Youth Engagement Support Staff Part-Time; Asbury Park Weekends

Position:
Youth Engagement Support Staff – Part‑Time (Asbury Park) – Weekends Only

Overview

The Youth Engagement Support Staff (YESS) will possess excellent communication and organizational skills and provide support to young people that is strength‑based, trauma‑informed and harm‑reduction focused.

The YESS will model Covenant House New Jersey’s mission of providing absolute respect and unconditional love to all young people and will value working within a multi‑disciplinary team to create a safe, inclusive environment for all.

Duties & Responsibilities

• Provide unconditional positive regard to young people regardless of their behavior.
• Welcome young people to the program and ensure they feel comfortable, safe and understand the program structure, opportunities for engagement, and any supplies they might need.
• Build a supportive relationship with youth that encourages them to find their voice and connects them to opportunities, experiences, and resources that enrich and enhance their lives.
• Support identified Success Plan goals with each young person.
• Support the youth’s progress toward self‑identified goals and coach them to plan, implement, and follow through with tasks.
• Motivate young people to explore and improve wellness, education and employment, financial literacy and social navigation goals and any other areas that will impact their success plan.
• Monitor youth while taking medication and enter Medication Logs.
• Engage with youth in daily house activities – assisting with chores, dining, gym, bus tickets, and ongoing movement throughout the day.
• Explore and participate with youth in outside activities, including trips, walks to parks, visiting college campuses, and other experiences that expose and enrich a youth’s time with CHNJ.
• Provide crisis de‑escalation and intervention as necessary according to training and best practices.
• Document intake, orientation and transitions into ETO, HMIS, and case files.
• Document regular daily progress notes in young people’s case records (HMIS and ETO).
• Document pertinent information in Youth Incident Report, Medication Logs and House Activity Logs.
• Facilitate assigned youth group activities that support the five resiliency objectives:
  Wellness, Social Navigation, Financial Literacy, Education and Employment.
• Perform all duties assigned by the supervisor to meet the needs of young people while ensuring adherence to the daily program schedule.
• Make copies of any forms or documents as assigned.
• Prepare welcome kits, sort new donations, organize unit storage closets, replenish youth supplies as requested or needed.
• Do laundry assigned for youth linens.
• Clean and prepare vacant residential space for new intakes.
• Maintain youth common areas according to cleanliness standards.
• Count medication nightly, document on the medication log, and notify supervisor of any inaccuracies.
• Rotate youth files according to the annual system.
• Attend supervision meetings and professional development training as assigned.
• Read and respond to all agency emails, calendar invites, and other communications.
• Cover the front desk and all building areas as required.
• Transport youth in agency vehicles when assigned.
• Utilize agency resources (vehicles, computers, telephones) for agency use only.
• Assist as needed with fundraising affairs and special events outside the normal work schedule.

Schedule

Saturday & Sunday, 12:00 AM – 8:00 AM

Hourly Rate

$21.13

Required Experience

• Preferred:
  Bachelor’s degree in psychology, sociology, social work or related field.
• Desired experience working with young people ages 18‑24 experiencing homelessness, human trafficking, or related challenges, including lived experience.
• Knowledge of public benefits and community resources in New Jersey.
• Self‑starter and team player with strong interpersonal skills.
• Knowledge of adolescent development and ability to build positive rapport with young people.
• Excellent communication skills, demonstrated through concise, timely, and professional written and verbal correspondence.
• Bilingual in Spanish preferred but not required.
• Valid New Jersey driver’s license and good driving record; may need to transport clients/staff via agency transportation.

Benefits

• 403B Retirement Plan