Hybrid QYS Specialist at Northwest Youth Services

Position Title: Queer Youth Services (QYS) Specialist

 Location: Whatcom, Skagit, Island County 

Reports to: Director of Engagement Services 

Hours: 40 hours per week, non-exempt position 

Date Developed: February 2024 

Women, people of color, transgender individuals and members of other underrepresented populations are strongly encouraged to apply. 

Mission At Northwest Youth Services, we affirm youth experience and autonomy, as we work together to foster collective healing and justice, in order to dismantle the systems of oppression that perpetuate youth homelessness.

 Core Values 

Community – We promote interdependence and recognize that everybody needs a community to thrive. We know that we are stronger together. 

Justice & Liberation - We believe that it is critical to acknowledge, name, and actively work to dismantle the historic systems and societal structures that fuel crisis and poverty. 

Humanity - We work with respect and compassion for each other and believe that everyone deserves to belong: to be safe, heard, and valued. 

Accountability – We believe that no one is done learning; as a community we hold each other to a high standard, and work to educate, grow and heal together. 

Vision Guided by our values and commitment to becoming an Anti-Racist organization, Northwest Youth Services envisions a community in which all young people are seen as catalysts in creating a just and liberated society that supports each of our unique journeys through life.

job mission

This position contributes to NWYS’ success by supervising the Queer Youth Services (QYs) program and staff to support LGBTQ+ young people and their families in the Whatcom, Island, and Skagit Counties. The QYS program provides support to the community and LGBTQ+ youth, with intersecting identities, in order to create affirming and healing spaces to thrive.

core competencies

To perform job successfully, the individual should demonstrate the following competencies:

Mission Focused: Incorporate mission into daily activities; communicate mission and interpret application for staff.

Youth Orientation: Actively seeks feedback from youth; establishes effective relationships with youth; knowledgeable about issues facing homeless youth and an understanding of the experiences they are going through.

Composure: Respond calmly to stressful circumstances.

Integrity: Must be honest and take responsibility for actions; ability to set healthy limits and maintain the helping role of practitioner.

High Standards: Model excellence; hold staff accountable for quality outcomes; require continuous improvement.

Informal Communication: Clearly articulate information, opinions, and ideas.

job description: Queer Youth Services Specialist

Northwest Youth Services – Queer Youth Project Manager |last updated: 08/07/2025

Initiative: Proactive; take action without being prompted; recognize and encourage initiative in others.

Sensitivity: Communicates empathy and respect of individuals; ability to be appreciative of diversity.

Change Agility: Able to embrace needed change; able to provide and implement feedback; effective in the face of ambiguity.

Creativity: Resourceful in finding ways to improve and advocate for change when necessary; fosters creativity in others.

Learning Agility: Seeks to improve knowledge, skills, and abilities in related service areas.

Creativity: Resourceful in finding ways to improve and advocate for change when necessary; fosters creativity in others.

Active Listening: Ability to effectively work independently and in partnership with team members; ability to communicate effectively with youth and others.

Organizational Knowledge: Understands operational procedures; demonstrates an in-depth understanding of what the organization does.

Team Player: Effectively partner with people across the organization.

key responsibilities

Leadership:

•Offer vision, creativity, and enthusiasm to employees and community members to generate positive thinking and best practices for staff and the young people served by the program;

•Maintain meaningful involvement with consumers, advocates, program investors and community partners;•Participate in creating and maintaining a workplace that values safety and diversity and is free of discrimination based on race, sex, gender identity, sexual ordination, ability and other aspects of identity; and

•Continue to foster and improve an organizational culture that builds on our core values that all young people have a place to belong: to be safe, heard and valued.•Act as the QYS brand ambassador, representing a focus on NWYS Mission

Youth Programs:

•Conduct LGBTQ youth specific trainings to community members and partner organizations;

•Be an Emissary the organization at public speaking events and community panels to increase the organization’s profile in the community around LGBTQ issues;

•Build high-quality relationships with youth participants to understand the personal experiences of youth impacted by homelessness and LGBTQ identities;

•Engage youth in pregnancy, parenting and safe sex communication and knowledge;

•Coordinate safety planning and crisis response of youth when needed;

