AmeriCorps Mental Health Lead (2026-2027)

Youth & Opportunity United Inc • Evanston, IL

21h • Onsite

About The Position

The AmeriCorps Mental Health Lead serves as a vital bridge between Y.O.U.’s clinical expertise and its daily afterschool enrichment. This role is designed for a Bachelor’s-level professional seeking to gain high-level experience in social work, community mental health, and program administration. You will support the integration of social-emotional learning (SEL) and mental health support seamlessly integrated into the Out-of-School Time (OST) environment.

AmeriCorps Time Commitment (Academic Year)
· Part-Time members will work between 5 and 29 hours per week

AmeriCorps Time Commitment (Summer)
· All members may work up to 40 hours per week

Requirements

• Must complete the AmeriCorps application at www.americorps.gov/join
• Strong interest and/or experience working with youth ages 7 to 18 years old or 2nd through 12th grades
• A US citizen or permanent resident
• Valid driver's license or willingness to obtain one
• Able to pass a Federal and State background check, National Sex Offender check, and reference checks
• Bachelor’s degree in social work, Psychology, Child Development, or a related human services field (Required).
• Previous experience working with youth in a mental health, therapeutic, or educational setting, preferred.
• Strong group facilitation skills and the ability to de-escalate high-emotion situations with empathy and professional boundaries.
• Ability to translate clinical concepts into "layman’s terms" for OST staff and families.
• Passion for Y.O.U.’s mission and a desire to serve an AmeriCorps term (minimum of 100 hours up to 900 hours over 12 months).

Nice To Haves

• Punctuality
• Flexible and Adaptable
• Attention to detail
• Time Management
• Problem-Solving Ability
• Decision-Making Skills

Responsibilities

• Design and/or lead daily mental health and wellness groups for youth within the OST program, focusing on resilience, coping skills, and social-emotional growth.
• Provide "on-the-floor" emotional support during afterschool hours, helping youth navigate interpersonal conflicts and emotional regulation.
• Implement clinical curricula with fidelity, ensuring sessions are inclusive, trauma-informed, and age-appropriate.
• Act as a liaison between the OST Department and the Clinical & Outreach Department. Ensure that clinical insights inform OST activities and that OST observations are reported back to clinical supervisors.
• Provide direct support to the Afterschool Program Manager (APM) by assisting with behavior management plans and identifying youth who may need elevated clinical intervention.
• Maintain accurate records of group attendance and progress notes, providing regular updates to the Director of Clinical and Outreach Services to meet grant and internal requirements.
• Develop resources and toolkits for non-clinical OST staff to help them better support the mental health needs of participants.
• Participate in mandatory AmeriCorps service days, professional development cohorts, and community outreach events as required by the program.
• Collaborate with the Clinical Director to respond to immediate youth or family crises, ensuring a warm hand-off to long-term counseling services when necessary.
• Supervises and facilitates enrichment activities with groups of 1 or more students in a safe, developmentally appropriate, and structured environment.
• Gathers supplies to execute programs, including setting up space for readiness and cleaning up the space.
• Troubleshoots in real-time during afterschool program, including but not limited to receiving feedback and relaying information to OST and Clinical leadership and follow-up interventions.

Benefits

• Bi-monthly Living Stipend
• Professional Development
• Up to 10 days of vacation and up to 10 days of sick leave for full-time members only. Part-Time members' vacation and sick leave will be prorated based on availability.
• Y.O.U./AmeriCorps Uniform
• AmeriCorps Segal Education Award up to $7,395 (subject to change)
• Childcare Benefits paid by AmeriCorps
• Loan Forbearance and Interest Accrual Payments for Qualified Student Loans
• Time Accrual toward the U.S. Department of Education’s Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Part-time
• Career Level: Entry Level