We are hiring a NEW Psychosocial Director for Next Step’s Summer Campference Program! Apply today!

Next Step Summer Campference Program

Organization: Next Step

Position: Psychosocial Director

Location: 99 Bishop Allen Drive, Cambridge MA

 

 

Organization Description:

At Next Step, we serve young people living with chronic illnesses—cancer, HIV, sickle cell, and other rare genetic conditions—between the ages of 16-29. We believe that if you empower them with the right skills, tools, and knowledge they will begin asking “What’s next?” instead of “Why me?”  We help young people accomplish this shift in mindset through our change process—a 3-step cycle built upon the following pillars:

• Engagement: Building Community + Changing Perspective
• Education: Learning Skills + Growing Confidence
• Empowerment: Building Resilience + Developing Leadership

 

All of our programs are free of charge to participants. A key part of our impact lies in the relationships we build among youth. The only person in the world who can understand what it’s like to share your diagnosis with a friend for the first time or miss extensive days of school because of your diagnosis is another young person who’s been there too. The power of that shared experience can be life changing.

During the summer, Next Step delivers three dynamic Summer Campferences—4-day residential programs that combine the recreational fun of camp with the information and networking opportunities possible at conferences. The Summer Campferences serve the following communities with participants ranging in age from 16-25 years old:

• Face2Face: Young adults with a cancer diagnosis—regardless of their stage in their cancer journey
  • Dates: Thursday, June 27^th – Sunday, June 30^th

 

• Face Forward: Young adults living with rare genetic disorders
  • Dates: Thursday, July 11^th – Sunday, July 14^th

 

• One Love: Young adults living with an HIV diagnosis
  • Dates: Thursday, July 25^th – Sunday, July 28^th

 

Position Description:

The Psychosocial Director is responsible for providing psychosocial oversight and supervision for Next Step’s Summer Campference program. The job responsibilities are as follows:

• Pre-Campference
  • Review psychosocial protocols and application content to assess any potential need for changes that would fall in-line with organization, cultural or professional ethical developments.
    • Assist in the institutionalization of protocols across all Campference programs
  • Review completed youth psychosocial applications
  • Provide Next Step staff guidance regarding the appropriateness of potential conference delegates
  • Assist with pre-conference follow up with registered youth participants (and parents as needed)
    • Check-in with social workers as needed regarding any safety plans for particular youth
  • Organize psychosocial Campference trainings for volunteers & staff (in collaboration with other staff)
  • Participate in all summer leadership team planning meetings
  • Connect regularly with NS Program Director

 

• Campference Oversight/Consultation
  • Provide on-site psychosocial consultation for all Next Step Summer Campferences
  • Consulting daily with staff and program leaders on how they can assist with social, emotional and or behavior issues that may arise.
  • Directly consulting with youth at times regarding questions/concerns that match your area of expertise

 

• Post Campference
  • Facilitate a post-campference staff & volunteer debriefing session for each Campference
  • Organize a log of any direct consultation with youth during Campferences
    • Write up and report of any significant issues that you observe during Campference programs
  • Develop a procedural review of the psychosocial components of each Campference

 

Qualifications

• Have experience working clinically with patients within our disease population
• Must have excellent organizational and computer skills
• Exceptional communication skills and professional boundaries
• Comfort working with culturally diverse populations
• Education and or significant experience with addressing areas of multicultural diversity in clinical work, including but not limited to race, gender, sexual orientation, abilities/disabilities and intersectionality
• Have experience facilitating residential group programming
• Have experience working with adolescents and young adults
• Possess a good sense of humor and work ethic.
• Responsible and professional
• Are willing to travel and work residential weekend programs when needed
• Are able to work independently
• Are able to keep all interactions with participants confidential.
• Are able to manage a fast paced, all hands on deck atmosphere.
• Demonstrate a commitment to the mission of Next Step
• Have a strong interest in public health, medicine, and social justice issues

 

This is a seasonal position with a total compensation of $5000. Master’s Degree required. Licensed or doctoral level candidates preferred. All candidates must have experience providing therapeutic support to young adults. Please email resume and cover letter if interested to kepler@nextstepnet.org.

 

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