Youth Engagement Specialist TLP - Day Shift

Job Description The Youth Engagement Specialist (YES) will possess excellent communication and organizational skills and provide support to young people that is strength‑based, trauma‑informed and harm‑reduction focused. The YES will model our mission of providing absolute respect and unconditional love to all young people and will value working within a multi‑disciplinary team to create a safe, inclusive environment for all. Responsibilities Provide unconditional positive regard to young people regardless of behavior. Provide case management services with the goal of developing positive relationships with young people through the utilization of the case management system, including: Welcome young people to the program, ensuring they feel comfortable, safe and understand the program structure, opportunities for engagement and access to supplies that they might need. Build a supportive relationship with youth that encourages them to find their voice and connects them to opportunities, experiences, and resources that enrich and enhance their lives. Conduct all required assessments and document in file and data systems. Develop a success plan with each young person upon completion of assessment. Revise and update the success plan routinely and as necessary. Maintain a calendar of the young people’s work schedule, appointments, etc., in conjunction with their success plan to support their journey. Develop and maintain knowledge of and connection to community resources. Make appropriate referrals for services within CHNJ and to community agencies. Engage in positive transition planning with the young people. Monitor young people’s progress toward self‑identified goals and coach them to plan, implement, and follow through with tasks. Motivate young people to explore and improve wellness, education, employment, financial literacy, social navigation goals and other areas that will impact their success plan. Monitor youth while taking medication and enter medication logs. Engage with youth in daily house activities, including assisting with chores, dining, gym, fun activities, bus tickets, and ongoing movement throughout the day. Explore and participate with youth in outside activities such as trips, walks to parks, visiting college campuses, and other experiences that expose and enrich a youth’s time with CHNJ. Provide crisis de‑escalation and intervention as necessary according to training and best practices. Document intake, orientation, success plans, assessments, and transitions into ETO and case files. Document regular daily progress notes in young people’s case records (HMIS and ETO). Document pertinent information in youth incident report, medication logs, and house activity logs. Prepare and present at case review meetings and engage and meet with youth for their success planning meetings. Facilitate youth group activities which support the five resiliency objectives: wellness, social navigation, financial literacy, education, and employment, on a regular basis. Perform all duties assigned by the supervisor to meet the needs of young people while ensuring adherence to the daily program schedule. Attend and participate in daily community meetings for seamless coordination of youth services. Attend weekly supervision with supervisor and weekly meetings as assigned. Attend professional development training as assigned. Read and respond daily to all emails, calendar invites, voicemails, and any other agency communication. Cover the front desk when required. Utilize agency resources for agency use only (vehicles, computers, telephones). Assist as needed with fundraising affairs and special events which may be conducted outside the employee’s normal work schedule. Applicant must be available to work Monday through Friday 9:30 AM – 5:30 PM; days off Saturday & Sunday. Required Experience Bachelor’s degree in psychology, sociology, social work or related field preferred. Preferred experience with young people ages 18‑24 experiencing homelessness or human trafficking, or lived experience, and knowledge of public benefits and community resources in NJ. Must be a self‑starter and team player with the ability to work well with others, knowledge of adolescent development, and ability to build positive rapport with young people. Excellent communication skills as demonstrated by concise, timely and professional written and verbal correspondence. Bilingual in Spanish preferred but not required. Must have a valid NJ driver’s license and good driving record; may need to transport clients/staff using agency transportation. Hourly Rate: $21.13 Benefits Medical Dental Vision 403B Retirement Plan #J-18808-Ljbffr Covenant House New Jersey