Youth Specialist, Teen Services

POSITION SUMMARY

The Youth Specialist, Teen Services oversees a full spectrum of supportive programs and services for adolescents and high school-aged youth in families experiencing homelessness or housing instability. Using a trauma-informed and positive youth development approach, this role provides stabilizing support, mentorship, educational advocacy, mental health awareness and enrichment programming, life-skills development, career and workforce readiness, and post-secondary exploration. The Youth Specialist proactively engages youth and their families to identify strengths, needs, and goals;

develops individualized supports that promote stability and wellbeing; and collaborates with schools, employers, colleges, workforce programs, and community partners to help youth successfully transition into adulthood.

• Interact with youth and families according to a trauma-informed care framework and positive youth development principles.
• Build authentic, trusting relationships with adolescents while promoting resilience, confidence, healthy decision-making, self-advocacy, and connection to supportive adults.
• Proactively engage youth and their parents/caregivers to promote stability, educational success, personal development, and wellbeing.
• Utilize meaningful assessments, strengths-based questioning, and youth voice to identify needs, interests, barriers, and goals.
• Support older youth in building skills that will help prepare them for the transition into adulthood, including education, employment, financial independence, life skills, and connection to community resources.
• Collaborate with Metro Nashville Public Schools (MNPS), including appropriate school and HERO program staff, to support school enrollment, attendance, academic progress, IEP/504 needs, credit completion, graduation planning, and educational advocacy.
• Connect youth to employment and workforce‑development opportunities, including summer jobs, internships, job shadowing, volunteer opportunities, resume development, interview preparation, and career exploration.
• Plan, facilitate, and evaluate engaging teen programming focused on topics like leadership development, financial literacy, healthy relationships, mental wellness, conflict resolution, digital literacy, career readiness, independent living skills, community engagement, and other age‑appropriate enrichment activities.
• Create, support, and evaluate learning opportunities for parents and caregivers that strengthen their ability to support adolescents through high school and the transition to adulthood.
• Continually create and strengthen strategic partnerships with schools, employers, colleges, workforce‑development programs, mentoring organizations, and other youth‑serving community resources.
• Connect youth and families with internal and external community resources and assist them in accessing needed services.
• Collaborate closely with Youth Program staff and the broader Program Team of case management to address youth‑specific needs identified through family planning and promote excellent care for youth and their families.
• Input all required documentation in a timely and accurate manner, including enrollments, client follow‑up, outcome evaluation, progress notes, goals, educational engagement, and other youth outcomes in Salesforce or designated systems.
• Communicate volunteer needs to the Volunteer and Community Engagement Manager and assist with training, coordinating, and leading volunteers who support teen programming.
• Maintain a strong sense of and respect for confidentiality involving clients, fellow employees, donors, and organizational information.
• Participate in the day‑to‑day operations of the Youth Program, regular team meetings, staff training,…