Social Practitioner, California Clubhouse, Inc.
Start Date By: ASAP
The Opportunity
Looking for dynamic, hard-working, compassionate individuals with lived experienced who want to make a difference in the lives of adults recovering from mental health challenges!
California Clubhouse serves residents of San Mateo County in California who are rebuilding their lives while living with major mental health challenges. We provide consistent pathways to opportunities and progress for these individuals. The Clubhouse model for mental health recovery is a community-based organization, located in San Carlos, where people can go every day during business hours to work on overcoming the obstacles they face. The Clubhouse also offers a social program on evenings, weekends, and holidays to support a healthy work/recreational life balance.
California Clubhouse is part of the thriving, global Clubhouse community that is creating hope and opportunity for those recovering in mental health. The Clubhouse network provides access to best practices, standards, and ongoing culture of depth and innovation.
Our goal is to be a diverse and inclusive workforce that is representative of the members we serve and our greater community. At California Clubhouse, we are committed to providing an environment of mutual respect where equal employment opportunities are available to all applicants and teammates with no discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy (including childbirth, lactation and related medical conditions), national origin, age, physical and mental disability, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, genetic information, military and veteran status, and any other characteristics protected by applicable law. We strive to hire peers and see the value in having diverse staff with lived experience. We seek to recruit, develop, and retain the most talented people from a diverse candidate pool!
The Position
Title: Social Practitioner
Type: Full Time, Hourly. The position includes evening and weekend programming, approximately one evening per month and one weekend day/month;
Salary & Benefits: $21.63/HR, Paid Time Off and Health Benefits which include medical, vision and dental insurance.
Reports To: Assistant Director
Job Description: A Clubhouse Social Practitioner holds a direct service position in a broad role, though candidates may also be asked to focus in an area of expertise as determined by the organization and member’s needs. Central to the Social Practitioner’s role is engaging members in all aspects of Clubhouse operation. This engagement is performed by helping members to experience a sense of belonging and being needed in the Clubhouse community, with a focus on strengths, talents, and interests. Staff will offer a positive, supportive relationship that helps promote hope, choice, wellness and recovery for participants while working together as colleagues and mentors. The primary role of the Clubhouse Staff Social Practitioner is to provide consistency within the work unit structure, ensuring an environment where opportunities for meaningful work and meaningful work-mediated relationships can thrive.
*Please note that during the COVID-19 Pandemic, California Clubhouse is facilitating a Hybrid Program meaning that work is facilitated virtually and in-person. Therefore, the perfect candidate will be able to apply themselves to virtual programming (phone and web video conferencing with video on several hours per day) as well as in-person at the facility. The Social Practitioner is expected to commute into the facility on various days throughout the week. California Clubhouse will provide the appropriate equipment required to perform job duties.
Core Responsibilities
• Facilitate the daily work-structured program through empowerment and engagement of members (program participants). Work side by side with members on assigned tasks and projects in a timely manner, maximizing members’ skills, talents, abilities, and leadership.
• Maintain a collaborative environment while assisting members with prevocational, vocational, and social opportunities that are consistent with the Clubhouse International Standards.
• Develop, initiate, and lead long and short-term projects as Clubhouse work opportunities for members. Generate a sense of urgency around the projects to keep members actively engaged.
• Prepare and complete required paperwork as assigned, meeting all deadlines.
• Participate in the Clubhouse’s Transitional Employment Program (TE), paid jobs for members in the community. Manage TE placements by learning the job; developing work relationships; choosing, training and supporting members on the job; and as a Clubhouse work-priority, providing TE job coverage whenever necessary.
• Facilitate Supported, Independent and Entrepreneurial Employment, and Educational opportunities for members in the community, as needed.
• Provide staff coverage for the Clubhouse providing oversight for the members, on a rotating basis, for evening, weekend, and holiday social programs. Participate in Clubhouse functions and events, as needed.
• Support members to develop and achieve personal, housing, pre-vocational, career and social goals.
• Provide education, support, and encourage the use of community resources that promote well-being and independence.
• Advocate for members with community service providers such as Housing, doctors, psychiatrists, Department of Rehabilitation, including attending appointments with members when needed to advocate, direct and model communication between members and service providers.
• Provide training and support around Clubhouse model and standards to new members, interns, volunteers, and Clubhouse colleagues.
Desired Qualities
• Can identify and introduce new work/project opportunities to members within the Clubhouse while effectively deconstructing projects to allow for multiple member involvement;
• Demonstrates adherence to a strengths-based perspective in words and actions;
• Will adhere to Clubhouse philosophy and applicable federal, state, county, and local guidelines in carrying out job duties;
• Can perform work “side-by-side” with members, creating an atmosphere and general policy in which work, leadership, and power is shared with members when possible and with the necessary support to enjoy and succeed;
• Will encourage members to interact with and mentor other members, staff, and Clubhouse colleagues;
• Be kind, cheerful, outgoing, considerate, patient, tactful, and use good judgment;
• Enjoy a diverse work team and be able to quickly establish productive work-mediated relationships with members and staff;
• A willingness to work towards diversity, equity and social justice while practicing cultural humility.
• Be willing to assist with conflict resolution in the community;
Strong candidates will possess as many of the following qualifications as possible:
We recognize that this position encompasses several different core responsibilities. We are committed to train and support our staff to strengthen their abilities in each area and encourage applications from people who may not have all the qualifications listed below.
• A deep commitment to the California Clubhouse mission and vision;
• Has lived experience and/or at least one year of experience working with adults with mental health challenges preferred;
• Fluency in languages other than English, specifically Spanish, Chinese or Tagalog
• Understanding of/interest in mental health as well as physical health
• Has a passion for helping people with mental health challenges succeed
• Possess a valid California’s driver's license with clean driving record or willingness to acquire a driver's license within first 30 days of employment;
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills both in person and virtually;
• Strong organizational, multi-tasking and time management skills;
• Available to work a full-time position that may require emergency “off schedule” hours and attend out-of-town trainings (up to 3 weeks per year), international and/or national conferences (up to one week/year), and advocacy activities (day trips);
• Diverse computer competency and media development skills
• Can listen to community feedback and problem solve by consensus;
• Will work with a sense of urgency and excitement about the work of the Clubhouse.
• Provide social program activities that encourage a depth of opportunity and energy in alignment with the broad-scope and dignity associated with Clubhouse.
• Result-oriented, responsible, organized, flexible, and a self-starter.
• A Bachelor’s Degree in related field or unique skill set is preferred.
To apply, please submit your resume and a cover letter that answers the following questions and that includes your qualifications. Make cover letter in attention to Monica Nunez, Assistant Director, HR@californiaClubhouse.org
1. What makes you excited to work for California Clubhouse?
2. What experiences and skills make you a strong candidate to provide hope and opportunity to those living with a mental health challenge(s)?
3. What does mental health mean to you and how do you see your skills and talents empowering those living with a mental health challenge(s)?
We highly encourage those interested in applying for this position to review the following websites to gain better understanding and insight of the model and standards of the Clubhouse community.
• For more information on California Clubhouse, please visit our website: californiaclubhouse.org
• To learn more about our model, please visit: Clubhouse-intl.org