Life Coach
Program: Young Adult Supported Living (YASL)
Pay Range: $20–$21.25/hour
Location: Springfield, MA
RFK Community Alliance is seeking a compassionate, creative, and motivated Life Coach to join our Young Adult Supported Living (YASL) Program in Springfield, Massachusetts.
In this role, you will empower DCF-referred young adults ages 18–22 as they transition to adulthood and develop the skills, confidence, and independence needed to live successfully in the community. You’ll provide individualized coaching, hands-on support, and real-world learning opportunities throughout Western Massachusetts.
About the Young Adult Supported Living Program
RFK’s Young Adult Supported Living Program provides DCF-referred young adults ages 18–22 with individualized housing, case management, life-skills development, and experiential learning opportunities designed to prepare them for independent living.
The program serves up to 12 transition-aged young adults, providing a safe and supportive environment where participants can learn, practice, and master essential skills while gradually increasing their independence, self-initiation, and decision-making abilities.
About the Role
The Life Coach works closely with the Program Director and Case Manager to implement the YASL program and support participants from intake through discharge.
The ideal candidate is a self-starter with strong organizational and communication skills who enjoys coaching young adults through a client-centered, strengths-based approach. Creativity, flexibility, cultural responsiveness, and a genuine passion for helping young people succeed are essential.
The Life Coach will maintain a caseload of approximately 12 young adults and help participants establish and maintain stable housing, build independent living skills, connect with community resources, and achieve their personal goals.
Key Responsibilities
- Serve as a positive role model and collaborative team member while maintaining appropriate professional boundaries.
- Manage a caseload of approximately 12 young adults in partnership with the Case Manager.
- Provide individualized, person-centered coaching, support, and modeling focused on engagement, goal-setting, and future planning.
- Meet with young adults weekly, or more frequently as needed, to plan, practice, and provide feedback on independent living skills, including:
- Shopping and meal planning
- Cooking and cleaning
- Laundry
- Budgeting and money management
- Public transportation
- Time management and organization
- Problem-solving and decision-making
- Help young adults build healthy, supportive relationships and connect with and utilize appropriate community resources.
- Promote healthy lifestyles, wellness practices, and overall self-sufficiency.
- Ensure participants maintain their apartments in accordance with health and safety standards.
- Collaborate with the Case Manager to plan and facilitate engaging fun and functional sessions focused on executive functioning and related skills, including planning, organizing, prioritizing, scheduling, time management, task initiation, problem-solving, and effective use of technology.
- Communicate effectively with participants, families, community providers, and other members of the participant’s support team.
- Maintain timely and accurate documentation of participant progress and make recommendations for additional services when appropriate.
- Assist young adults in identifying and addressing immediate and long-term needs related to safety, well-being, housing stability, and self-sufficiency.
- Participate in treatment planning and psychoeducational groups.
- Attend RFK meetings, trainings, webinars, and YASL-specific meetings and trainings as scheduled.
- Represent RFK professionally and consistently with agency standards, policies, ethical guidelines, and expectations.
Qualifications
- Associate degree required, preferably in Human Services, Psychology, Social Work, or a related field.
- Experience working with youth in out-of-home placements preferred.
- 1-2 years of experience working with at-risk youth and/or in housing services preferred, but not required.
- Lived experience with housing insecurity, teen parenting, foster care, or related experiences is valued but not required.
- Strong self-awareness and the ability to work effectively and respectfully with individuals from diverse cultures, backgrounds, identities, and life experiences.
- Excellent communication, organization, problem-solving, and interpersonal skills.
- Valid driver’s license, dependable vehicle, and current auto insurance required.
- Ability to successfully pass required background checks, including CORI.
- Bilingual skills are a plus.
Schedule
- Full-time: 40 hours per week
- Typical schedule is 9am–5pm
- Occasional evening or weekend hours may be required to accommodate participant needs or scheduled program events.
- On-call responsibilities are rare and generally limited to phone-based triage.
Who We Are
RFK Community Alliance provides high-quality care and support to people and families facing complicated challenges. As a multi-service agency, we offer a wide range of programs serving a variety of needs across all ages from infants to seniors. We are team players when it comes to caring. We work with the people we serve, their families, schools, and other community partners to develop a support network. We provide opportunities to build skills and confidence. We nurture strengths, determination, and resilience.
How We Promote Equity, Cultivate Leaders, and Grow Together
At RFK Community Alliance, we’re dedicated to a culture where everyone can show up to work as their full authentic selves. Diversity and inclusion doesn’t happen by accident, it’s by design. Together we are the designers. We believe that a diverse and inclusive workplace makes our organization stronger. We care about including diverse perspectives and experiences throughout every level. Which is why we’re committed to honoring, celebrating, and fostering diversity and inclusion on our team, in our clientele and within our community. Our team must reflect our community and vice versa. We value, respect, and support all types of diversity across all identities including, but not limited to, ethnicity, race, gender, LGBTQIA, age religion and abilities. We take responsibility for the community we’re creating here at RFK Community Alliance, and we’re here to contribute to the progression of our society to a more inclusive and equitable one.
Why You’ll Love Us
In addition to being a part of a supportive team, we offer amazing employee benefits, including:
- Health Insurance
- Dental Insurance
- Vision Insurance
- Generous paid time off
- Holiday Pay
- Educational Assistance
- Employer paid life insurance
- Employer paid Short- & Long-Term Disability
- Retirement Plan with generous employer match
- Tuition Reimbursement
- Comprehensive Employee Assistance Program
To apply for this position please click on Life Coach. RFKCA offers a compassionate, inclusive company culture and excellent work environment. RFKCA is deeply committed to the principles of equity, diversity, and inclusiveness. We do not discriminate based on race, color, creed, national origin, religion, age, gender identity, sexual orientation, physical or mental disability. EOE/AA
