SENIOR FAMILY AND NEIGHBORHOOD COUNSELOR
Senior Family and Neighborhood Counselor sits in the competitive class of New Jersey's local-government civil service, so reaching it runs through testing and an eligible list instead of a straight hire.
The requirements come down to a bachelor's degree and 1 year of relevant experience.
How to apply
This title is filled by competitive examination.
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Senior Family and Neighborhood Counselor is a local service title. It is filled by the counties, municipalities, authorities and other employers that have adopted civil service under Title 11A, not by State departments. Those employers set pay by ordinance or contract rather than from a State salary schedule, which is why most local titles carry no salary range here.
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Official job specification
The text below is the official specification published by the New Jersey Civil Service Commission. The plain-language summary and analysis above are derived from it by NJ Civil Service Navigator. Source: the official specification page at NJ CSC.
Definition
Under direction, provides counseling and assistance to individuals and families to solve problems affecting family life and neighborhood relationships; takes the lead over other family and neighborhood counselors; does related work.
Examples of work
- Counsels individuals and families and attempts to divert cases from the judicial process.
- Provides assistance in dealing with short-term problems requiring immediate resolution.
- Provides guidance and instruction to other counselors.
- Counsels individuals and families to identify the cause of problems.
- Participates in hearings to resolve problems.
- Evaluates relationships of individuals and family members to devise solutions to their domestic and other problems.
- Prepares reports and correspondence.
- Consults with court officials on the progress of cases.
- Establishes and maintains cooperative working relationships with other agencies providing social services to clients.
- Refers clients to other agencies for further assistance.
- Refers cases requiring long-term counseling to appropriate agencies.
- Establishes and maintains records and files.
- Will be required to learn to utilize various types of electronic and/or manual recording and information systems used by the agency, office, or related units.
Education
Graduation from an accredited college or university with a Bachelor's degree with a major course of study in sociology, psychology, counseling, guidance or social work.
Experience
One (1) year of experience in the analysis of social and/or emotional problems and providing consultation and guidance.
License
Appointees will be required to possess a driver's license valid in NJ only if the operation of a vehicle, rather than employee mobility, is necessary to perform essential duties of the position.
Knowledge, skills and abilities
- Knowledge of interview and counseling techniques.
- Knowledge of the types of social agencies available to provide assistance.
- Knowledge of the situations likely to create problems in the family.
- Ability to interpret laws, rules, regulations, and apply them to specific cases.
- Ability to establish and maintain cooperative working relationships with staff and clients.
- Ability to provide guidance and instructions to counselors.
- Ability to identify cases requiring referral to other agencies.
- Ability to provide counseling to individuals and families to identify and resolve problems affecting family life.
- Ability to prepare reports.
- Ability to maintain needed records and files.
- Ability to utilize various types of electronic and/or manual recording and information systems used by the agency, office, or related units.
- Ability to read, write, speak, understand, and communicate in English sufficiently to perform duties of this position. American Sign Language or Braille may also be considered as acceptable forms of communication.
- Persons with mental or physical disabilities are eligible as long as they can perform essential functions of the job after reasonable accommodation is made to their known limitations. If the accommodation cannot be made because it would cause the employer undue hardship, such persons may not be eligible.
Note
The examples of work for this title are for illustrative purposes only. A particular position using this title may not perform all duties listed in this job specification. Conversely, all duties performed on the job may not be listed.
Possession of a master's degree in counseling, guidance, psychology, sociology or social work from an accredited college or university may be substituted for one (1) year of the work experience.