Youth AdvocateIn February I went to Hillside to gain knowledge of the services provided by this agency. Among the many child intervention professions provided by this agency were several levels of youth advocates. I was referred to a youth advocate and spent a day at Joseph C. Wilson Magnet High School shadowing a second-level youth advocate. Throughout the day I was exposed to the daily work of a youth advocate and the major functions of the program within a high school. A general description of what a Level 2 Youth Advocate is is someone who works with children/adolescents in grades 7 -12 to provide support and tutoring services to assigned youth who are part of the Hillside Work-Scholarship Connection program. Youth advocates spend most of their time being supportive adults for students to imitate. They help students successfully transition from high school to college or the world of work. Youth advocates also build and sustain strong relationships with school principals, administrators, teachers and parents to ensure program reliability and a strong team to help students engage. There are many responsibilities given to a youth advocate. Throughout the day, youth advocates attend their weekly meetings with students to review grades, attendance, social skills and future plans. They also participate in meetings with teachers and administrators to obtain relevant information about their students and plan service-learning projects and social life activities. Service-learning projects include: pre-employment training, certification courses, and other similar activities. Youth advocates provide transportation services for students to attend tutoring services, enrichment activities, and...... half of the document ...... g the child's willingness to accept the team's help. He also described the purpose of having teachers on the team. Teachers are responsible for grades, so when a teacher is part of the team, a youth advocate can serve as a bridge to help the teacher identify problems the student may be having in class, whether it's the pace of the class or the pace of the lesson. distraction from other classmates. Being able to find a job that makes you excited to wake up in the morning is rare; being a youth advocate is one of those jobs. Being able to work closely with students and help them become successful adults is a reward in itself. Youth advocates mentor students, provide tutoring services, and create a team whose primary focus is the student's future. With all the child intervention services Hillside provides, I would recommend others look into the youth advocate role.