Youth Engagement Specialist - Overnight (Full-Time)

Covenant House California • Los Angeles, CA

122d • $20

About The Position

Covenant House California (CHC) is a nonprofit organization that provides sanctuary and support for youth overcoming homelessness, ages 18-24. CHC believes that no young person deserves to be homeless; that every young person in California deserves housing, food, clothing, education, and most importantly, to be loved. CHC provides a full continuum of services to meet the physical, emotional, educational, vocational, and spiritual well-being of young people. CHC’s doors are open to youth and staff regardless of their race, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression. We believe that youth and team members deserve to be in an environment that is inclusive and affirming; where everyone is treated with dignity and respect and valued and appreciated for who they are. Maintaining a diverse community of youth and staff is key to our ability to achieve our mission most effectively. We are also committed to being a leader in advancing anti-racism, and to promoting opportunities for the free expression of the lived experiences of our youth and staff. We are looking for people who, like us, believe that every young person deserves a place to belong. We think it takes all kinds of people to create diverse solutions to end youth homelessness and we are on a committed journey to build an inclusive and equitable work culture that brings out the best in everyone. In our Los Angeles location, which is our flagship site, we offer a full continuum of housing and support services to young people. Over the past 36 years, our services have grown and expanded, and we serve more than 900 young people every year. As this position provides direct care to young people that are 18-24 years old, we require that applicants are at least 25 years old.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s Degree in Human Services or related field preferred or equivalent experience in residential program.
• High School Diploma required.
• Minimum of 1-2 years’ experience working with youth ages 18-24.
• Must be well organized and have strong verbal and written communication skills.
• Must be computer literate (Word, Outlook, Excel, etc.).
• Must have a valid CA driver’s license and good driving record.

Nice To Haves

• Knowledge and/or experience utilizing a strengths-based, harm reduction framework.
• Experience using trauma-informed practices.
• Training and knowledge in Adolescent Development, Crisis Intervention, Multi-Cultural Awareness, Trauma Informed Care, Harm Reduction, and CPR & FIRST AID.

Responsibilities

• Build rapport with youth and act as a positive role model and safe adult while maintaining and facilitating healthy boundaries.
• Work directly with youth doing triage (i.e., field questions, enquire on needs, clarify the problem, etc.)
• Direct supervision of youth on-site, on outings and during meetings and appointments in the community.
• Provide welcoming, engaging, and professional phone and door coverage to include answering and responding to incoming crisis, business information, resource, and referral inquiries.
• Crisis prevention and intervention while adhering to agency protocol for responding, reporting, and seeking support.
• Teach basic life skills such as personal hygiene, household cleaning, and interpersonal interactions, in a manner that is compassionate to each youth’s situation.
• Be a proactive and involved team member and encourage youth to participate in activities.
• Lead groups and workshops on skill building and healthy choices.
• Develop knowledge of the current community resources available to youth.
• Inspect common areas of the housing program for cleanliness daily.
• Maintain consistent communication with the multidisciplinary team by preparing clear and concise shift notes, logs and critical incident reports.
• Maintain safety awareness of situations and spaces.
• Attend trainings, meetings, and supervision check-ins as assigned.
• Be timely and present at all scheduled meetings, trainings, and shifts.
• Perform day to day operations and duties in accordance with established policies and procedures.
• Provide supervision of the program, including oversight and maintenance of the various areas of the facility.
• Function as Person in Charge (PIC), as designated.
• Collaborate with outreach team to ensure addition of new youth referrals to shelter waitlist and keep waitlist updated with youth communication.

Benefits

• Medical insurance
• Vision insurance
• Dental insurance
• EAP program
• 403b retirement account
• Generous vacation package

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Education Level: Bachelor's degree