Transitional Age Youth Services Specialist (Relief/Per Diem)

When you join The Home for Little Wanderers, you join a team of professionals dedicated to creating better, brighter futures for kids.

For over 200 years, The Home for Little Wanderers has helped build stable lives and hopeful tomorrows for vulnerable children and their families. Our 25 community-based and residential programs serve thousands of at-risk youths from birth to age 26. Many of these children have experienced abuse, neglect, trauma, or a disrupted family life. As the oldest child welfare agency in America, we provide them with safe surroundings, permanent loving relationships, and a secure path toward a better, brighter future.

Liberty Village, a program of The Home for Little Wanderers, provides safe, short-term, temporary housing for up to 16 young adults ages 18 to 25 who are currently experiencing homelessness. Liberty Village serves as a steppingstone between homelessness and more stable, long-term housing options, offering individualized case management and staff support to help these young adults develop the critical life skills needed to improve their chances of success in getting off the streets for good.

Under the direction of a TAY Services Supervisor, the TAY Services Specialist is responsible for maintaining a safe and respectful environment for all Liberty Village guests and supporting each guest in accomplishing their program and personal goals. The TAY Services Specialist is expected to be knowledgeable about Liberty Village’s mission, structure, and policies, and to develop and deepen an expertise in one or more of the resource areas specific to meeting the needs of transition age youth who are either aging out of state services without permanency or struggling to achieve independence while facing homelessness. These may include: community outreach, housing support, employment skills, substance use disorders, immigration and documentation, life skills training, or healthcare/self-care support.

How You Will Be Making a Difference

• Fostering healthy, trusting relationships with the young adults while maintaining consistency and professional boundaries.
• Modeling appropriate social skills and adult behavior, especially in emotionally escalated situations.
• Demonstrating and encouraging communication, responsibility, and accountability when working with others to accomplish goals.
• Building important life skills that will help the young adults maintain permanent housing after discharge.
• Serving as a resource for young adults requiring support in critical areas of personal development, independence, and success to break the cycle of homelessness.
• Implementing case management plans to help guests meet their personal and program goals.
• Promoting a learning organization through continuing education opportunities in chosen specialty area/s and staying up to date on research and available resources affecting TAY.
• Developing partnerships with supporting community services and organizations to provide best possible solutions for guests’ needs.
• Working collaboratively with other TAY programs to improve and expand available services for the young adult population within The Home.
• Consulting with other agency programs as needed to share knowledge and resources, and problem-solve client issues relevant to area of expertise.

Other Responsibilities

• Maintain all program rules, policies, procedures, and expectations for safety and consistency.
• Supervise guest spaces and perform regular room checks to ensure safety and reduce risk.
• Complete all required paperwork, including daily shift notes and timesheets, thoroughly and accurately, and all required trainings in a timely manner.
• Communicate with other Liberty Village staff, both verbally and in writing, to ensure important shift details and guest information are shared with all staff.
• Report guest/staff concerns to supervisor on shift and participate in regular supervision check-ins to promote workplace wellness and professional growth.
• Provide support and staff coverage as needed across all TAY programs.

Qualifications

• High school diploma or equivalent; bachelor’s degree preferred
• Experience with young adult populations, housing instability/homelessness, life skills training, or community resource organizations a plus
• First Aid/CPR certification (provided if needed)
• Computer literate, including Microsoft Office, with the ability to learn new software applications

Valuing Diversity

We are committed to excellence in diversity, equity, and inclusion, while simultaneously creating a culture that supports those values. We believe the differences we bring enhance our ability to provide exceptional service and care to diverse young adults and communities. Moreover, diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging align with our values and our mission to help vulnerable young adults build permanent, positive change.

Equal Opportunity Employer/Protected Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities

The contractor will not discharge or in any other manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant. However, employees who have access to the compensation information of other employees or applicants as a part of their essential job functions cannot disclose the pay of other employees or applicants to individuals who do not otherwise have access to compensation information, unless the disclosure is (a) in response to a formal complaint or charge, (b) in furtherance of an investigation, proceeding, hearing, or action, including an investigation conducted by the employer, or (c) consistent with the contractor’s legal duty to furnish information. 41 CFR 60-1.35(c)