Youth Engagement Specialist (Various Shifts Available)

Covenant House California•Los Angeles, CA

13h•Onsite

About The Position

Covenant House California (CHC) is a nonprofit that provides sanctuary and comprehensive support for young people ages 18–24 who are experiencing homelessness. The Youth Engagement Specialist is a core member of the residential team, supporting youth who may have experienced homelessness, human trafficking, or trauma, including LGBTQ+ and gender-nonconforming youth and young people with complex needs. The role uses strengths-based, harm-reduction, and trauma-informed approaches and contributes to a safe, inclusive environment as part of a multidisciplinary team. Youth Engagement Specialists help manage daily program operations and provide direct supervision, support, crisis prevention and intervention, and youth engagement. Duties include triaging needs and incoming inquiries, maintaining program safety and policies, documenting shift activity, and helping youth build life skills. Overnight shifts are awake and include completing a checklist to prepare the facility for the next day. The position is based at CHC’s Hollywood location and may involve transporting clients or staff using agency transportation.

Requirements

High school diploma required.
Minimum of 1–2 years of experience working with youth ages 18–24.
Strong verbal and written communication skills and good organizational skills.
Computer literacy, including Word, Outlook, Excel, and similar programs.
Ability to work independently and collaboratively with staff, youth, vendors, and the community.
Valid California driver’s license and good driving record.
Willingness and ability to transport clients or staff using agency transportation if required.
Ability to lift up to 40 pounds occasionally and to bend, sit, and stand for prolonged periods.
Ability to work one weekend day; holiday work may be required.
Have or be willing to obtain training and knowledge in adolescent development, crisis intervention, multicultural awareness, trauma-informed care, harm reduction, CPR, and first aid.

Nice To Haves

Bachelor’s degree in Human Services or a related field.
Equivalent experience in a residential program.

Responsibilities

Build rapport with youth and serve as a positive role model and safe adult while maintaining healthy boundaries.
Work directly with youth to triage questions, identify needs, and clarify concerns.
Supervise youth on-site, on outings, and during meetings and appointments in the community.
Provide professional phone and door coverage, responding to crisis, business information, resource, and referral inquiries.
Prevent and intervene in crises in accordance with agency protocols for response, reporting, and seeking support.
Teach basic life skills, including personal hygiene, household cleaning, and interpersonal interactions, with compassion for each youth’s situation.
Participate proactively as a team member and encourage youth to take part in activities.
Lead groups and workshops on skill building and healthy choices.
Develop knowledge of community resources available to youth.
Inspect common areas of the housing program daily for cleanliness.
Communicate with the multidisciplinary team through clear shift notes, logs, and critical incident reports.
Maintain awareness of safety in situations and spaces.
Attend assigned trainings, meetings, and supervision check-ins, and be timely and present for scheduled shifts and meetings.
Carry out daily operations in accordance with established policies and procedures.
Oversee and maintain areas of the facility while providing program supervision; function as Person in Charge when designated.
As needed, collaborate with the outreach team to add referrals to the shelter waitlist and keep it updated, including documented efforts to locate and support youth and assigned community outreach.
For overnight shifts, remain awake and complete the overnight checklist to prepare the facility for the next day.