Youth Engagement Specialist Job Oakland area,California USA,Social Work

Youth Engagement Specialist

Job Description
Classification: Full-time, In-Person, Non-Exempt
Compensation: $25.00 to $28.17 per hour

Position Summary

The Youth Engagement Specialist (Y.E.S.) plays an important role in identifying and engaging with youth that are involved in the Alameda County Social Services Agency’s Children and Family Services, and who are vulnerable to or have experienced commercial sexual exploitation. Under the supervision of the Integrated Services Manager (ISM), the Youth Engagement Specialist is responsible for doing prevention, intervention and stabilization work with youth in the child welfare system, making referrals to MISSSEY case management as needed.

YES staff will collaborate across systems, participate in multi-disciplinary team meetings, and advocate for the needs of exploited young people as part of a service delivery team. YES staff works within the limitations of the organization’s resources and in compliance with grants, contracts, and agency policies and procedures. We are looking for a candidate who will take initiative and be able to build rapport with highly at‑risk and exploited youth;

comfortable navigating systems; reliable and efficient; committed to the self‑determination of marginalized young people; able to work collegially with colleagues and collaboratively with members of the MISSSEY team; and steadfast in their goal of delivering services with impact.

The ideal candidate for this position would:

Have a minimum of 1-year experience working with systems involved youth
Have solid experience working with Black girls and other youth of color who have experienced homelessness, interpersonal violence, trafficking, and abuse
Have a thorough understanding of youth development, advocacy, and crisis intervention
Be a continual learner deeply invested in women and girls
Have experience building relationships with community partners and coordinating services that engage youth and support them to thrive
Have an understanding of crisis intervention, de‑escalation, restorative practices, interpersonal relationship and resiliency building, and harm reduction theory and practice
Have the ability to co‑create a strong, reflective, highly productive, and caring culture

Duties and Responsibilities

Direct Services (70%)

Engage and build rapport with young people in the Alameda County SSA at various locations including the Alameda County Assessment Center, STRTP (Short Term Residential Therapeutic Program) Placements, Resource Family Placements and in the community.

Assess participant’s vulnerability to / or experience with commercial sexual exploitation

Facilitate 1-on-1 prevention sessions with youth identified as highly vulnerable to exploitation

Provide support and service linkages to youth, including referrals to MISSSEY transformation coaching services

Provide follow-up sessions for identified youth who are placed in foster care and STRTPs

Attend Team Decision Making meeting, advocating for the young person, utilizing a strengths-based framework, and representing the organizational philosophy

Work collaboratively with child welfare workers, caregivers, housing providers, and other Alameda County staff to improve the collective response to CSE

Refer County staff, caregivers, and STRTP providers to MISSSEY’s CSE trainings and youth-prevention workshops

Maintain transparency and assist participants in making informed decisions

Provide psycho‑education about exploitation and its aftermath to youth, their families or caregivers, service providers, and other systems that interact with the youth

Support in co‑facilitation of MISSSEY’s prevention curriculum Let’s Talk About It to youth in schools, the STaR center, STRTPs and community based organizations.

Foster an environment that promotes harmony, partnership, alliance, healing, and thriving

Support in STaR center (drop‑in milieu) and other engagement services as needed

Indirect and Administrative (25%)

Ensure Youth Engagement activities are aligned and in compliance with contracts, grants, and agency policies and procedures

Maintain up-to-date participant files with all relevant intakes, releases, and documentation

Complete 4 hours of…