Youth Engagement Coordinator

Penobscot Bay YMCA•Rockport, ME

10d•Hybrid

About The Position

This position is funded through the federal Drug-Free Communities (DFC) Support Program, a five-year grant that brings together youth, families, schools, healthcare providers, law enforcement, businesses, and community organizations to reduce youth substance use and strengthen protective factors across Knox and Waldo Counties. The Youth Engagement Coordinator will build meaningful relationships with youth and empower them to shape prevention efforts, recruit and support youth leadership opportunities, and collaborate with various community organizations. This role is crucial for launching and implementing a new federal initiative focused on creating lasting community-level change.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Public Health, Community Health, Social Work, Education, Psychology, Communications, Human Services, Public Administration, or a related field preferred. Relevant experience may substitute for education.
Experience working with youth, community organizations, coalitions, schools, or public health initiatives preferred.
Experience coordinating projects, facilitating meetings, or managing community partnerships is highly desirable.
Knowledge of prevention science, youth development, coalition building, community organizing, behavioral health, or public health preferred.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
Comfort with public speaking, meeting facilitation, and relationship building.
Proficiency with Microsoft Office, Google Workspace, Zoom, and data management systems or the ability to quickly learn new technology.
Valid driver's license and reliable transportation.
Excellent organizational and project management skills.
Ability to coordinate multiple initiatives simultaneously while meeting deadlines.
Ability to work independently with minimal supervision while contributing to a collaborative team environment.
Strong attention to detail and commitment to high-quality documentation.
Passion for engaging youth and helping communities thrive.
Ability to establish trusting relationships with youth, families, educators, healthcare providers, government officials, nonprofit organizations, and community members.
Strong facilitation, communication, and active listening skills.
Ability to work collaboratively with individuals from diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and lived experiences.
Professionalism, sound judgment, and diplomacy when navigating sensitive community issues.

Nice To Haves

Bachelor's degree in Public Health, Community Health, Social Work, Education, Psychology, Communications, Human Services, Public Administration, or a related field.
Experience working with youth, community organizations, coalitions, schools, or public health initiatives.
Experience coordinating projects, facilitating meetings, or managing community partnerships.
Knowledge of prevention science, youth development, coalition building, community organizing, behavioral health, or public health.

Responsibilities

Build meaningful relationships with youth and empower them to shape prevention efforts throughout Knox and Waldo Counties.
Recruit, support, and facilitate youth leadership opportunities through the Drug-Free Communities Coalition.
Collaborate with schools, after-school programs, municipalities, healthcare organizations, behavioral health providers, law enforcement, and other youth-serving organizations.
Help launch and implement an exciting new five-year federal initiative focused on creating lasting community-level change.
Coordinate coalition meetings, community events, youth engagement activities, and prevention campaigns.
Support youth-led projects that increase protective factors and reduce substance use.
Assist with strategic planning, evaluation, grant reporting, and community data collection.
Promote prevention resources through presentations, outreach, social media, and public awareness campaigns.
Represent the coalition at local, regional, and statewide meetings.
Implement activities identified in the Drug-Free Communities strategic plan in collaboration with the Director of Community Health Promotion, coalition members, federal partners, and local stakeholders.
Recruit, engage, and support youth leaders to ensure youth voice remains central to coalition planning and decision-making.
Develop and maintain strong partnerships with schools, youth-serving organizations, municipalities, healthcare providers, behavioral health organizations, recovery organizations, law enforcement, businesses, parents, and community members.
Coordinate coalition meetings, workgroups, youth leadership activities, and community engagement events.
Assist with implementation of evidence-informed prevention strategies designed to reduce youth substance use and strengthen community protective factors.
Develop and deliver presentations, trainings, and educational opportunities for youth, parents, and community partners.
Coordinate community outreach efforts, promotional campaigns, and educational materials supporting coalition initiatives.
Collect and organize coalition documentation, evaluation data, performance measures, meeting records, and grant reports in accordance with federal Drug-Free Communities requirements.
Monitor emerging prevention trends, youth behavioral health issues, community data, and evidence-based practices to inform coalition planning.
Represent the coalition professionally within local, regional, statewide, and national prevention networks.
Perform other duties as assigned.