Youth Support Worker
The Youth Support Worker is responsible for providing support, networking services, and programming to youth. The Youth Support Worker will provide services at the nbCC FRC program, in the community, and in the schools and homes of youth, when applicable.
Reports to: FRC Program Coordinator
Hours: 1 FTE
Exempt Status: Non-Exempt
Annual Salary: $38-40k
Responsibilities: (include but are not limited to)
- Support efforts to promote positive youth development in the northern Berkshire region, as well as develop & maintain meaningful, healthy, and empowering relationships with youth.
- Co-facilitate the 9-month Youth Leadership Program. Includes recruiting youth to participate, planning and running sessions, providing support for community service-learning projects, mentoring interns, and arranging for special events and trips.
- Facilitation of Teen Writing Workshop. Oversee formatting and publication of student literary journal. Organize and publicize the mid-year and year-end celebratory readings.
- Facilitation of the Youth Empowerment Program. This includes the recruitment, vetting, and supervising of a youth intern for this program.
- Facilitate groups and/or other support or education programming as required.
- Partner with individual youth, and their families if applicable, to assess strengths, identify areas of need, and to provide support needed for the youth to improve their stability and be connected with their community.
- Develop and maintain supportive and trusting relationships with youth/families served.
- Assist youth and families with completion of intake paperwork or other supportive documentation, as appropriate. Obtain a signed release of information for all collateral contacts, prior to making any disclosures of private or confidential information.
- Schedule in person visits, frequency and location, with each youth/family as agreed upon by the youth. Maintain contact, as designated by the youth, between appointments as needed.
- Connect and support access for each youth with community resources, food pantries, mental health providers, budgeting information, etc.
- Assist youth in connecting with appropriate groups and/or programs to enhance social connections.
- Complete and submit all documentation needed to collect the data required for the nbCC and FRC database systems. Data will be submitted to the FRC Assistant Program Manager.
- Support & attend any nbCC event, activity, or program deemed as “all hands on deck” or as assigned.
- Outreach, engagement, and connections for the community with nbCC and its programs.
- Ensure that the principles of health equity, anti-racism, and community-driven decision making are integrated into every aspect of the work.
- Attend all professional development trainings as required, including all required trainings of nbCC funders.
- Maintain an organized calendar schedule of appointments and tasks, maintain accurate documentation of client records, mileage, and expenses, and complete all documentation as required by nbCC.
- Attend individual supervision, group, or staff meetings as scheduled.
- Engage in work groups, committees, and other efforts to impact emerging needs of young people in our region.
- Comply with nbCC policies and procedures.
Qualifications:
- Associates Degree preferred, with 1-3 years experience in a setting serving youth.
- Bilingual, a plus
- Knowledge of local community resources and community-based providers, state human service systems, and familiarity with local school districts and key players.
- Experience working within a human service agency, as well as working with families and individuals with complex risk factors and needs.
- Comfort with public speaking, convening, and facilitation skills.
- Experience and comfort working with all types of people in a variety of groups.
- Cultural competency.
- Commitment to working in the community to help address key issues.
- Demonstrated maturity and self-awareness as it relates to working 1:1 with individuals in the community.
- Understanding and compassion for the needs, limitations, barriers, and capacities of the identified population.
- Excellent time management, attention to details, organizational skills, and ability to problem solve.
- Strong written and verbal communications skills.
- Adept at the process of making referrals to other agencies as appropriate.
- Creativity and initiative in developing activities and programs.
- Ability to understand concepts of confidentiality and privacy.
- Technical capacity and comfort with computers.
- Ability and desire to work in a team environment.
