Youth Engagement Specialist (Per-Diem)

Job Description

Job Description

Covenant House California (CHC) is a nonprofit organization that provides sanctuary and support for youth overcoming homelessness, ages 18-24. CHC believes that no young person deserves to be homeless; that every young person in California deserves housing, food, clothing, education, and most importantly, to be loved. CHC provides a full continuum of services to meet the physical, emotional, educational, vocational, and spiritual well-being of young people.

CHC’s doors are open to youth and staff regardless of their race, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression. We believe that youth and team members deserve to be in an environment that is inclusive and affirming; where everyone is treated with dignity and respect and valued and appreciated for who they are. Maintaining a diverse community of youth and staff is key to our ability to achieve our mission most effectively. We are also committed to being a leader in advancing anti-racism, and to promoting opportunities for the free expression of the lived experiences of our youth and staff.

We are looking for people who, like us, believe that every young person deserves a place to belong. We think it takes all kinds of people to create diverse solutions to end youth homelessness and we are on a committed journey to build an inclusive and equitable work culture that brings out the best in everyone. In our Santa Clara location, we have been offering housing and supportive services to young people since May 2021. This location is also the first CA site to offer support to young families.

As this position provides direct care to young people that are 18-24 years old, we require that applicants are at least 25 years old.

POSITION SUMMARY :

Youth Engagement Specialists (YES) are an essential and core position on our multidisciplinary team. All CHC staff work together to facilitate safety and comprehensive programming for youth in our housing programs. Youth Engagement Specialists facilitate day to day operations and duties by adhering to our Mission Statement, Five Principals, Code of Conduct and the policies and procedures of Covenant House. Youth Engagement Specialists provide essential supervision and support, including triage of door and phones, assessing safety, preventing and managing crises, upholding programmatic policy and procedure, documentation, light cleaning and building maintenance, as well as being a positive adult role model that relentlessly engages with our youth. Must want to work in a diverse and inclusive environment.

SCHEDULE : Per-Diem (max 24 hrs per week)

SALARY RANGE : $25.37 Hourly

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS :

• Provide supervision of the program, including oversight and maintenance of the various areas of the facility.
• Safety awareness of situations and spaces.
• Perform day to day operations and duties in accordance with established policies and procedures.
• Provide welcoming, engaging and professional phone and door coverage to include answering and responding to incoming crisis, business information and resource and referral inquiries.
• Crisis prevention and intervention while adhering to agency protocol for responding, reporting and seeking support.
• Build rapport with youth and act as a positive role model and safe adult while maintaining and facilitating healthy boundaries.
• Be a proactive and involved team member and encourage youth to participate in activities.
• Direct supervision of the youth in the program on-site, on outings in community, and during meetings and appointments in the community.
• Develop knowledge of the current community resources available to clients.
• Teach basic life skills such as personal hygiene, household cleaning, and interpersonal interactions.
• Lead groups and workshops on skill building as assigned.
• Maintain and engage in consistent communication with the multidisciplinary team by preparing shift notes and logs, as well as creating critical incident reports.
• Attend trainings, meetings and supervision as assigned.
• Function as back-up coverage, as assigned.
• Work directly with youth doing triage (i.e., field questions, ask what clients need, clarify the problem, etc.)
• Inspect common areas of the housing program for cleanliness on a daily basis.
• Function as Person in Charge (PIC), as designated.
• Be timely and present at all scheduled meetings, trainings and shifts.

JOB REQUIREMENTS :

EDUCATION : High School Diploma or Bachelor’s Degree in Human Services or related field preferred, relevant working experience will be accepted in lieu of diploma.

EXPERIENCE : Minimum of 1-2 years’ experience working with youth ages 18-24.

SKILLS : Must have strong verbal and written communication skills and strong organizational skills. Must be computer literate (Word, Outlook, Excel, etc.) Must be a self-starter and team player with the ability to work with other staff members, clients, vendors and the public.

TRANSPORTATION : Must have a valid CA driver’s license, good driving record and reliable transportation.

May need to transport clients / staff if required using agency transportation.

WORKING CONDITIONS : General business / office environment. Must be able to lift up to 40 lbs. on occasion, bend, sit and stand for prolonged periods of time. Some weekend / holiday work may be required.

KNOWLEDGE : Adolescent Development, Crisis Intervention, Trauma Informed Care, Harm Reduction, and CPR & FIRST AID.

SUPERVISORY DUTIES : N / A

EQUIPMENT USED : Computers (including email), telephone, and fax.

Covenant House California is an equal opportunity employer.