Life Skills Counselor – Part-time
New Ground is a nonprofit community organization that has been serving Long Islanders experiencing homelessness for over 35 years. Our social work team specializes in empowering Long Island’s families and veterans to break the cycle of homelessness and poverty through intensive social work, education, and housing support. New Ground owns and operates permanent supportive housing for previously homeless individuals, which is where this position would be primarily based.
As an Independent Life Skills Counselor, you will support adults in permanent supportive housing by helping them build independent living skills. Under the supervision of a Master’s-level Social Worker, you will assist with daily tasks such as meal planning, grocery shopping, home organization, and household management while promoting confidence, independence, and stability.
Schedule & Compensation
- 20 hours per week, flexible scheduling including early mornings and evenings
- $22 - $24/hour based on relevant experience
- Paid training and professional development opportunities
- Includes paid time off and other benefits
To thrive/succeed as the Life Skills Counselor, you should have:
- High school diploma or equivalent required.
- Experience in human services, coaching, or related fields required.
- Strong interpersonal skills and ability to build trust with diverse populations.
- Reliable, organized, and comfortable working independently in offsite and out of office locations.
- Valid driver’s license and reliable transportation required.
Your responsibilities as the Life Skills Counselor will include:
- Accompany Social Workers on home visits with residents for initial reviews of all areas where life skills development is needed.
- Conduct ongoing home visits with residents to assess needs and identify life skills goals.
- Provide hands-on coaching and support to help residents build independent living skills.
- Assist with daily living tasks, including grocery shopping, budgeting, meal planning, and preparation.
- Support residents with home organization, cleanliness, safety, and household management skills.
- Help residents navigate transportation options for employment, appointments, and community activities.
- Teach organizational skills, such as managing schedules, opening mail, managing household chore charts, and daily responsibilities.
- Document client progress and collaborate with the Social Work team while maintaining confidentiality.
This role is great for those looking to make a difference and gain experience in social work, education, or therapy. Ongoing supervision is offered. Full-time staff members are on-site to support the development of the role; will collaborate with all members of the onsite program services team.
We are an equal opportunity employer that welcomes and encourages diversity in the workplace. We do not discriminate based on race, color, religion, marital status, age, national origin, ancestry, physical or mental disability, medical condition, pregnancy, genetic information, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, veteran status, or any other status protected under federal, state, or local law. We will consider qualified applicants with criminal histories for employment
Pay: $22.00 - $24.00 per hour
Work Location: In person
