Youth Support Partner

San Diego Youth Services•San Diego, CA

2d•Hybrid

About The Position

San Diego Youth Services seeks a Youth Support Partner in the TAY Academy - Housing our Youth program to be based in San Diego. This is a full-time & non-exempt position reporting to the Program Manager. San Diego Youth Services has helped improve the lives of more than 834,000 homeless, runaway and vulnerable youth since its beginning in 1970. We provide safe places to live and long-term solutions through shelter, foster homes, community centers and housing to more than 16,000 youth every year at 100+ community and school locations. Through prevention, early intervention and treatment, we also help youth before they need higher levels of care or become homeless. We aim to: Meet the basic needs of youth. Hunger, poverty and youth homelessness are on the rise for many youth and their families today. We help meet these basic needs for youth. What could be more vital than food and shelter? We provide safe places to live and long-term solutions through shelter, foster homes, community centers and housing. Create positive connection. We help youth focus on positive life changes and healthy relationships as part of providing needed resources and services. San Diego Youth Services has long provided foster homes and adoption support services for families considering adopting a youth in the foster care system. Help youth develop life skills. In addition to a range of safe and stable housing options, we offer support to help youth develop the independent living skills necessary to become self-sufficient and keep off the streets. Promote overall health and well-being. Early intervention and care for the whole child are critical. We provide a broad continuum of services to help youth overcome trauma and challenges that put them at risk, including case management, counseling, mental health treatment and educational support and resources. SDYS has a staff of approximately 250 employees and 80 volunteers working across San Diego County and an annual budget of approximately $24 million. The HOY Program provides specialized wrap-around assistance to youth at-risk of or experiencing homelessness. This position is responsible for providing comprehensive trauma-informed peer support services to youth in drop-in center and throughout San Diego County in order to ensure that standards relating to inclusivity and safety are maintained. The Youth Support Partner is responsible for ensuring that services are safe and accessible and that the overall milieus are supportive, affirming and youth driven.

Requirements

Must have direct experience as a consumer (or Care-Giver of a consumer) of mental health services, the juvenile justice system, child protective services, homelessness or special education. That is, applicant must have directly experienced system involvement.
Must be at least 21 years of age and have a High School diploma.
Must have own, reliable transportation and must be able to provide transport to youth as needed in the community.

Nice To Haves

Bachelor Degree Preferred.
Bi-lingual desirable.
Completed Peer Specialist training preferred.

Responsibilities

Conduct outreach to prospective service partners in the community; follow-up on all referrals to HOY program to engage youth and caregivers in services; screen prospective service partners for eligibility to enter program.
Triage with Housing Navigator and Clinical Case Manager for needed services.
Orient service partners to TAY Academy services through intake and needs assessment, as appropriate and provide crisis intervention, recreational opportunities, and peer support services to youth.
Work collaboratively with wrap-around team to provide support services aligned with youth’s goal plans that include accompanying youth and caregivers to meetings/appointments; provide advocacy, independent living skills education and referrals as applicable including housing, medical health, education, and mental health/substance abuse disorders.
Facilitate psycho-educational groups for youth and caregivers including life skills, parenting, self-care and health education groups.
Engage parent/guardian in order to support reunification when minor is placed at YES, when possible, and/or transition to self-sufficiency.
Support advocacy efforts for youth and caregivers serviced within and across the TAY system of care and assist youth and caregivers in locating, coordinating and developing informal and formal resources and networks in the community.