Youth System Guide

Description

The Youth System will support youth and young adults as they move through the system from front-door access to resource referral or stable housing. The Youth System Guides will connect unaccompanied and/or pregnant/parenting youth under the age of 25 experiencing homelessness or seeking services to resources and support by educating and guiding them through systems of care based on needs, youth choice, and individualized care plans.

The Youth System Guides will work with a team of providers to increase the number of youth and young adults prevented from entering, or moving quickly through, the homeless system into safe housing. The Youth System Guide program provides an immediate response for youth and young adults experiencing homelessness in Central Florida (Orange, Osceola, and Seminole counties) and offers each youth an individualized safety and service plan, mobile case management, and connections to community-based services.

The Youth System Guide will also develop an extensive resources guide of youth serving organizations and will build positive relationships with community partners to increase collaboration and youth access

• Provide targeted outreach to assigned youth serving institutions and communities in efforts to engage and identify youth experiencing homelessness who are eligible for services.
• Screen and assess participants for basic and other needs using the VI-TAY and other community-wide assessments. Provide resources, referrals and linkages to other social service venues and agencies, including shelter as requested and appropriate.
• May Be required to assist with onsite outreach services as needed Case Management and Navigation
• Assist participants in creating and executing individualized short- and long-term goal plans by utilizing evidence-based practices (e.g., motivational interviewing skills; positive youth development, harm reduction, trauma informed care, SMART Goals).
• Use housing problem solving to encourage and support safe, empowering, and appropriate alternatives to entering the homelessness services system if possible and help
• appropriate alternatives to entering the homelessness services system if possible and help immediately secure safe and reliable shelter when needed. This includes navigating opportunities to use diversion funds.
• Ensure all services are provided through a positive youth development, cultural sensitivity, trauma-informed, harm reduction, and housing first lens.
• Provide education about youth homelessness and about services available in the region and ensure that youth experiencing homelessness have easy and fast access to our network of services and support

• Complete documentation in SALT’s data tracking Systems
• Participate in the HMIS data system for all client tracking and reporting of services.

• Collaborate with the Youth Coordinated Entry System Coordinator to match youth with appropriate housing, complete relevant assessments, enter and share data, and participate in case conferences.
• Participate in relevant CoC meetings including but not limited to Youth System Navigation team meetings and youth housing prioritization meetings.
• Collaborate with partner agencies to link youth to appropriate services
• Collaborate with departments within SALT to ensure appropriate delivery of services

• Attend recommended training and conferences to ensure the development of the knowledge base, especially related to domestic violence, sexual exploitation, and human trafficking, and provide safety planning and speedy linkage to specialized support services as needed

• Recruiting youth to participate in the local Youth…