SPARK Youth Diversion Specialist

Mission Statement

We serve with care. Assisting families and individuals throughout Southern Nevada to overcome barriers and attain self-sufficiency through direct services, training, and referral to community resources. Ending homelessness, one participants, one family, one individual at a time.

Hours: Tuesday
- Friday 7:00am-5:00pm

Status: Full Time – Hourly

Reports to: Program Supervisor

The Youth Diversion Specialist assists participants experiencing homelessness, ages 18 to 24, to prevent and end homelessness by diverting them away from the homeless system. The Youth Diversion Specialist conducts interventions that includes problem-solving conversations, crisis intervention, and provides supportive services, while helping the participants build a healthy support system. SPARK staff will utilize Critical Time Intervention, Trauma-Informed Care, and Mental Health First Aid, when interacting with youth experiencing homelessness.

Under the direct supervision of the Program Supervisor, this position provides direct care services to youth experiencing homelessness.

• Interacts with participants by using a professional and client-centered approach maintaining clear boundaries.
• Interview participants to obtain information, determine eligibility for various social service programs to include more difficult or complex cases, make appropriate referrals to other community programs or social service agencies, maintain accurate documentation regarding information received and actions taken.
• Conducts outreach activities and assessments that include problem-solving conversations, crisis intervention, and supportive services, while helping the participants build a healthy support system.
• Connect participants to requested and needed services, including mainstream resources, shelter, food, water, and other life-sustaining items for participants remaining in places not meant for human habitation.
• Facilitates life skills necessary to obtain and maintain housing such as tenancy skills, budgeting, leases, utilities set up, etc.
• Matches participants with services, including housing opportunities, and help participants build community relationships that support positive placements and outcomes to support goals.
• Connect participants to supportive services, including mental health, physical health, substance use treatment, employment, and education and/or creating a support system that they can use in the future
• Assist the participants in obtaining vital identification documents.
• Provides transportation to appointments when necessary
• Assist with securing move-in resources and assist participants with move procedures and processes.
• Provides ongoing support after housing placement by addressing housing issues as they arise and assisting program participants with housing concerns and rights and/or landlord- tenant mediation
• Participate in staff development activities
• Maintain thorough and accurate progress notes, files, and correspondence while preserving tenant confidentiality; address client issues and concerns effectively; and enter case notes into HMIS in real time each day to reflect client progress and activities.
• All other job-related duties as assigned by management for the needs of the business

• Knowledge of local social service agencies and programs as they pertain to homeless and at-risk youth
• Communicate effectively with people from a variety of social, cultural and sensitivity to culturally diverse populations
• Effective written, verbal and listening skills. Independently initiates and responds to correspondence
• Ability to maintain order and exercise appropriate judgment in crisis situations
• Establish and maintain cooperative working relationships with participants, fellow employees, other agencies, and the public
• Ability to work flexible hours and organize work schedule and budget time
• Understand and follow all agency policies and procedures
• General computer knowledge and ability to use Microsoft Office software

• Bachelor’s degree and/or 4 years of experience substantially equivalent to a bachelor’s degree, or combination of education and experience
• Professional experience as required by education
• Active NV Driver’s License and Clean DMV driving record

Work is performed in an indoor/outdoor environment with driving required  be subject to sitting, lifting, bending, squatting, walking, standing, pushing, and pulling, simple grasping and climbing.