Social Worker

Greencorps Chicago is the City of Chicago’s green industry job training program for individuals with barriers to employment run in partnership with WRD Environmental. Our mission is to empower residents from Chicagoland’s underserved neighborhoods to create change in their lives and communities through training, service, and career opportunities in environmental fields.

This position will be employed by WRD Environmental and report to the WRD Program Director. Greencorps Chicago seeks a Social Worker who will assist in creating an environment that promotes participant learning and development by supporting participants with programming, job coaching, counseling, job readiness training, and support services. We are looking for an emotionally intelligent Social Worker to act as advocate and help individuals foster their capacities and coping mechanisms in order to improve their success in the workplace.

The responsibilities of the Social Worker include:

• Plan, coordinate, manage, and implement support tools to help participants deal with challenges and difficulties and to overcome barriers
• Work in partnership with the Program Director and Case Manager to develop comprehensive care and individual development plans and identify outside services for clients
• Interview participants and assess their current condition, needs, assets, and barriers
• Assess each case/issue and set tailored or aligned measurable goals to achieve optimal success
• Actively participate in problem solving interventions to assist in learning or behavioral problems
• Anticipate and diagnose emerging challenges of participants in order to preemptively address misunderstandings and promote growth in the participants’ interactions while at work and general professional development
• Monitor and evaluate participants progress and modify action plans accordingly
• Build upon and maintain a network of supportive services with social service agencies and programs
• Research and advocate for appropriate public assistance resources for program participants
• Work with a participants outside case managers to offer dual support
• Provide crisis intervention practices including trauma-informed care and restorative justice practices
• Counsel individual participants as necessary
• Maintain accurate records and report on participants’ status to approved staff members
• Meet regularly with staff to discuss individual participants’ performance, learning issues, interventions, or problems. Work collaboratively to ensure program participants’ overall program needs are met
• Educate and coach all staff on most successful approaches to fostering the growth of participants
• Other tasks as needed

Qualifications for this position include:

• Graduation from an accredited college or university with a BS degree (MS preferred) in social work, psychology or sociology supplemented by a minimum of three years of related work experience. LSW preferred.
• Demonstrated experience in teaching, practice, and/or research about issues of privilege and oppression, social justice, racial justice, social inequalities, and/or diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives.
• Previous practice and/or research experience  with a demonstrated commitment to improving access and opportunity for  historically underrepresented and marginalized groups.

Required Skills:

• Social perceptiveness and empathy, and experienced with Trauma-Informed Care approaches
• Ability to understand and diagnose specific assets, barriers, challenges, and opportunities of individuals with barriers to success among racially and economically diverse populations including but not limited to re-entry populations.
• Computer skills (Microsoft Office, email communication, etc.)