Youth Development Specialist

St Catherine s Center for Children•Town of Colonie, NY

6d•$21 - $24•Hybrid

About The Position

The Youth Development Specialist works with the Prevention Program Social Worker, Case Planner(s), and Family Advocate, to provide services to families within Albany County. The Youth Development Specialist will work with all targeted youth to provide concrete support and skill building, to strengthen age-appropriate life skills and support their educational/vocational and recreational interests. The Youth Development Specialist works with their team on each case to determine the needs of the targeted child in regard to community resources, after school programming, and enrichment activities.

Requirements

Associate’s degree in human services or education required; Bachelor’s preferred.
Experience working with multi-issue families, and helping them to address their goals.
Excellent written, organizational, and interpersonal skills.
Knowledge of community resources, including school districts, law enforcement, local churches, recreational sites, and clubs.
Local travel is required; A Clean & Valid New York State Driver’s License (actively licensed at least one year) and reliable vehicle for transporting clients to community resources, meetings, etc. (Required)
Competence to remain composed and in control, especially under crisis conditions.
Ability to nurture and show compassion and understanding for clients/children in crisis.
Qualities of positivity, flexibility, and adaptability to day-to-day changes with client needs and functioning, alongside a professional record of integrity, reliability, and dependability.
Proficiency in computer applications (Microsoft Office Suite, Google Business Workspace) and use of secure Internet practices.
Self-motivated and engaged, with strong attention to detail.
Capacity and openness to work with populations from culturally diverse and economically disadvantaged backgrounds, including a broad range of people with various developmental and functional levels.
Capable of exercising ethical, independent judgment and discretion, and handling sensitive data with strict confidentiality.
Staff in driving positions must be able to meet the agency’s minimum requirements of our insurance policy for authorized drivers; including, but not limited to the minimum age of 21 at time of hire, and the ability to maintain insurability throughout employment.

Nice To Haves

Bachelor’s preferred.

Responsibilities

Accept all referrals from Albany County Department for Children, Youth and Families Prevention intake department for the prevention program; Attend intakes within 24 hours of receiving referral.
Attend home visits with the families in order to assess the needs of the children for essential community linkages.
Make the linkages for youth to the community activities that align with their goals and interests.
Ensure that all children on caseload have a primary care doctor, dentist; school aged children are enrolled in, and attending school or an educational alternative.
Coordinate services by attending service plan reviews and other meetings, and via phone contacts.
Coordinate with the families and the Primary Clinician/Case Planners around the child(ren)’s needs and progress.
Transporting families or children to and from appointments (e.g., counseling sessions, Parent Skills Training, supervised visits).
Administer the NYS Child Adolescent Needs and Strengths Assessment to help identify targeted areas of need.
Complete progress notes and contributions to the Family Assessment and Service Plans within the NYS OCFS Connections system, in a timely and efficient manner.
Complete additional paperwork as needed for the program.
Advocate for the program and our clients with other agencies in the community.
Work as a team with the Primary Clinician/Case Planner/Family Advocate, and the Program Supervisor, who will team lead for all prevention cases.

Benefits

Competitive Pay with an Excellent Benefits Package
Health Insurance options: Medical, Dental and Vision
$600 Well-being Reimbursement Benefit
Generous Combined Leave Time (CLT) and Paid Holidays!
We are a 501(c) (3) agency, which is a qualifying employer for eligible staff under the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program
Pension Plan with Generous Agency Contribution
403b Retirement Savings Plan
Life Insurance – Automatic Benefit at no cost to employee
Paid Training, including TCI and CPR/AED/First Aid Certification & Update courses, if role appropriate
Tuition Reimbursement & Travel/ Mileage Reimbursement
Professional Development & Career Growth Opportunities
The Comfort of a Business Casual Environment
Our Commitment to Embrace & Foster Mindfulness, Relevance, Respect and Solidarity.