Lead Overnight Youth Support Specialist

Lead Overnight Youth Support Specialist Organizational Overview

Avenues for Youth provides emergency shelter, transitional housing, rapid re-housing, collective housing, and host homes for youth and young families experiencing housing instability and homelessness. Our work is rooted in social justice and partnership with youth, honoring their lived experiences, goals, and visions for the future. We recognize historical trauma, systems of oppression, and intersectionality while centering resiliency, healing, and community.

Minneapolis Avenues is Avenues for Youth’s original and longest-running program. Located in North Minneapolis, the program provides emergency shelter, transitional housing, and intensive supportive services to up to 20 youth at a time, ages 18–24. Annually, the program serves approximately 170–190 young people.

The Lead Overnight Youth Support Specialist provides leadership and oversight for overnight operations, ensuring the safety, well‑being, and positive engagement of youth residents. This role combines direct youth support with staff supervision, coaching, and operational responsibilities to ensure overnight shifts run smoothly and align with Avenues for Youth’s mission and values.

All work is grounded in the Nine Guiding Principles of Youth Work and uses trauma‑informed, strengths‑based, and harm‑reduction approaches to create a safe, inclusive, and nurturing environment for youth and staff.

Overnight shifts (typically 8 pm–6 am, four nights per week), with additional hours for meetings, training, and coverage as needed.

• Foster a safe, inclusive, and supportive overnight environment for youth and staff
• Model trauma‑informed care, harm reduction, and strengths‑based practices
• Promote community and accountability grounded in the Nine Guiding Principles of Youth Work
• Fill overnight coverage gaps when on‑call staff are unavailable to ensure continuous supervision
• Ensure completion of overnight operational tasks, including room checks, answering phones and doors, and shift checklists
• Maintain cleanliness and order throughout the house and assist with deep cleaning and basic maintenance as needed

• Build genuine, professional relationships with youth to meet their basic needs in a safe and engaging environment
• Provide one‑on‑one mentoring, including support with homework, meals, routines, and independent living skills
• Coach youth in developing skills related to housing stability, education, employment, and healthy relationships
• Role model positive social interactions and support constructive conflict resolution
• Proactively intervene to de‑escalate conflicts between youth
• Assist with medication administration and ensure accurate documentation as directed by medical providers
• Engage youth in household chores to promote responsibility and community participation

• Supervise overnight Youth Support Specialists, providing real‑time coaching, guidance, and ethical support
• Manage overnight scheduling, including responding to call‑ins and emergencies
• Participate in recruiting, onboarding, training, and mentoring new overnight staff
• Facilitate weekly overnight staff meetings and conduct regular one‑on‑one check‑ins
• Collaborate with the Site Manager on staff development needs and performance evaluations

• Complete all required documentation accurately and in a timely manner
• Provide thorough end‑of‑shift updates to ensure continuity of care
• Communicate clearly and professionally with staff regarding goals, expectations, and program needs
• Maintain regular access to work email, including proper setup and use of Multi‑Factor Authentication, both on‑site and remotely

• Bachelor’s degree in social services, human services, education, or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education and 2–4 years of relevant experience
• Experience working with youth experiencing homelessness, particularly youth from culturally diverse and marginalized backgrounds
• Knowledge of trauma‑informed care, harm…