PT Social Worker - After School Program (Queens)

Part-Time Social Worker - After School Program (Queens)

NYJTL is seeking a compassionate and skilled Part-Time Social Worker to support student emotional wellness, social-emotional development, and inclusive participation in our afterschool programs. This is an on-site role assigned to one afterschool site, Monday through Thursday, for a total of 12 hours per week. Candidates should be available from 2:30-5:30PM, with some site-based flexibility depending on program needs.

The Part-Time Social Worker will help nurture a positive, trauma-informed, inclusive afterschool culture and support students through individual check-ins, small group sessions, family communication, safety and support planning, accommodation support, and referrals to outside resources when appropriate.

Core Responsibilities

• Provide brief emotional and behavioral support to students during afterschool hours through individual check-ins, small groups, and targeted interventions
• Support students experiencing challenges with attendance, engagement, peer relationships, behavior, emotional regulation, stress management, or participation in program activities
• Respond to student crises using trauma-informed de-escalation techniques and NYJTL safety protocols, including developing safety or support plans and coordinating follow-up referrals as needed
• Support students in accessing program activities in ways that promote belonging, participation, dignity, and independence
• Support the implementation of approved SEL curricula through student workshops, small groups, and daily program activities
• Promote a safe, inclusive, and supportive program climate rooted in equity, belonging, youth development, disability inclusion, and restorative practice
• Develop positive behavior systems and youth leadership opportunities through restorative circles, conflict resolution sessions, relationship-building activities, and strength-based engagement strategies
• Help staff support students' full participation in program activities, not simply their physical presence in the space
• Support the Program Site Director, and site team in promoting an inclusive afterschool environment for students with disabilities, neurodiverse students, and students with visible or invisible support needs
• Assist with individualized student support planning, including accommodations, behavior supports, or Individualized Accommodation Plans when needed
• Participate in or support cooperative dialogue with families, caregivers, school-day staff, and site leadership when appropriate, ensuring conversations are strengths-based, culturally responsive, and documented
• Help ensure student support decisions are individualized and not based on disability category, diagnosis, prior-year assumptions, or blanket program decisions
• Develop strong relationships with families through regular communication, outreach, workshops, and information sessions focused on student wellness, youth mental health, disability inclusion, parenting strategies, and community resources
• Connect students and families to community-based referrals, including mental health, housing, food access, healthcare, legal support, disability-related services, and other family support services
• Collaborate with school-day staff, including school counselors, social workers, deans, administrators, or IEP teams, when appropriate
• Support trust-building with families who may be hesitant to share disability-related information, IEPs, diagnoses, or family needs, while recognizing that disclosure is voluntary and should not be pressured
• Train and coach after school staff on trauma-informed care, restorative practices, positive behavior strategies, mental health awareness, disability inclusion, de-escalation, and group management
• Provide modeling, observation feedback, and reflective support to help staff respond to student needs effectively
• Support staff in understanding mandated reporting procedures, documentation expectations, accommodation-related responsibilities, and appropriate response protocols
• Help staff move away from deficit-based interpretations of student behavior and toward understanding behavior as communication, while maintaining clear expectations and safety
• Maintain accurate records of services, including student interactions, group sessions, family contacts, referrals, incident follow-up, accommodation-related support, and case notes
• Complete required documentation using internal tracking systems, case note systems, Microsoft Excel, and other assigned tools
• Use documentation, assessment data, interaction tracking, and student support trends to identify student needs, inform program improvements, and guide targeted interventions
• Support documentation related to individualized accommodation planning, cooperative dialogue, attempted interventions, family communication, and follow-up steps when applicable
• Partner closely with Program Directors and site teams to identify student needs, strengthen programming, and support inclusive student participation
• Collaborate with school-day teams, caregivers, community partners, and the site Inclusion Coordinator when appropriate to support student success
• Support social work interns or collaborate with interns at the site, when applicable
• Communicate proactively with the Program Site Director and Social Work Manager regarding student concerns, family needs, accommodation challenges, documentation follow-up, and any issues requiring escalation

Qualifications

• Master's degree in Social Work from an accredited institution required
• 2–4 years of experience in community-based social work, family advocacy, school-based social work, community organizing, disability inclusion, or related services
• Experience working with children, families, schools, community-based organizations, and external partners
• Knowledge of trauma-informed care, social-emotional learning, restorative practices, youth development, inclusive programming, and culturally responsive family engagement

Candidates must be comfortable completing all required background clearance, fingerprinting, and onboarding requirements

• Bilingual Spanish/English strongly preferred
• Experience supervising or supporting social work interns
• Experience in macro social work, community-based program development, family engagement, disability inclusion, or partnership-building
• Familiarity with NYC DOE, DOH, DYCD, community schools, afterschool programming, universal design, accessibility, neurodiversity, cooperative dialogue, or Individualized Accommodation Plans preferred
• LMSW preferred; candidates without LMSW must be willing to obtain licensure within 6 months of hire
• SIFI Certification preferred or willingness to obtain within 6 months of hire

Job Type

Part-Time

Monday through Thursday, 2:30PM to 5:30PM.

Maximum 12 hours per week

$41.50 per hour

NYJTL values the diversity of the people we hire and inspire. Diversity at our organization means fostering a workplace in which individual differences are recognized, appreciated, respected, and responded to in ways that fully develop and utilize each person's talents and strengths without regard to race, color, religion, gender, pregnancy, sexual orientation/affectional preference, age, national origin, marital status, citizenship, disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. We center equity in all our work and in our hiring practices.