Youth and Family Engagement Specialist

Description

Position Function: 

The Youth and Family Engagement Specialist identifies, assesses and provides crisis intervention, emergency shelter, and therapeutic programming (delivered in a Trauma-Informed Care framework) to adolescents at risk of or actively experiencing homelessness and/or at risk of or survivors of trafficking. The Youth and Family Engagement Specialist presents educational information to youth and the community regarding runaway, homeless and trafficked youth and coordinates services with other agencies for those youth around Tarrant County. This includes developing service and aftercare plans to meet the needs of clients, coordinating resources to stabilize behaviors, and working with the client and client’s family or conservator to secure a safe living environment upon leaving the shelter. The Youth and Family Engagement Specialist is sensitive to the needs of the individuals and families in crisis and to the service population’s cultural and socioeconomic characteristics.

Requirements:

Education: A Bachelor’s degree in social work, psychology, or related human services field from an accredited college or university is required. A Master’s degree and/or additional certification preferred.

Experience:

• With a bachelor’s degree, the position requires three years of experience that includes counseling with youth, crisis intervention, intake and assessment, and/or case management. 
• With a Master’s degree, the position requires one year of experience that includes counseling with youth, crisis intervention, intake and assessment, and/or case management. 
• Experience working with adolescents and families in crisis intervention, Trauma-Informed Care interventions, Trust Based Relational Intervention (TBRI) and strength-based case management techniques is strongly preferred
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Working knowledge of basic computer skills

Other:

• Valid Texas driver’s license within 90 days of establishing Texas residency
• Acceptable driving record 
• Personal vehicle and insurance for off-site travel

Working Conditions:

Exposure to children with behavior problems, including possible physical aggression and crisis situations. Requires outreach to at risk or homeless youth. Exposure to illness and blood. Travel.

Exposure to Confidential Information:

Maintain confidentiality and follow policies related to personnel records and client records.

Key Expectations/Responsibilities:

Core Competencies

• Professionalism (including, but not limited to, consistent and reliable job performance,      awareness and use of professional ethics to guide practice)
• Applied Positive Youth Development (PYD) approach (including, but not limited to, skills to develop a Positive Youth Development plan and identifying the client’s strengths in order to best apply a Positive Youth Development framework)
• Cultural and human diversity (including, but not limited to, gaining knowledge and skills to meet the needs of clients of a different race, ethnicity, nationality, religion/spirituality, gender identity/expression, sexual orientation)
• Applied human development (including, but not limited to, understanding the developmental needs of those at risk and with special needs)
• Relationship and communication (including, but not limited to, working with clients in a collaborative manner)
• Developmental practice methods (including, but not limited to, utilizing methods focused on genuine relationships, health and safety, intervention planning) 
• Trauma-Informed Care (including, but not limited to, understanding trauma and the capacity to implement the most effective and current trauma informed interventions within assigned programs)

Program

• Assist program leadership in the planning and implementation of community outreach work within and outside of ACH.
• Plan and implement activities delivered in a Positive Youth Development framework in the community and in the YES for the benefit of RHY clients.
• Collaborate with YES clinical team to provide case management services to RHY in the YES. 
• Identify and/or provide referrals to youth who are at risk or survivors of trafficking.
• Create comprehensive aftercare plans for assigned clients. 
• Provide supportive aftercare and follow-up services to RHY following their discharge from the shelter 
• Facilitate “nurture” groups, life skills groups and curriculum-based groups for youth.
• Complete trainings and certifications as required by licensing, contractual, grant and agency standards.
• Other job functions may include, but are not limited to, leading, arranging and coordinating community service activities for youth, scheduling field trips, transporting youth, contacting and working with family members of youth, delivering food, clothing or other basic necessities, and advocating for youth.

Documentation and Reporting

• Complete any required documentation for youth and enter into appropriate internal or external database(s).
• Participate in the preparation for monitoring reviews.
• Complete reports as needed for funding sources.
• Ensure accurate collection of client data to support grants and agency outcomes and contribute to grant proposals.

Community Relations

• Establish working relationships and collaborate with social service agencies, mental health facilities, health care facilities, schools, McKinney-Vento Homeless Liaisons, juvenile services, and law enforcement to coordinate services for youth identified as at risk of homelessness or trafficking and homeless youth and survivors of trafficking.
• Participate in community workgroups related to issues of youth homelessness, LGBTQ+ youth, and survivors of trafficking. 
• Establish new outreach sites to educate youth on risks and to help transition at-risk youth to safe and stable living arrangements.
• Provide information on resources available through ACH and other community agencies for this RHY or survivors of trafficking.

The above noted job description is not intended to describe, in detail, the multitude of tasks that may be assigned but rather to give the employee a general sense of the responsibilities and expectations of his/her position. As the nature of business demands change so, too, may the essential functions of this position.

Requirements

Education: A Bachelor’s degree in social work, psychology, or related human services field from an accredited college or university is required. A Master’s degree and/or additional certification preferred.

Experience:

• With a bachelor’s degree, the position requires three years of experience that includes counseling with youth, crisis intervention, intake and assessment, and/or case management. 
• With a Master’s degree, the position requires one year of experience that includes counseling with youth, crisis intervention, intake and assessment, and/or case management. 
• Experience working with adolescents and families in crisis intervention, Trauma-Informed Care interventions, Trust Based Relational Intervention (TBRI) and strength-based case management techniques is strongly preferred
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Working knowledge of basic computer skills

Other:

• Valid Texas driver’s license within 90 days of establishing Texas residency
• Acceptable driving record 
• Personal vehicle and insurance for off-site travel