Youth Engagement Specialist bei Latino Network

Description

Position Title:       Youth Engagement Specialist

Reports To:            Program Manager, Educational Access Programs

Classification:       Full-time, Exempt, 1.0 FTE 

Location:                 School Site

Compensation:     $23.08 per hour

ORGANIZATION BACKGROUND

Latino Network’s mission is to provide transformative opportunities, services, and advocacy for the education, leadership, and civic engagement of our youth, families, and communities. Our work springs from the core belief in Latino community self-determination, that is, the ability of community members to participate meaningfully in the decisions that affect their lives and the lives of their families. We actively partner across a variety of city, county, state, and community organizations to deliver training and support, a wide range of services, as well as influence policy.

BENEFITS & PERKS

Latino Network provides a generous benefits package that includes:

• Health Plans including Medical, Dental, Vision, and Alternative Care
• FSA - Flexible Spending Account for Medical & Dependent Care expenses
• 401k Plan with Match 
• Employee Assistance Program
• Employer sponsored Life, AD&D, and Long-Term Disability Insurance
• Paid Leave (Vacation, Sick, Sabbatical)
• Professional development opportunities
• Self - Care perks
• Team and family events

POSITION DESCRIPTION 

Youth Engagement Specialist will carry out culturally specific programming  at the middle and high school level. While programming at both levels has some similarities, including grounding students in positive cultural identity development, middle school programming focuses on assisting students in building pro-social skills that strengthen student/family connections and helps build social capital and provides academic coaching. In middle school, staff will deliver the Oregon Department of Human Services: My Future-My Choice sexual health curriculum. High school programming has a greater focus on college and career readiness, including providing information about college saving and planning, financial aid, college and scholarship application assistance programs and processes, and career exploration. In High School, staff will deliver the Advocates for Youth: Rights, Respect and Responsibility (3R’s) sexual health curriculum. Summer programming is focused on supporting rising 9th graders for high school or rising 12th graders for their senior year. Summer Bridge is a program which serves Escalera graduated seniors to support summer engagement and post-secondary enrollment in the Fall. Responsibilities include outreach and recruiting, logistical planning, curriculum development and implementation, and individual case management. The Specialist also collaborates with Family Engagement Specialists, partner organizations, schools, local government, and the community. Specialists will be based at one or more school sites and must be familiar and comfortable with how to navigate within a school system. This position requires excellent follow-through; high attention to detail; professional writing skills; and excellent communication through one on one meetings, phone, e-mail, and group communication with Latino Network community partners, staff, and program participants. The Specialist must have facilitation experience and be able to guide conversations clearly and fluently in both English and Spanish. They will be successful in this role by performing the following duties: 

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Provides individual case management annually to at least 34 youth participants including meeting at least twice a month with students to complete initial assessments, developing and updating individual development plans, and provide referrals as needed. 
• Maintains individual participant case files, communicates with parents when needed, conducts home visits, collects data throughout the school year and summer, and documents in multiple databases as required by funders on a weekly basis, including, but not limited to: contact information, attendance, entrance/exit surveys, individual development plans. 
• Demonstrates outcomes in participant recruitment, engagement and retention. 
• Performs outreach, recruits, logistical planning, curriculum development and implementation, and individual case management. 
• Supports participants to improve school performance, attendance and decrease disciplinary referrals. 
• Ensures and promotes youth safety, growth, and leadership. 
• Attend trainings with team and managers to develop and implement skill-building curriculum that engages youth and prepares you to deliver a comprehensive sexual health education curriculum that covers topics such as: STI’s, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, and healthy relationships. 
• Facilitate after school sessions on topics such as: culture and identity, academic success, social emotional learning, and college and career. 
• Develops and maintains strong working relationships with participants, school teachers, counselors, community partners and stakeholders. 
• Collaborates with Family Engagement Specialists, partner organizations, school administrators, staff and teachers, local government, and the community. 
• Works with other Youth Engagement Specialists and Family Engagement Specialists to coordinate and carry out field trips and/or other special events. 
• Works with other Youth Engagement Specialists to coordinate and lead, organize and carry out program specific activities and overall department support for the success of the YES team
• Provide necessary referrals to participants as needed. 
• Works collaboratively with the Family Engagement Specialist to keep families engaged and informed with the goals of 1) increasing two-way communication between schools and families, 2) increasing student learning in the home, and 3) monitoring of students’ discipline, academic progress, and attendance. 
• Collaborates with staff and independent contractors to gather data as needed for research and evaluation of program outcomes. 
• Designs programming in accordance with approved budget and maintains accurate records of program spending. 
• Participates in mandatory all-staff and team meetings and training. 
• Works evenings and weekends as required, and maintains flexible work hours to accommodate program implementation and long hours during peak periods. 