•Conduct LGBTQ-specific youth advocacy and outreach through community events in Skagit, Island and Whatcom Counties including Whatcom Youth Pride, Bellingham Pride, and other pride events;

•Develop and deliver content to youth groups including the Monthly Queer Youth Meet-up and school-based clubs;

•Plan, organize, promote and lead monthly Queer Youth Meet-ups•Hold QYS drop-in hours at NWYS locations;

•Provide one-on-one direct service advocacy for LGBTQ+ youth in schools, through NWYS programs like the PAD, Ground Floor, and Skagit Drop-in;•Organize and maintain Trans Fashion Treasury;•Complete and process referrals;

•Keep supervisor informed of issues and concerns related to youth;

•Accurately document relevant youth information and activities according to program standards;•Attend relevant Agency meetings and all other activities identified as necessary;

•Knowledge of program policies and procedures;

•Participate in program evaluation efforts;

•Complete professional training and development each year as required by your program; and

•Other duties as assigned

Management:

•Provide support and consultation for NWYS’ programs and staff around issues LGBTQ+ young people face;

•Ensure teams are effectively and accurately implementing appropriate LGBTQ+ practices to ongoing program goals and coordinate events throughout the year;

•Be the QYS emissary within NWYS able to meet the needs of the community, LGBTQ, BIPOC, and homeless youth;

•Ensure NWYS QYS is planning and focused on moving forward;

Northwest Youth Services – Queer Youth Project Manager |last updated: 08/07/2025

•Supervise QYS staff;

•Manage volunteer participation within QYS activities;

•Assist the administration team as needed to develop and write grants to ensure that the program has adequate resources to meet ongoing community needs;

•Engage in tracking community partnership developments for grant writing and reporting purposes;

•Ensure effective due diligence and compliance with grants as delegated;

•Work to create, manage and own your department’s annual budget.

•Keep supervisor and team informed of issues and concerns related to young people;

•Accurately document relevant client information and activities according to program standards;

•Other duties as assigned.

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, and depth perception. While performing these job duties, the employee is regularly required to listen to others and provide verbal feedback. The employee is required to frequently sit for extended periods of time, stand, walk, climb, or balance.

qualifications

Minimum Qualifications:

•Bachelor’s degree in related field, or a minimum of three years’ experience working with LGBTQ youth and 20 hours of trainings around gender identity and sexuality;

•Two years’ experience providing culturally-competent education to professionals;

•Demonstrated experience fostering spaces of acceptance and mutual respect;

Or equivalent relevant life experience;

•Ability to conduct one’s self with composure, agility and integrity in the company of diverse perspectives;

•One year supervisory experience;

•Must be 21 years of age or older; and

•Must pass background checks.

Required within first 30 days of employment:

•CPR/First Aid/Blood borne pathogens certifications required;

•Must have a negative TB test; and

•Full understanding of the CPS reporting requirements.

Preferred Qualifications:

•Master’s degree in Gender Identity and Sexuality or related field;

•Demonstrated experience working with grants;

•Demonstrated experience working with people experiencing homelessness and/or people in crisis;

•Spanish, Russian, or ASL speakers preferred; and

•Previous training in de-escalation, Positive Youth Development, CSEC, Domestic Violence, Mental Health First Aid, Motivational Interviewing, Harm Reduction, or other related trainings.

benefits

Benefits

•Earn paid time off based on hours worked;

•Medical, vision, and dental insurance benefits begin first of the month following date of hire (positionsat or above 0.75 FTE);

•Voluntary life, critical illness, supplemental vision, long term disability, and accident insurance eligibilitybegins first of the month following date of hire (positions at or above 0.75 FTE);

Northwest Youth Services – Queer Youth Project Manager |last updated: 08/07/2025

•Simple IRA Retirement plan with match up to 3% of employee contributions, per pay period, after first year of employment;

•Annual Healing Fund stipend; and

•Juneteenth and Indigenous Peoples Day paid holidays;

Northwest Youth Services is an Equal Opportunity employer. Employment is based upon individual qualifications without regard to race, color, sex, religion, national origin, citizenship, age, marital status, veteran status, disabilities, political ideology, sexual orientation, or any other legally protected status.

Northwest Youth Services participates in E-Verify.

To apply please visit our website at https://www.nwys.org/employment.