Youth Engagement Specialist

Texas Family Care Network•Nacogdoches, TX

10d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Youth Engagement Specialist will serve as the Preparation for Adult Living Coordinator. This role is responsible for coordinating between program staff and contractors, identifying and developing resources for Preparation for Adult Living youth, and providing follow-up services to emancipated youth. The specialist will also provide consultation and education to staff, caregivers, and community groups, and monitor Preparation for Adult Living contract service delivery, coordinating contract management staff. The position involves routine interaction with staff, representatives from various organizations, and the general public. Key responsibilities include ensuring children in care receive counseling and guidance for independent living, coordinating and participating in youth conferences and events, maintaining case documentation, and working under constant deadlines with flexible hours. The role also involves developing and maintaining relationships with clients, contractors, and staff, promoting cultural diversity, and discussing personal matters with youth. Ensuring youth complete the Casey Life Skills Assessment and receive PAL Life Skills training, observing training quality, completing Tuition and Fee Waiver Forms, and providing employment preference information are also crucial. The specialist will assist case managers with transitional living needs, participate in case reviews and permanency conferences, and review data warehouse reports monthly.

Requirements

Valid driver's license and auto insurance
State Police, FBI, and Child Abuse Clearances
CPSL Mandated Reporter-Recognizing and Reporting Child Abuse training per state regulation.

Responsibilities

Ensures children in care are receiving counseling and guidance in preparation for independent living/emancipation while they are still in care.
Coordinates, attend, participate and assists in planning statewide and regional teen conferences as well as Peaks Camp, Youth Leadership Council Meetings and College Conferences/Tours.
Monitors Preparation for Adult Living contract service delivery and coordinates contract needs with contract management staff.
Maintains sufficient case documentation including forms and narratives to provide a complete and accurate written record in assigned Preparation for Adult Living only cases for each youth receiving Preparation for Adult Living services.
Works under constant deadlines that require prioritizing task and the ability to work flexible hours.
Provides Preparation for Adult Living program consultation/education to staff, caregivers and community groups.
Develops and maintains communication and working relationships with clients, contractors, staff and community.
Performs other duties as assigned and required to maintain unit operations.
Promotes and demonstrates appropriate respect for cultural diversity among coworkers and all work-related contacts.
Talks frankly and objectively with youth about matters they may consider personal and private.
Ensures/Coordinates youth in care have taken the Casey Life Skills Assessment.
Ensures PAL Life Skills training is provided for each youth in conservatorship care who is age 16 years or older.
Observes at least one core element per trainer per year for quality of services provided.
Complete Tuition and Fee Waiver Forms for youth.
Provide the employment preference form letter to qualifying youth when they are 18 years or when requested.
Provide youth still in foster care with information about employment preference.
Assist case managers in case planning activities as it pertains to: identifying the youth’s transitional living needs and services to meet those needs, participating in individual case reviews with case managers; and participate in permanency conferences such as a Circle of Support for youth ages 16 and older to help youth with the development of their Child’s Plan of Service Review data warehouse reports monthly.