Lead Youth Engagement Specialist

Covenant House Illinois•Chicago, IL

6d•Onsite

About The Position

This position provides direct, individualized, supportive care through purposeful engagement with youth who reside in our residential program and/or who attend the drop-in program while establishing positive rapport with peers and partnering agencies. The Lead Youth Engagement Specialist provides day-to-day task coordination for services delivered to youth in collaboration with management. This role serves as a resource to team members by offering informal guidance, mentorship, and modeling of best practices. While not having supervisory or disciplinary authority, the Lead is expected to demonstrate advanced proficiency in all Youth Engagement Specialist responsibilities, foster positive collaboration among peers, and promote consistent, high-quality service delivery through effective communication and professional leadership, and notifies management of any barriers affecting tasks coordination or service completion that require supervisor follow-up.

Requirements

Hold a Bachelor’s Degree in Social Work or a social service field required; or High School Diploma with 5+ years of related experience.
Minimum of 3 years of experience working in youth services, with strong knowledge of trauma-informed care and youth development practices.
As a 24/7 program, full-time staff work some holidays and weekends. All efforts are made to equitably distribute holidays amongst staff.
Shift hours are: 7:00am-3:30pm, 3pm-11:30pm, 11:00pm-7:30am
Willing to undergo MVR background check for clearance to drive agency van.
Display effective written, verbal, listening, and communication skills.
Ability to exercise appropriate judgment in crisis situations with effective interpersonal skills.
Must be willing to function as an active and engaged member of an interdisciplinary team.
Strong organizational, time management, and decision-making skills.
Demonstrated cultural competency and the ability to work with diverse backgrounds and provide culturally competent services.
Willingness to obtain First Aid/CPR certification and administer Narcan if necessary.
Ability to pass all required federal, state, and local background checks.
Physical ability to perform light labor, climb stairs, and lift up to 25 lbs.
Proficiency in or willingness to learn case management systems such as ETO
Basic Microsoft Office knowledge required.

Nice To Haves

Supervisory experience preferred.

Responsibilities

Ensure the provision of trauma-informed care and the highest quality delivery of services to youth in accordance with the Covenant House Mission Statement, Principles, and Core Values.
Contribute to a clean and organized facility through light physical work and inspection of common spaces.
Flexibility to work holidays and weekends as scheduled; holidays are distributed fairly across staff.
Engage youth using Positive Youth Development, Harm Reduction, and motivational interviewing strategies.
Supervise youth activities and maintain a calm, welcoming, and emotionally/physically safe space.
Build empathetic, non-judgmental relationships with youth, ensuring their voice is valued in case planning.
Maintain confidentiality while complying with mandated reporting, duty to warn, HIPAA, and legal guidelines.
Supervise and engage youth in day-to-day activities with empathy and respect, maintaining a safe, welcoming, and inclusive environment.
Support youth and model for others effective Trauma-Informed Care, Harm Reduction, and Positive Youth Development frameworks.
Assist in the creation and implementation of individualized success plans for youth assigned for Relentless Engagement initiative.
Escort youth to external appointments and community-based services, promoting autonomy and life skill development.
Responsible for submission of daily census and data reporting assigned.
Serve meals to youth when kitchen staff are unavailable, and ensure space is cleaned up after meals have been completed.
Prepare and distribute lunch bags to youth.
Participate in wanding and bag checks of youth entering the space to ensure the safety of the facility.
Participate in room searches when directed by supervisor.
Routinely check and respond to emails and all other agency approved forms of communications in a timely manner.
Facilitate group services, activities, and peer support meetings.
Facilitate and support group programming that fosters peer connection and builds coping skills.
Assist youth with daily activities such as signing up for a locker, accessing shower facilities, and laundry.
Engage youth experiencing mental health challenges or substance use with trauma-informed de-escalation techniques.
Provide support in the planning and execution of special events and community-building projects.
Timely and accurately document all client interactions, case progress, and external contact using ETO and case files.
Ensure appropriate data entry, tracking, and reporting for program improvement and compliance.
Participate in ongoing training and staff development related to trauma recovery, youth mental health, and social justice.
Provide on-site leadership and mentorship to Youth Engagement Specialist and program staff, modeling trauma-informed, strengths-based interactions.
Report inventory needs to the PM Supervisor daily and ensure timely restocking of supplies.
Ensure assigned shift responsibilities and youth care tasks are completed by all team members.
Support team dynamics, morale, and effective communication during shift transitions.
Monitor and evaluate youth and staff safety, intervening appropriately in crisis situations.
Collaborate with Shift Supervisors to enhance staff development and contribute to continuous improvement of residential services.
Provide flexibility with scheduling to maximize Lead Youth Engagement Specialist coverage on priority shifts.
Contribute to performance evaluation processes by offering feedback related to staff strengths and areas for growth.
Model professional boundaries, empathy, and accountability in all staff and youth interactions.
Maintain accurate documentation related to incidents, youth concerns, and shift performance.
Collaborate with clinical, case management, and leadership staff to ensure a holistic approach to youth care.
Mandatory participation in ongoing professional development, team meetings, and agency-wide training.
Participate in the onboarding, training, and mentoring of new Youth Engagement Specialist.