Requirements

SKILLS, KNOWLEDGE, EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE

• English and Spanish Bilingual proficiency required, ability to translate general communications, converse with staff regarding the scope of work, either on a 1-1 setting or in group/ presentation. 
• Minimum of two years of experience in developing, implementing, and facilitating classes for youth and or implementing programs for Latinos; Examples of experience, education, and training that fulfill this requirement include, but are not limited to, volunteer or paid work, internships, community-based training and workshops, community college, trade school, university courses, and degrees.  Experience, training, and education from inside and outside of the United States are considered equally.  Transferable skills and lived experience will be considered. 
• Deliver a comprehensive sexual health education curriculum through a culturally specific way that aligns with our agency's mission and values. 
• Knowledge and experience in navigating educational institutions, resources, programs, social services and government agencies. 
• Knowledge of culturally based world view, adaptive reasoning, and problem solving practices of Latino individuals, families, and community living in urban neighborhoods impacted by crime, poverty, and racial inequity. 
• Demonstrated ability to establish and maintain cooperative working relationships with schools, students, families, and community support systems 
• Strong organizational, time management, data collection and tracking, and interpersonal skills. 
• Demonstrated ability to work both independently and as part of a team and consistently follows instructions and implementing strategies. 
• Ability to be flexible and adaptive to successfully achieve the functions of the position as described in the job responsibilities. 
• Reliable car, driver’s license, and automobile liability insurance
• Ability to maintain discretion with regards to confidential matters and maintain confidential records.
• Ability to be flexible and adaptive to successfully achieve the functions of the position as described in the job responsibilities.
• Takes initiative and maintains proactive communication.
• Strong attention to detail, organizational, and interpersonal skills.
• Employee service mindset, resourceful, outcomes-orientd and able to build strong relationships.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit, stand, walk, and use stairways to climb to multiple floors within an office building, and talk or hear. This position will work from home and onsite as needed depending on the project or coverage needed. The employee may be required to occasionally lift and/or move up to 15 pounds. The employee is occasionally required to use hands and fingers to type or dial, climb or balance, stoop, kneel, crouch or crawl, and reach with hands and arms. The employee may be required to perform minimal heavy lifting and walking during peak events and prolonged periods sitting at a desk and working on a computer. 

WORK ENVIRONMENT

Latino Network is a fast-paced, highly engaged work environment with satellite operations with positions performing work both onsite and remotely. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is occasionally exposed to wet or humid conditions (non-weather); outdoor weather conditions; extreme cold (non-weather) and extreme heat (non-weather). The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.  Latino Network strives to communicate effectively and respectfully within the context of varying beliefs, behaviors, orientations, identities, and cultural backgrounds.

TO APPLY

If you, or anyone you know, are interested in joining us in supporting our mission to positively transform the lives of Latino Youth families and communities, please submit your application, resume, and cover letter at:  Careers 

Successful completion of initial and ongoing employment screens, including but not limited to criminal background and vehicle record as required. Latino Network is an equal opportunity employer. We value and support diversity and inclusion to create a culture of dignity and respect.