Interim Advocacy Counselor (Whittier Sites)
Organization Overview
United Friends of the Children empowers current and former foster youth on their journey to self-sufficiency through service-enriched education and housing programs, advocacy, and consistent relationships with a community of people who care.
Founded over 40 years ago, United Friends’ is a leading provider of youth development services to current and former foster youth in Los Angeles County. Through its housing and education programs, the organization has helped thousands of young people imagine and actualize their own dreams and futures. All programs are grounded in a relational model. At United Friends, youth build long-lasting, developmental relationships between young people and caring adults, as well as connections to nourishing peer and community support systems. Around those relationships, United Friends wraps an array of supportive services to help youth successfully transition to adulthood. Operating 11 housing sites around the county, United Friends’ housing program provides current and former foster youth with a stable place to live and targeted services that promote their long-term economic stability and wellness. Serving students from the sixth grade through college competition, United Friends’ education program reverses abysmal educational outcomes for foster youth by ensuring they graduate from high school and college. As a result of services, United Friends alumni have greater housing and economic stability, higher educational attainment and a stronger sense of community and emotional wellbeing.
Position Overview
United Friends of the Children’s Pathways Housing Programs provides residents, ages 18-24, with housing and support services as they seek to obtain stable and secure housing and employment. Reporting to the Community Manager, the Advocacy Counselor (AC) carries a caseload of up to (15) 18–24-year-old former foster youth. The AC’s primary objectives are to build meaningful relationships with youth and other Advocacy Counselor Team members that help them reach their educational, career, and personal goals, and to assist with program development.