Performing Arts Youth Engagement Specialist

Heartshare Human Services Of New York•Queens, NY

9d•Onsite

About The Position

The Performing Arts Youth Engagement Specialist is a part-time direct service role within HeartShare St. Vincent’s Services (HSVS), supporting youth in foster care and child welfare programs across New York City. The position provides trauma-informed, culturally responsive performing arts programming using theater, movement, voice, storytelling, and creative expression to support emotional regulation, identity development, communication skills, and positive engagement. Programming is designed to strengthen youth well-being and engagement in care, aligned with NYC Administration for Children’s Services (ACS) expectations for youth development, safety, and permanency supports. The specialist designs and facilitates weekly workshops, provides structured instruction, and adapts activities to participants’ developmental, emotional, and behavioral needs. The role also builds consistent relationships with youth, collaborates with child welfare and residential teams, maintains program documentation, supports reporting and compliance, and may facilitate approved arts and cultural experiences. Programming takes place at HSVS foster care sites across Brooklyn, Queens, and Staten Island. The role is part-time (0.50 FTE), may require evening and weekend programming, and requires travel between sites.

Requirements

High school diploma or GED.
Experience working with youth in community-based, residential, or child welfare settings.
Demonstrated experience in performing arts instruction or facilitation, such as theater, movement, voice, or spoken word.
Strong group facilitation and classroom or group management skills.
Trauma-informed youth engagement practice.
Strong facilitation and creative instruction skills.
Ability to build trust and rapport with youth in care settings.
Emotional intelligence and de-escalation capability.
Cultural humility and responsiveness.
Strong communication, collaboration, and documentation skills.
Flexibility in a dynamic, high-need environment.

Nice To Haves

Bachelor's degree from a four-year college or equivalent.
Experience working with youth in foster care or child welfare systems.
Familiarity with trauma-informed care, youth development, or restorative practice approaches.

Responsibilities

Design and facilitate weekly performing arts workshops for youth in HSVS foster care programs.
Provide structured instruction in theater, improvisation, movement, voice, spoken word, and devised performance.
Create safe, consistent, trauma-informed creative spaces that support engagement and emotional expression.
Adapt activities to meet diverse developmental, emotional, and behavioral needs in group settings.
Support youth in developing original or collaborative performance work, including monologues, ensemble pieces, storytelling, spoken word, and devised theater.
Use arts-based strategies to promote emotional regulation, self-expression, communication skills, and positive identity formation.
Provide opportunities for informal showcases or presentations of youth work when appropriate.
Ensure programming is youth-centered, strengths-based, and culturally responsive.
Use trauma-informed approaches and creative modalities to support regulation and engagement, while maintaining awareness of safety, triggers, and group dynamics.
Build consistent, trusting relationships with youth in foster care settings.
Coordinate with case planners, residential staff, and HSVS program teams to support youth engagement goals.
Provide informal modeling of arts-based engagement strategies for staff working directly with youth.
Communicate attendance, participation, and engagement observations to supervisory staff as required.
Maintain accurate attendance records and submit timely activity summaries and participation reports.
Support grant, contract, and internal reporting requirements.
Comply with agency policies concerning confidentiality, consent, media release, and mandated reporting.
Support youth participation in selected arts and cultural experiences when approved by HSVS leadership.
Develop follow-up creative programming or reflective activities connected to enrichment experiences.
Ensure external activities are structured, supervised, and aligned with youth safety protocols.
Perform other job-related duties consistent with the scope and level of the position and applicable laws, regulations, and organizational policies.

Benefits

Paid vacation, sick, personal days, and holidays.
403(B) retirement plans with employer contribution.
Health insurance.
Dental insurance.
Vision insurance.
Life insurance.
Employee Assistance Program (EAP).
Flexible spending accounts for dependent care, medical, parking, and transit.
Employee Appreciation Programs and Events.
Tuition Assistance Program.
Professional Development opportunities.
Wellhub discount.
Verizon Wireless discount.
BJ's Membership discount.
Discounts on Broadway tickets, movie tickets, theme parks, sporting events, and gift certificates.