Youth Engagement Specialist

At Covenant House Alaska we are in the people business.  We provide holistic services to young people who come to us from circumstances beyond their control.  Our people provide absolute respect and unconditional love to youth who deserve a chance to be the best version of themselves.  When you join our team, you become part of a massive movement to interrupt the path to chronic adult homelessness.  The pay is competitive, the benefits package is best in class and the experience is life changing. We look forward to meeting you. 

We are currently hiring for morning, evening and overnight schedules across all CHA programs!

Position Summary

All Covenant House Alaska program staff work as advocates and allies for youth experiencing homelessness and human trafficking.

The Youth Engagement Specialist (YES) provides and ensures high quality trauma-informed service delivery in many aspects of youth care at the direct supervision, management, and program development in a variety of community programs including Covenant House Alaska (CHA) residential services or through drop-in services. The YES will build intentional relationships with youth, engage them in a variety of programming and work through their stages of change in order to drive toward long-term positive outcomes.

Essential Functions

• Understand, practice, and promote the vision, mission, and five principles of Covenant House Alaska.
• Expected to have actual, intentional contact with assigned youth every shift.
• Relentlessly show up and be present in young people’s lives, especially through times of adversity.
• Engage youth in appropriate educational, vocational, and life skill programming.
• Work with team to plan and implement engagement activities.
• Maintain a positive and professional working relationship with the general public, including placement agencies and families of the youth we serve.
• Provide face to face support and intervention in multiple settings including, but not limited to residential services and non-residential services within a variety of program settings
• Maintain a high level of ethical standards.
• Demonstrate an enthusiastic commitment to the job and the Agency.
• Ensure the safety and whereabouts of youth seen by CHA at all times.
• Provide security of the building, including the surrounding area.
• Maintain Efforts to Outcomes (ETO) data base through data entry of all work with participants on a daily basis.
• Provide trauma-informed, individualized services to youth in residence based on the assigned program’s procedures:
  • Build intentional, positive relationships and engage assigned youth to ensure they are fully supported throughout the shift
  • Document in youth files or as dictated by program need
  • Assist Youth in taking steps to accomplish agreed upon goals outlined in collaborative Success Plans
  • Establish and maintain contact with family members, as needed and as outlined on the Success Plans
  • Establish and maintain contact with all community agencies as outlined on the Success Plan
  • Perform intakes, discharges, answer the telephones, and assists in the operating needs of program
• Participates in team meetings, staff trainings and other opportunities for professional development.
• Keep supervisor fully informed at all times.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

Education

GED or Highschool Diploma required. Bachelor’s degree in Human Services, Social Work, Psychology or a related field is strongly preferred. Experience can substitute for post-secondary experience on a year-for-year basis.

Experience

Experience working with adolescent or disadvantaged populations in relevant human services, medical, educational, legal, or closely related positions is strongly preferred; life, volunteer, and internship experience will be considered. Lived experience of homelessness considered an asset

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities Required

• Understand and comply with all Agency policies and procedures; including Child Protection Policies.
• Understand and comply with all principles of Trauma-Informed Care. Willingness to acquire basic concepts in care coordination for adolescents and young adults and incorporate into service-provision.
• Is approachable, relatable, builds rapport well, and practices active listening with individuals of varied cultural backgrounds, embracing differences in behavior and lifestyle choices.
• Knowledge of crisis intervention and ability to address conflict between youth exhibiting challenging behaviors; able to respond quickly and safely while continuing to be a settling influence in crisis situations and emergencies.
• High degree of sensitivity to and respect for diversity and cultural issues involved in working with individuals of varying ethnicities and income.
• Understand and implement best practices in the areas of prevention, recognition, and response to suspected and identified victims of human trafficking.
• Willingness to engage with partner human trafficking service agencies and law enforcement.
• Understand the intersectionality of youth homelessness, mental health, substance misuse, human trafficking and poverty.
• Can maintain confidentiality while understanding and complying with requirements of mandated reporting, duty to warn, HIPAA, and other limits to confidentiality.
• Willingness to utilize training opportunities in support of personal and professional growth, competence development, and to increase overall capacity to serve youth every day.
• Proficient with standard computer operating systems. Ability to navigate Microsoft Office Suite, online databases, and other programs and websites as required.
• Willingness and ability to work outside of normal business hours as well as Holidays and weekends as needed.
• Willingness and ability to attain a CPR/First Aid Certification.
• As needed by program possess a current and valid driver's license
  • Driving record assessed through CHA’s Drivers Acceptability Matrix
• Pass federal, state, and local background check investigations.

Working Conditions

• Position works in a variety of Program environments (Commercial and Residential)
• Noise level is mild to moderate, consistent with office and residential environments.
• Must have the ability to communicate information and ideas so others will understand. Must be able to exchange accurate information in these situations.
• Must have the ability to observe details within close range.
• Must be able to remain in stationary position for extended periods of time.
• Must be able to move within the office to access files and office equipment.
• Consistently operates a computer and related office machinery.
• Must be able to ascend/descend stairways within a wide variety of facilities with and possibly without the assistance of an elevator
• Occasionally moves items up to 40 pounds while ascending/descending stairways.

Covenant House is an Equal Opportunity Employer