Part-time Youth Advocate

Face To Face Health & Counseling Services • Saint Paul, MN

21d • Onsite

About The Position

The Youth Advocate is the first point of contact for youth entering SafeZone, Face to Face’s drop-in center for youth experiencing homelessness. The role provides individualized support, basic-needs assistance—including meals, personal hygiene, showers, and laundry—and follow-up to help youth overcome homelessness. The position is part-time at 20 hours per week and is required to be onsite.

Face to Face supports youth ages 11–24 through medical, mental health, day shelter, housing, education and employment, and youth justice services. Its wraparound approach recognizes that young people may face multiple interconnected challenges and aims to connect them with support, opportunities, and resources in one place.

The Youth Advocate helps maintain the daily operations of the drop-in center, supports food service and programming, responds to crises, and provides assessments, referrals, and supportive services to runaway and homeless youth. Services are guided by evidence-based principles for helping youth overcome homelessness.

Requirements

• High school degree or equivalent.
• At least 2 years of work experience with homeless or at-risk youth.
• Ability to work independently and exercise good judgment about when to involve others.
• Experience using a positive youth development and harm reduction approach.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills.
• High reliability and integrity.
• Positive attitude and willingness to do what it takes to meet youth needs.
• Good crisis-management skills and ability to navigate stressful situations.
• Knowledge of homelessness and its impact on youth.
• Demonstrated ability to work and communicate effectively with people from diverse ethnic, economic, racial, and cultural backgrounds.
• Ability to perform the duties outlined in the job description and duties typical of an office environment.
• Ability to lift 50 pounds.
• Ability to be flexible, work under stress, and respond to emergencies or crises.
• Ability to travel in all weather conditions in Minnesota.

Nice To Haves

• B.A. in social services or equivalent education; experience in lieu of a degree will be considered.

Responsibilities

• Manage front-desk tasks at SafeZone, check youth into the center, and answer phones while providing excellent customer service.
• Engage with youth in a meaningful and respectful manner and assist them in accessing resources at the center or in the community.
• Respond to crises and de-escalate situations calmly and professionally.
• Maintain the daily flow of the drop-in center, including working in the clothing closet, restocking supplies, maintaining common areas, and completing special projects.
• Support food service operations, including packing bag lunches and preparing and serving hot meals.
• Lead volunteers in the drop-in center.
• Lead youth programming.
• Collect and record appropriate data and complete paperwork.
• Provide basic-needs and survival assistance, crisis intervention, supportive services, information, and referrals to runaway and homeless youth to help them move from the streets to safe and stable housing.
• Conduct individual assessments to determine youth needs and housing stability.
• Refer youth to agencies for supportive services, case management, and mental health support.
• Provide services guided by evidence-based principles for helping youth overcome homelessness.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Benefits

• For employees working fewer than 20 hours per week: Sick & Safe leave.
• For employees working fewer than 20 hours per week: access to a 403(b) account with a 3% employer match.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Part-time
• Education Level: High school or GED