Youth Services Employment Specialist

Peckham, Inc.•Ann Arbor, MI

5d•Onsite

About The Position

Help young people see what’s possible—and help them get there. At Peckham, we believe every young person has strengths, abilities, and potential worth investing in. The Youth Services Employment Specialist plays a meaningful role in creating an extraordinary experience for youth—helping them discover their strengths, explore possibilities, build confidence, and take meaningful steps toward becoming successful, responsible, and caring adults. This part-time position serves youth who are court-involved as well as youth referred through the Washtenaw County community. The Employment Specialist builds authentic, trusting relationships with young people and uses a strengths-based, trauma-informed approach to help each student identify their interests, abilities, and goals and develop a path toward education, training, and employment. This position provides individualized career exploration, vocational assessment, career planning, job-readiness instruction, and employment support. The Employment Specialist connects youth to meaningful opportunities to develop skills, earn industry-recognized credentials and certifications, explore high-demand careers, and experience success in the world of work. The goal isn't simply to help a young person get a job—it's to help them recognize what they are capable of and begin building a future they can be proud of. The ideal candidate brings energy, creativity, consistency, and a genuine belief in young people. They are someone who can see potential before problems, build meaningful relationships, hold young people to high expectations while meeting them where they are, and contribute to a culture where youth feel known, valued, challenged, and supported. This is a part-time position based at Peckham's Office area at the Washtenaw County Day Treatment facility at Washtenaw County Children's Services. The position is available through a contract with Washtenaw County court.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree or one year of relevant experience, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
Demonstrated ability to build positive, authentic relationships with youth, particularly youth experiencing barriers or challenges that may impact educational or employment success.
Demonstrated commitment to a strengths-based approach and the belief that young people have the ability to grow, change, and succeed.
Demonstrated history of delivering excellent customer service and contributing to consistently positive experiences for participants, families, employers, and community partners.
Experience facilitating curriculum, groups, or learning experiences for individuals with barriers to employment, including individuals with disabilities, limited education, justice involvement, or other barriers.
Strong communication, relationship-building, organization, and problem-solving skills.
Ability to establish appropriate boundaries while creating trusting and supportive relationships with youth.
Strong computer skills, including the ability to maintain accurate participant records, documentation, and reports using case management or other database systems.
Ability to successfully pass and maintain required security background checks.
Must maintain an unrestricted Michigan driver's license with a clear driving record.

Nice To Haves

Experience working with court-involved youth, youth in a Day Treatment setting, or youth experiencing significant barriers to success.
Experience in career development, workforce development, vocational rehabilitation, education, social work, counseling, youth development, or a related field.
Training or experience in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), restorative practices, trauma-informed care, positive behavioral interventions, or other evidence-based approaches to youth development.
Experience developing employer and community partnerships.
Knowledge of local education, workforce development, training, and community resources.

Responsibilities

Build authentic, trusting relationships with youth through a strengths-based, trauma-informed approach that recognizes their abilities, experiences, interests, and potential.
Create an environment where youth feel welcomed, respected, supported, and challenged to grow.
Serve as a consistent, encouraging adult who helps students recognize their strengths, develop confidence, and envision new possibilities for their future.
Provide mentoring, encouragement, and individualized support while maintaining appropriate boundaries and professional relationships.
Hold students accountable for their choices and behavior while using pro-social, restorative, and skill-building approaches that promote personal responsibility and growth.
Provide individual counseling, support, and crisis intervention within the scope of the position and organizational practices.
Connect youth and families with schools, community resources, and other supportive services when additional resources are needed.
Provide individualized career exploration, assessment, evaluation, and consultation based on each student's interests, abilities, goals, and needs.
Develop individualized vocational and career plans that identify strengths, goals, barriers, action steps, and opportunities for growth.
Help youth explore careers, understand workplace expectations, identify education and training pathways, and connect their interests to real-world opportunities.
Deliver comprehensive work-readiness instruction, including job preparedness, job-seeking skills, applications, phone etiquette, resume development, interviewing, workplace communication, professionalism, and job-search strategies.
Provide opportunities for students to earn industry-recognized credentials and certifications aligned with their interests and high-demand career pathways.
Coordinate talent tours, career exploration activities, workplace exposure, and other experiences that allow students to see possibilities beyond their current circumstances.
Assist youth in identifying and overcoming barriers to employment and education, including identifying reasonable accommodations when appropriate.
Support students in developing the skills, habits, and confidence necessary for successful employment, continued education, and greater independence.
Provide follow-up, coaching, and retention support to youth and employers during employment or continued education.
Represent Peckham professionally at business networking events, community meetings, and other opportunities that strengthen employer and community partnerships.
Promote workplace diversity, inclusion, and opportunities for young people with barriers to employment.
Develop and maintain positive relationships with referral sources, schools, community partners, employers, and funding partners.
Identify new opportunities, partnerships, and resources that expand the possibilities available to Peckham youth.
Develop and facilitate engaging daily programming that supports the academic, social-emotional, career, and personal development of court-involved and community-referred youth.
Facilitate groups and activities that support cognitive behavioral skills, decision-making, communication, emotional regulation, problem-solving, goal-setting, and other pro-social skills.
Help create and maintain a positive, structured, and engaging learning environment.
Develop and implement meaningful incentives and recognition strategies that encourage positive behavior, leadership, participation, and personal growth.
Support opportunities for youth to develop leadership, teamwork, community service, and other skills that strengthen their connection to their community.
Maintain accurate and timely documentation related to enrollment, eligibility, assessments, individualized objectives, treatment plans, transition plans, case notes, services, and outcomes in accordance with Peckham standards.
Enter and maintain accurate participant information in Workday and other required databases.
Monitor program utilization and provide accurate program data for evaluation and reporting.
Ensure case notes and participant records are regularly updated and accurately reflect services and progress.
Monitor individual and program performance measures and take appropriate action to support successful outcomes.
Ensure compliance with contractual, funding, organizational, and program requirements.
Assist in maintaining organization-wide quality standards.
Promote Peckham's vision, values, culture, and commitment to exceptional customer service with youth, families, team members, employers, partners, and stakeholders.
Contribute to a strengths-based culture that believes in the potential of every young person.
Look for opportunities to make the experience of youth extraordinary through encouragement, creativity, hospitality, and genuine connection.
Maintain a safe, welcoming, clean, and supportive work environment.
Demonstrate professionalism, flexibility, reliability, and a commitment to continuous improvement.
Perform other duties as assigned.