ABOUT COMMONPOINT:

At Commonpoint, community is at the heart of everything we do. With more than 90 program sites and flagship locations in Little Neck, Bayside, Forest Hills, East Elmhurst, Jamaica, and the Bronx, we proudly serve over 125,000 individuals each year. From early childhood to older adulthood, we support people from all walks of life on their journeys from crisis to stability and empowerment. Our wide range of programs, spanning social services, education, and recreation, reflects our mission to build a more connected, inclusive, and thriving community for all.

ABOUT THE ROLE:

The Counselor Advocate plays a key role in supporting the academic, social emotional, and personal development of students at PS 16, The Nancy DeBenedittis School. Working within Commonpoint’s holistic, strengths-based, and family supported approach, the Counselor Advocate builds meaningful relationships with students and serves as a consistent source of guidance, encouragement, and support throughout the school and program day. The Counselor Advocate works directly with students individually and in groups to identify goals, address barriers to success, strengthen social-emotional and life skills, and promote positive school engagement. The role includes providing counseling and academic support, facilitating enrichment and life-skills activities, monitoring attendance and student progress, conducting outreach to students and families, and connecting participants with appropriate school and community resources when additional support is needed. In addition to direct student support, the Counselor Advocate collaborates closely with school staff, Commonpoint program leadership, families, mental health professionals, and community partners to ensure students receive coordinated and responsive services. The position also supports program activities and student supervision, maintains accurate documentation, and contributes to a safe, inclusive, and engaging environment where students can thrive academically, socially, and emotionally.

This role reports directly to the Program Coordinator and Community School Director.

ROLE RESPONSIBILITIES:

Agency Expectations:

Support agency initiatives by carrying out assigned duties accurately and efficiently, while following established processes and contributing to basic data collection, reporting, or documentation as required.
Use agency resources responsibly by following established procedures, safeguarding equipment and materials, and/or supporting cost-effective operations.
Work effectively with supervisors, coworkers, and cross-department teams to ensure clear communication, timely task completion, and a positive, respectful work environment.
Follow all safety protocols, policies, and procedures to maintain a safe work environment for staff, partners, and the public, and promptly report concerns or incidents.

Role Expectations:

Youth Supervision & Development:
Supervise & Support: Provide active supervision of students from Kindergarten through Eighth grade, ensuring a safe, inclusive, and engaging program environment
Academic Support: Provide homework assistance and encourage positive study habits while supporting students' academic success.
Program Facilitation: Plan and facilitate engaging educational, recreational, and enrichment activities aligned with the program schedule and site plan.
Positive Youth Development: Model respectful behavior, reinforce program expectations, and use positive behavior management strategies to support student success.
Guide Transitions: Safely supervise and support students as they transition between activities, maintaining structure and engagement throughout the program.

Program Operations:

Program Administration: Complete daily attendance and assist with required program documentation accurately and on time.
Communication & Reporting: Promptly communicate participant concerns, behavioral issues, injuries, or program-related concerns to the Program Director or Assistant Program Director. Assist with completing incident reports and required documentation as needed.
Maintain Program Spaces: Help organize, prepare, and maintain activity spaces and materials to ensure a safe, clean, and welcoming environment.

Program Quality & Collaboration:

Team Collaboration: Work collaboratively with program staff to ensure consistent implementation of daily programming and operations.
Embed SEL: Incorporate Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) into daily programming through check-ins, reflection activities, positive behavior modeling, and relationship building. Elevate concerns appropriately and collaborate with supervisors and mental health staff when needed.
Inclusive Practice: Adapt activities and materials to ensure youth of all abilities, including those with IEPs and disabilities, can participate safely and meaningfully.
Content Areas: Support programming across focus areas, including SEL, Health & Wellness, and College & Career Readiness, as outlined in the site plan.
Continuous Improvement: Assist with participant surveys and other program data collection efforts to support continuous quality improvement. Establish rapport with all program participants. Assist them in identifying their educational and behavioral goals and helping them formulate future plans.
Implement and conduct workshops on life skills and student enrichment.
Recruit students and conduct intake assessments and interviews.
Monitor participants' attendance and academic and career progress on assigned caseload.
Provide interpersonal group and individual counseling.
Provide necessary referrals to community resources.
Work in a collaborative team, including participation in staff meetings, contractor meetings, and staff development, to support student progress.
Monitor and document student progress in various service areas (guidance and counseling, academic support, life skills, and work readiness).
Conduct daily attendance outreach, including home visits if necessary.

