The Passage of Hope Program provides temporary residential care and other
supportive services to Unaccompanied Children (UC) who are under legal custody of the Federal Government. Working in collaboration with the federal Office of Refugee Resettlement, our HS/PRS program provides support and assistance to families in need of Home Study Services, and families in need of Post Release Services (PRS). For PRS Services we link children and their families with an array of community services that will help them achieve success and permanency in the United States so they are able to move forward with their lives and thrive. 

About Rising Ground

Founded as an orphanage in 1831, Rising Ground has been at the forefront of evolving community needs. Driven by the belief that each of us can thrive when life has hope and opportunity, Rising Ground provides caring support and proven paths to positive change, helping children, adults, and families rise above adversity, and each year, Rising Ground is a positive force in the lives of more than 72,000 individuals annually. We do this through 101 programs across 138 sites, throughout New York City and Westchester. Our strong belief and commitment to diversity is shown not just through our work with supported persons but is integral to the building of a strong staff that reflects the communities we serve. Rising Ground is headquartered in New York City.

The Travel Team/ YCW will be responsible for the overall Travel escort and of the transportation needs to reunify a person supported with his/her sponsor. The Travel team /YCW will also coordinate be responsible for all transportation needed for the minors during their placement at Leake and Watts. The Travel Team/YCW is responsible for providing direct services and performs various support tasks as part of the youth’s daily care.

• Serves as youth’s supervisor with responsibility for the safety, personal conduct, and care of the youth, providing therapeutic interventions
• Ensures they are available for travel when notified of travel/transportation needs of minors
• Ensures that all travel needs planned, organized are executed in a timely manner
• Supervises movement of youth inside and outside the facility, vehicle and during airplane travel
• Implements the tenants of PBIS with the children (providing the explanation to the children of the PBIS model, ensuring recording of behaviors and distributing Gotchas)
• Interacts critically and constructively with other staff members to develop and implement successful travel/transportation arrangements
• Assist the Travel Team Coordinator with internet search on the different airlines to find the more suitable tickets for the children and the most cost effective tickets for the agency/family
• Ensure that all children doing a direct flight are escorted by an airline escort
• Coordinate with the Travel Team Coordinator regarding transporting the minors to their sponsors, as needed, to cities close by to NY
• Cover for staffing ratios as needed
• Participate in the program daily check-ins as possible to better plan the transportation for the children
• Maintain daily communication with the Program Director, Assistant Program Director, Lead Case Worker, Shift Leaders and Program Nurse for the full operation of the job
• Communicate with the sponsors when making the contact at minors destination
• Participates and attends all required program related meetings and conferences
• Works effectively with other professionals in the field
• Maintains knowledge of issues affecting UC youth
• Supports and participates in the group interaction process
• Some evening and weekend hours
• Performs other duties as assigned
• Implements the tenants of PBIS with the children (providing the explanation to the children of the PBIS model, ensuring recording of behaviors and distributing Gotchas).

• Preferred- A Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university within one or a combination of the following: Counseling, Criminal Justice, Education, Psychology, Sociology, or Social work
• One or more years of work experience in a residential treatment program
• Two or more years of experience in group work which involved direct care and interaction with youth such as UMCA, schools, recreational facilities, or residential care programs
• Knowledge of child welfare and immigration related legislation
• Excellent verbal, written communication and organizational skills are essential
• Valid vehicle operator’s license, clean driving record
• Bilingual (English/Spanish) a must

Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities and activities may change at any time with or without notice.

Supervisory Responsibility

Yes/No

Work Environment:

Clinic/Field/Corporate Office

Position Type/Expected Hours of Work:
This is a full-time position. Location: 151 Lawrence Street, Brooklyn, NY 

Additional Requirements:

• Authorized to work in the U.S.
• Ability to work in-person in Brooklyn atleast 3 days a week.
• Ability to travel to other Rising Ground sites (if required)

Our Commitment to Diversity, Fairness, and Belonging

Rising Ground is comprised of unique and valued individuals who together make the organization effective in assisting the children, adults and families who come to us for support. We believe that only when all employees contribute fully as their true selves can Rising Ground's true strength, vision, and values come to fruition. We recognize the ubiquitous social biases and structures that impact and shape the experiences of all people, including our own staff and people supported. Among the many biases present in our society that shape our personal and professional experiences race, gender, sexual orientation, and gender expression are all factors that can present hurdles. As such, Rising Ground is committed to being an anti-racist and inclusive organization that will actively strive to overcome both systemic and interpersonal biases that perpetuate oppression.

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

It is the policy of Rising Ground that the Agency wholly complies with equal treatment of all employees and applicants for employment without unlawful discrimination as to an individual’s perceived or actual race, creed, color, national origin, alienate, citizenship status, gender, gender identity, age, disability, marital status, partnership status, sexual orientation, ethnicity, religion, or veteran status in all employment decisions, including but not limited to recruitment, hiring, compensation, training and apprenticeship, promotion, upgrading, demotion, downgrading, transfer, layoff and termination and all other terms and conditions of employment.