Karen Hawkins, MSW **** N. Hwy ***, Apt. **** Phone: 817-***-****

Grand Prairie, TX 75050 yf4mb2@r.postjobfree.com

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Social Work Professional with 5+years of experience dedicated to servicing disadvantaged culturally diverse youth and families.

TRANSITIONAL SKILLS:

Program Development/Implementation

Community Outreach

Group Facilitation

Career/Educational Development

Case Management

Counseling

Presentation/Public Speaking

Training & Development

Event Planning

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EXPERIENCE HIGHLIGHTS

PLATFORM Four Life

Arlington, TX 2012

Program Coordinator

• Responsible for the creation, development, and implementation of the life skills, and vocational skills program

• Research, write and update curriculum

• Facilitate life skills, anger management, and social skills groups

• Assist with budget development, grant research/writing, creation of assessments tools, and training volunteers and staff

• Provide job readiness training, placement, and educational guidance

Travis County Juvenile Probation (TCJP) Residential Facility

Austin, TX 2007 - 2011

Residential Treatment Officer

• Provided career development, job readiness, social skills and independent living skills trainings

• Facilitated and co-facilitated personal responsibility and healthy decision making; cognitive behavioral therapy, substance abuse, teen pregnancy prevention, crisis intervention, and corrective disciplinary strategy groups

• Monitored and maintained file documentation in Case Reporting Management System (CRMS)

• Reviewed and implemented treatment plans, participated in staff weekly case reviews, monitored and assisted with delivery of facility programs and services

• Acted as liaison for youth & families to assist with conflict resolution, meditations, transition planning & resources referrals

• Assisted with and participated in the collaboration of staff, health care providers, community organizations, schools and professionals to develop and implement exiting plans designed to address individual youth social/emotional needs, continuity of care, and wrap-around services

• Created, developed and executed an educational/vocational pilot program (MY VOICE); portions of the program were duplicated & implemented by facility upon completion.

• Created Individual Educational Plans, and provided supportive counseling, and individual and group case management

• Cultivated relationships and formed collaborations with Schools Administrators, Community Leaders, University Professors, outreach programs, and local businesses to implement and execute the MY VOICE project

• Developed and implemented first in-house Educational /Career Fair; The success & exposure led to the Director’s request for a yearly fair.

• Coordinated weekly presentations of service providers to inform staff and clients of available youth resources

YouthLaunch

Austin, TX 2010

Community Administrative Leadership Social Work Intern

• Planned and facilitated focus groups, team meetings, team building activities, social outings, service learning projects, independent living skills trainings and teen parent group sessions

• Conducted site visits to monitor, assess, and counsel youth instructors on individual performance and program execution of the No Kidding: Straight Talk from Teen Parents Pregnancy program

• Recruited, hired and trained volunteers and young adult employees

• Researched, developed & implemented training modules and presentations

• Assisted with the research of assessing systems, identifying barriers, locating funding streams, grant writing and monitoring grant compliance

• Proficient execution of event planning & fundraising activities; personally secured the most monetary contributions in the iChoose Teen Summit’s history

HIATIAS- Attended College fulltime and worked unrelated temporary jobs at Unisys & NetSolve Corp. 2002 - 2006

Legacy House

Austin, TX 2000 - 2002

Direct Care Provider/Supervisor

• Hired, trained and supervised 24 hour Direct Care Staff to service clients-women who faced substance abuse whom were recently released from residential treatment facility;

• Trained staff on residential care and to facilitate 12-Step groups; coordinated independent living skills trainings, conducted room searches, drug tests, monitor self-administered medications, and provided conflict resolution

• Scheduled staff shifts, planned assignments, conducted staff meetings, & weekly case reviews, reviewed time sheet and completed required weekly and monthly reports and budgets

• Provided residents with counseling, conflict resolution, financial, educational, vocational and housing resources

• Provided Case Management on all clients, maintained client confidential records,

• Developed transition plans which included: housing, financial, educational, transportation and employment assistance

• Implemented and monitored all client services and ensured compliance of grants, state, and federal regulations

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EDUCATION

The University of Texas at Austin Austin, Texas

Master of Science in Social Work

The University of Texas at Austin Austin, Texas

Bachelor of Social Work with Honors

Continued Education

Social Worker License Exam Testing by 11/12

CERTIFICATIONS/LICENSE

Graduate Portfolio in Nonprofit Studies (The University of Texas at Austin LBJ School of Public Affairs)

Summer Youth Program Certified Vocational Trainer (City of Austin, Austin, TX)

Certified Juvenile Detention Officer (Travis County Juvenile Probation, Austin, TX)

Train the Trainer Certification (Travis County Juvenile Probation, Austin, TX)

PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS

Youth Aging Out of Foster Care

Ready by 21 Coalition

Austin Healthy Adolescent Initiative (AHA)

iChoose Teen Summit

No Kidding: Straight Talk from Teen Parents

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