• Attends Society Events as directed by Director of Training and Social Enterprises
• Ensures all information about participants in the program is strictly confidential both internally and externally

Working at Aunt Leah’s requires:

• Minimum 2-years post-secondary education in a relevant field of study and or combination of experience in employment counselling, facilitation of life skills development and/or community engagement is valuable
• 1 to 2 years’ experience in program development, implementation and supervision
• Satisfactory Criminal Record Check & Local RCMP Police Information Check
• CPI – Non-Violent Crisis Prevention Intervention Training
• Adherence to our Society’s Code of Ethics
• Ability to work flexible hours
• Advocacy background and training
• Demonstrated experience in supporting marginalized and/or multi-barrier persons
• Trauma Informed Awareness
• Awareness & understanding around the impact on youth from trauma and inter-generational trauma resulting from colonial polices

Work Environment:

• Full-time Regular (37.5 hrs./week); Generally, Monday – Friday
• This position works at the New Westminster Office

COVID-19 Vaccination Policy: As of January 4, 2022, Aunt Leah’s Place has implemented a COVID-19 Vaccination policy. Aunt Leah’s Place strongly encourages all employees to be fully vaccinated (2 doses) for COVID-19. Rather than a mandatory vaccine policy, we are implementing a voluntary disclosure of vaccination. Employees will fill out a “voluntary disclosure” form indicating their vaccination status. Employees that do not wish to voluntarily disclose their vaccination status will be consideredd unvaccinated for operational planning purposes. The voluntary disclosure form will be included in the hiring process.

We offer:

A comprehensive benefits package that includes: dental, extended health care including vision care and prescription, RRSP matching, generous vacation, and personal time package, and an employee discount at our Thrift Store.

Salary:

Commensurate with qualifications

To Apply:

Please send your resume and cover letter with salary expectation, quoting Bootstraps Program Coordinator in the subject line, to [email protected]  Short listed candidates will be contacted for interviews.

Thank you for your interest in joining Aunt Leah’s Independent Life Skills Society!

We encourage qualified people of all gender expressions and identities, sexual orientations, visible minorities, Indigenous persons, and persons with disabilities to apply if you are interested in supporting our mission and mandate and like what we have to offer.