What are the responsibilities and job description for the Youth Engagement Specialist position at Latino Network?
Description
Position Title: Youth Engagement Specialist
Reports To: Program Manager
Classification: Full-time, Non Exempt, 1.0 FTE
Compensation: $23.08 per hour
ORGANIZATION BACKGROUND
Latino Network’s mission is to provide transformative opportunities, services, and advocacy for the education, leadership, and civic engagement of our youth, families, and communities. Our work springs from the core belief in Latino community self-determination that is, the ability of community members to participate meaningfully in the decisions that affect their lives and the lives of their families. We actively partner across a variety of city, county, state, and community organizations to deliver training and support, a wide range of services, as well as influence policy.
BENEFITS & PERKS
Latino Network provides a generous benefits package that includes:
- Health Plans including Medical, Dental, Vision, and Alternative Care
- FSA - Flexible Spending Account for Medical & Dependent Care expenses
- 401k Plan with Match
- Employee Assistance Program
- Employer sponsored Life, AD&D, and Short-Term Disability Insurance
- Paid Leave (Vacation, Sick, Sabbatical)
- $300 Home Office reimbursement
- $75 Monthly internet reimbursement
- Self - Care perks
- Team and family events
CANDIDATE PROFILE
Latino Network seeks a bilingual, mission-driven professional with bi-cultural familiarity and proven nonprofit and community experience to lead school-based programming including case management and afterschool groups. As part of a dedicated team working toward a shared vision, the Youth Engagement Specialist is charged with carrying out the vision of the Department of Educational Access Programs. The Youth Engagement Specialist ensures and promotes youth safety, growth, and leadership; and has proven skills in providing individual case management and facilitating skill-building curriculum for student groups. The Specialist works collaboratively to achieve program goals and document measurable youth development outcomes, contributes to a collegial and productive work environment, and promotes the organization’s vision and mission.
POSITION SUMMARY
The Youth Engagement Specialist will carry out culturally specific programming either at the middle or high school level. While programming at both levels has some similarities, including grounding students in positive cultural identity development, middle school programming focuses on assisting students in building pro-social skills that strengthen student/family connections and helps build social capital and provides academic coaching. High school programming has a greater focus on college and career readiness, including providing information about college saving and planning, financial aid, college and scholarship application assistance programs and processes, and career exploration. Summer programming is focused on supporting rising 9th graders for high school or rising 12th graders for their senior year. Summer Bridge is a program which serves Escalera graduated seniors to support summer engagement and post-secondary enrollment in the Fall. Responsibilities include outreach and recruiting, logistical planning, curriculum development and implementation, and individual case management. The Specialist also collaborates with Family Engagement Specialists, partner organizations, schools, local government, and the community. Specialists will be based at one or more school sites and must be familiar and comfortable with how to navigate within a school system. This position requires excellent follow-through; high attention to detail; professional writing skills; and excellent communication through one on one meetings, phone, e-mail, and group communication with Latino Network community partners, staff, and program participants. The Specialist must have facilitation experience and be able to guide conversations clearly and fluently in both English and Spanish.
PRIMARY DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
- Provides individual case management to around 34 youth participants including meeting at least twice a month with students to complete initial assessments, developing and updating individual development plans, and provide referrals as needed.
- Maintains individual participant case files, communicates with parents when needed, conducts home visits, collects data throughout the school year and summer, and documents in multiple databases as required by funders on a weekly basis, including, but not limited to: contact information, attendance, entrance/exit surveys, individual development plans.
- Demonstrates outcomes in participant recruitment, engagement, and retention.
- Performs outreach, recruits, logistical planning, curriculum development and implementation, and individual case management.
- Supports participants to improve school performance, attendance and decrease disciplinary referrals.
- Ensures and promotes youth safety, growth, and leadership.
- Collaborates with team and managers to develop and implement skill-building curriculum that engages and motivates youth.
- Develops and maintains strong working relationships with participants, school teachers, counselors, community partners and stakeholders.
- Collaborates with Family Engagement Specialists, partner organizations, school administrators, staff and teachers, local government, and the community.
- Works with other Youth Engagement Specialists and Family Engagement Specialists to coordinate and carry out field trips and/or other special events.
- Provides necessary referrals to participants as needed.
- Works collaboratively with the Family Engagement Specialist to keep families engaged and informed with the goals of 1) increasing two-way communication between schools and families, 2) increasing student learning in the home, and 3) monitoring of students’ discipline, academic progress, and attendance.
- Collaborates with staff and independent contractors to gather data as needed for research and evaluation of program outcomes.
- Participates in mandatory all-staff and team meetings and training.
- Works Collaboratively in a team environment with a spirit of cooperation.
- Works evenings and weekends as required, and maintains flexible work hours to accommodate program implementation and long hours during peak periods.
Requirements
SKILLS, KNOWLEDGE, EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE
- Minimum of two years of experience in developing, implementing, and facilitating classes for youth and or implementing programs for Latinos; Examples of experience, education, and training that fulfill this requirement include, but are not limited to, volunteer or paid work, internships, community-based training and workshops, community college, trade school, university courses and degrees. Experience, training and education from inside and outside of the United States are considered equally. Transferable skills and lived experience will be considered.
- Excellent bilingual written and oral communication skills in Spanish and English.
- Knowledge and experience in navigating educational institutions, resources, programs, social services and government agencies.
- Knowledge of culturally based world view, adaptive reasoning, and problem solving practices of Latino individuals, families, and community living in urban neighborhoods impacted by crime, poverty, and racial inequity.
- Demonstrated ability to establish and maintain cooperative working relationships with schools, students, families, and community support systems
- Strong organizational, time management, data collection and tracking, and interpersonal skills.
- Demonstrated ability to work both independently and as part of a team and consistently follows instructions and implementing strategies.
- Ability to be flexible and adaptive to successfully achieve the functions of the position as described in the job responsibilities.
- Reliable car, driver’s license, and automobile liability insurance; must be eligible to be an insured driver under Latino Network’s Commercial Auto Liability.
PHYSICAL DEMANDS
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential duties of this job. The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential duties of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential duties.
The employee must regularly lift and /or move up to 10 pounds and occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds. While performing the duties of this Job, the employee is regularly required to use hands to finger, handle, or feel; reach with hands and arms and talk or hear. The employee is frequently required to stand; walk; sit and climb or balance. The employee is occasionally required to stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl and taste or smell. May require heavy lifting and walking during events and outreach activities.
WORK ENVIRONMENT
While performing the duties of this job, the employee is occasionally exposed to wet or humid conditions (non-weather); outdoor weather conditions; extreme cold (non-weather), and extreme heat (non-weather). This position requires frequent computer use. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, color vision, distance vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.
TO APPLY
If you, or anyone you know, are interested in joining us in supporting our mission to positively transform the lives of Latino Youth families and communities, please submit your application, resume, and cover letter at: Careers
Successful completion of initial and ongoing employment screens, including but not limited to criminal background and vehicle record as required. Latino Network is an equal opportunity employer. We value and support diversity and inclusion to create a culture of dignity and respect
Salary : $23