Compliance & Professionalism:

Safety & Compliance: Follow Commonpoint, DYCD, and SACC policies related to active supervision, attendance, transitions, participant safety, mandated reporting, behavior management, and incident documentation.
Professionalism & Confidentiality: Maintain the privacy and confidentiality of participants and families by following agency policies regarding confidentiality, photography, video recordings, personal devices, and social media. Do not take, share, or post program-related photos, videos, or information without agency authorization.
Program Administration: Complete attendance, communicate participant concerns to supervisors, and assist with incident reports and required documentation.

QUALIFICATIONS & KEY ATTRIBUTES:
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

Bachelor’s degree preferred.
At least one year's experience working with youth in an urban setting.
Astute knowledge of performance-based contracting with clients.
Experience working with students on achieving positive outcomes for success.
Workshop implementation experience preferred.
Spanish speaking is a plus.

KEY ATTRIBUTES OF A GROUP LEADER:

Dependable & Responsible: Consistently arrives prepared, follows through on assigned responsibilities, and demonstrates reliability in supporting daily program operations.
Adaptable & Growth-Oriented: Responds positively to changing priorities, learns new skills quickly, and applies feedback to continuously improve performance.
Professional & Safety-Minded: Demonstrates professionalism in all interactions while following agency policies, maintaining confidentiality, and prioritizing the safety and well-being of participants.
Positive Role Model: Builds respectful relationships with youth, models positive behavior, and contributes to a welcoming, inclusive, and supportive program environment.
Team Player: Works collaboratively with colleagues, communicates effectively, and contributes to a positive and solution-oriented team culture.

COMPENSATION & BENEFITS:

Commonpoint offers competitive base salaries benchmarked against comparable nonprofit organizations in the New York metropolitan area. Salaries are determined based on internal and external equity, as well as each position’s scope, qualifications, and organizational impact. We believe in compensating staff fairly and

consistently, ensuring that all salary decisions align with our mission-driven commitment to equity and transparency.

To maintain fairness across the organization, salary offers are set according to established salary bands and are not subject to negotiation. New hires typically start near the beginning of the salary range to allow for growth based on performance, professional development, and tenure.

WORKING CONDITIONS & JOB DETAILS:

WORKING CONDITIONS:

Work is performed primarily in a school or office setting, with regular activities conducted in classrooms, gyms, cafeterias, outdoor spaces, and other program environments as needed.
Position may require exposure to varying environmental conditions, including outdoor weather, loud noise, and other conditions associated with school-age and community-based programming.
Requires the ability to sit, stand, walk, bend, stoop, reach, and use a computer and other office equipment for extended periods throughout the workday.
Must be able to lift and carry materials, supplies, and equipment weighing up to 25 pounds, with
occasional assistance for heavier items as needed.
Requires flexibility to work occasional evenings, weekends, and extended hours to support program operations, special events, training, family engagement activities, and agency initiatives.
Travel between program sites, schools, agency locations, and community events may be required based on program, operational, and funding needs. Temporary reassignment to alternate program sites, including summer program locations, may also be required to support agency operations.

JOB DETAILS:

Hourly Range: $21.00/hr - $26.00/hr

Location: 41-15 104th Street, Corona, NY, 11368

Work Schedule: Monday–Friday. Hours Part-Time; School Year Term occasional summers, evenings and weekends. Up to 19 hours per week. Depends on programming needs between 8 am and 6 pm.

Non Union Position.

In Person.

To Apply: Please submit a cover letter and résumé, as a Word or PDF document only, to Frances Ramos at FRamos@commonpoint.org . Please indicate Counselor Advocate - PS 16 in the subject line. Due to the high volume of applicants, only qualified candidates will be contacted.

Commonpoint is an equal opportunity employer

Commonpoint

Counselor Advocate

About the Job