Youth Engagement Specialist (Full-Time)

Covenant House California (CHC) is a non-profit youth shelter that provides sanctuary and support for youth experiencing homelessness, ages 18-24.

We believe that no young person deserves to be homeless; that every young person in California deserves shelter, food, clothing, education … and most importantly, to be loved. CHC provides a full continuum of services to meet the physical, emotional, educational, vocational, and spiritual well-being of young people, in order to provide them with the best chance for success in independence.

Covenant House California (CHC) is a nonprofit organization that provides sanctuary and support for youth overcoming homelessness, ages 18-24. CHC believes that no young person deserves to be homeless; that every young person in California deserves housing, food, clothing, education, and most importantly, to be loved. CHC provides a full continuum of services to meet the physical, emotional, educational, vocational, and spiritual well-being of young people.

CHC’s doors are open to youth and staff regardless of their race, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression. We believe that youth and team members deserve to be in an environment that is inclusive and affirming; where everyone is treated with dignity and respect and valued and appreciated for who they are. Maintaining a diverse community of youth and staff is key to our ability to achieve our mission most effectively. We are also committed to being a leader in advancing anti-racism, and to promoting opportunities for the free expression of the lived experiences of our youth and staff.

We are looking for people who, like us, believe that every young person deserves a place to belong. We think it takes all kinds of people to create diverse solutions to end youth homelessness and we are on a committed journey to build an inclusive and equitable work culture that brings out the best in everyone. In our Oakland location, which has been operating since 2005, we offer a full continuum of housing and support services to young people. Our program is continuing to grow and will be adding 20 new beds for young people over the next year.

As this position provides direct care to young people that are 18-24 years old, we require that applicants are at least 25 years old.

Covenant House California offers an excellent benefits package, (most benefits effective date of hire), including medical, vision, dental, an EAP program, 403b retirement account, and a generous vacation package.

POSITION SUMMARY :

Youth Engagement Specialists (YES) are an essential and core position on our multidisciplinary team. All CHC staff work together to facilitate safety and comprehensive programming for youth in our crisis shelter and transitional living program. YES’s facilitate day to day operations and duties by adhering to our Mission Statement, Five Principals, Code of Conduct and the policies and procedures of Covenant House. Youth Engagement Specialists provide essential supervision and support including : triage of door and phones, assessing safety, preventing and managing crises, upholding programmatic policy and procedure, documentation, light cleaning and building maintenance, as well as being a positive adult role model that relentlessly engages with our youth. Must want to work in a diverse and inclusive environment.

Youth Engagement Specialists who work overnight shifts must remain awake and staff must complete overnight checklist to ensure facility is prepared for next day.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS :

• Provide supervision of the shelter, including oversight and maintenance of the various areas of the facility.
• Conduct bag and pocket checks, and have youth walk through the metal detector or use a metal detector wand, each time youth enter the building. Store and lock up safety weapons and confiscate any prohibited items.
• Conduct wellness checks in youth bedrooms on assigned schedule during each shift.
• Safety awareness of situations and spaces.
• Perform day to day operations and duties in accordance with established policies and procedures.
• Provide welcoming, engaging and professional phone and door coverage to include answering and responding to incoming crisis, business information and resource and referral inquiries.
• Crisis prevention and intervention while adhering to agency protocol for responding, reporting and seeking support.
• Build rapport with clients and act as a positive role model and safe adult while maintaining and facilitating healthy boundaries.
• Be a proactive and involved team member and encourage youth to participate in activities.
• Direct supervision of the youth in the program on-site, on outings in community, and during meetings and appointments in the community.
• Develop knowledge of the current community resources available to clients.
• Teach basic life skills such as personal hygiene, household cleaning, and interpersonal interactions.
• Lead a group or activity for the youth, at a minimum of once a month.
• Maintain and engage in consistent communication with the multidisciplinary team by preparing shift notes and logs, as well as creating critical incident reports.
• Enter engagement notes in our internal database, Efforts to Outcomes (ETO).
• Check email at the beginning of every shift, to review previous shift notes, important updates and incidents that took place.
• Attend trainings, meetings and supervision as assigned.
• Function as back-up coverage, as assigned.
• Work directly with clients doing triage (i.e., field questions, ask what clients need, clarify the problem, etc.)
• Supervise clients in completion of chores, if applicable.
• Inspect common areas of the shelter for cleanliness on a daily basis.
• Function as Person in Charge (PIC), as designated.
• Be timely and present at all scheduled meetings, training sessions and shifts.

JOB REQUIREMENTS :

EDUCATION : High School Diploma or bachelor’s degree in human services or related field preferred, but relevant life and / or work experience will be considered in lieu of diplomas.

EXPERIENCE : Minimum of 1-2 years’ experience working with youth ages 18-24.

SKILLS : Must have strong verbal and written communication skills and strong organizational skills. Must be computer literate (Word, Outlook, Excel, etc.) Must be a self-starter and team player with the ability to work with other staff members, clients, vendors and the public.

TRANSPORTATION : A valid CA driver’s license, and good driving record highly preferred.

May need to transport clients / staff if required using agency transportation.

WORKING

CONDITIONS : General business / office environment. Must be able to lift up to 40 lbs. on occasion, bend, sit and stand for prolonged periods of time. As we are open 24 / 7, Staff are required to work one weekend day, and holiday work may be required.

KNOWLEDGE : Adolescent Development, Crisis Intervention, Multi-Cultural Awareness, Trauma Informed Care, Harm Reduction, and CPR & FIRST AID.

SUPERVISORY

DUTIES : N / A

EQ UIPMENT

USED : Computers (including email), telephone, and printer.

Covenant House California is an equal opportunity employer.