Youth Empowerment Specialist

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Full Time Lancaster, PA, US

2 days ago Requisition

eliminating racism
empowering women
YWCA Lancaster
YWCA Lancaster is seeking a Youth Empowerment Specialist to lead engaging, evidence-based prevention education that empowers young people to build healthy relationships, prevent violence, and advance racial and gender equity. Working primarily with K-12 students in school and community settings.

What your day looks like:

Prevention Education and Program Delivery

• Lead school-based prevention education programs, workshops, trainings, and community education sessions aligned with organizational priorities.
• Develop and facilitate youth empowerment groups and clubs that build relationships, strengthen skills, and encourage leadership and action.
• Facilitate engaging, age-appropriate discussions on healthy relationships, consent, violence prevention, racial and gender equity, intersectionality, bystander intervention, and related topics.
• Apply evidence-informed, trauma-informed, and culturally responsive practices, adapting content and instructional methods to participants' developmental needs.
• Build and maintain relationships with schools, educators, administrators, and youth-serving organizations.

Curriculum Development and Program Improvement

• Develop, adapt, and maintain educational curricula and training materials informed by current research, best practices, and community needs.
• Support program evaluation by collecting participant feedback, measuring outcomes, and identifying opportunities for improvement.

Youth Engagement

• Build supportive relationships with youth and foster confidence, agency, leadership, and meaningful participation in decision-making.
• Incorporate youth perspectives and feedback into program design, delivery, and improvement.

Administrative Responsibilities

• Maintain accurate program records, attendance data, and activity reports.
• Support grant reporting and program documentation.
• Participate in staff meetings, professional development, and organizational initiatives.

Who you are:

• Bachelor's degree in education, social work, gender studies, liberal arts, or a related field; equivalent education and experience may be considered.
• Experience working directly with K-12 students or youth in school-based, after-school, community-based, or other youth-serving settings.
• Strong communication, presentation, and group facilitation skills, including public speaking.
• Commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging, and with the ability to work effectively with youth from diverse backgrounds.
• Proficiency with Microsoft office and virtual presentation platforms.
• Valid driver's license and ability to travel within the service area as needed.
• Experience developing, adapting, or evaluating educational curricula and youth programming preferred
• Experience collaborating with schools, educators, or community organizations to deliver youth programming preferred
• Knowledge of youth development, healthy relationships, violence prevention, racial and gender equity, or related topics preferred.

Who we are:

YWCA Lancaster is dedicated to eliminating racism, empowering women, and promoting peace, justice, freedom, and dignity for all.

Everything we do is based on the belief that all women and families have the right to be safe and choose the direction of their lives. Since 1889, we have served children and adults in the community through a variety of programs. Current offerings include the Racial Equity Institute, Dorothy Height Book Club and Lunch & Learns on current topics;
Kepler Hall residence, home to fifty women, men and children;
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