CLASS TITLE: Student Special Services Advocate

CHARACTERISTICS OF THE CLASS: Under general supervision, serves as an advocate for at-risk young adults and school-aged parents in connection with social, educational, and job training services; and performs related duties as required .

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS: Reviews school records and identifies, visits, and counsels at-risk young adults and school aged parents who have dropped out of school, for the purpose of encouraging their return to school; confers with school counselors and clients to establish educational programs suitable. to school-aged parents' lifestyles; develops resource networks and accompanies clients to social service agencies which provide services and referrals to clients; assists clients in enrolling in G.E.D. courses, evening school courses, and job training programs; confers with employers of at-risk young adults and school-aged parents to discuss possibility of reducing work hours to allow clients to continue their education; maintains client case files and provides follow-up services; assists in compiling periodic activity reports for submission to supervisory staff and program government funding sources; meets with community organizations to distribute literature and explain available services; may counsel student-athletes to ensure they meet college academic entrance requirements.

DESIRABLE MINIMUM.QUALIFICATIONS:

Training and Experience. Graduation from an accredited educationa.l institution with an Associate's degree, or successful completion of two years of college-level course work at an accredited college or university, supplemented by four years of progressively responsible experience in corllinunity or social service organizations; or an equivalent  combination of training and experience.

Knowledge. Abilities. and Skill. Considerable knowledge of the functions of social service agencies, considerable knowledge and sensitivity to the needs of at-risk young adults and school-aged parents, considerable knowledge of the concepts of social service program development.

Ability to work with and for at-risk young adults and school-aged parents, ability to establish and expand community and soda! service networks, ability to maintain accurate records.

Good oral and written communication skills, thorough skill in evaluating and meeting the social service needs of at-risk young adults and school-aged parents, skill in coordinating the efforts of various social service agencies and community organizations.

Physical Requirements. Light Work: Exerting up to twenty (20) pounds of force occasionally, or up to ten (10) pounds of force frequently, or a negligible amount of force frequently to move objects. Even though weight of force moved may be only a negligible amount, a position should be rated as Light Work (1) when it requires walking or standing to a siguificant degree; or (2) when it requires sitting most of the time but entails pushing or pulling of arm controls.