Youth Engagement Support Staff- TLP; RLH

Job Description

The Youth Engagement Support Staff (YESS) will possess excellent communication and organizational skills and provide support to young people that is strength‑based, trauma‑informed and harm reduction focused. The YESS will model our mission of providing absolute respect and unconditional love to all young people and will value working within a multi‑disciplinary team to create a safe, inclusive environment for all.

• Provide unconditional positive regard to young people regardless of behavior.
• Support case management services to develop positive relationships with youth, including welcoming them to the program, ensuring they feel comfortable, safe and understand program structure and opportunities for engagement.
• Build a supportive relationship that encourages youth to find their voice and connect them to opportunities, experiences, and resources that enrich and enhance their lives.
• Support identified Success Plan goals with each young person.
• Support the youth's progress toward self‑identified goals and coach them to plan, implement, and follow through with tasks.
• Motivate youth to explore and improve wellness, education, employment, financial literacy, and social navigation goals and any other areas that will impact their success plan.
• Monitor youth while taking medication and enter medication logs.
• Engage with youth in daily house activities, including assisting with chores, dining, gym, bus tickets, and other movement throughout the day.
• Explore and participate with youth in outside activities such as trips, walks to parks, visiting college campuses, and other experiences that expose and enrich youth's time with CHNJ.
• Provide crisis de‑escalation and intervention as necessary according to training and best practices.
• Document intake, orientation, and transitions into ETO, HMIS and case files.
• Document regular daily progress notes into youth's case records (HMIS and ETO).
• Document pertinent information in Youth Incident Report, Medication Logs, and House Activity Logs.
• Facilitate assigned youth group activities that support the five resiliency objectives:
  Wellness, Social Navigation, Financial Literacy, Education, and Employment.
• Perform all duties assigned by the supervisor to meet the needs of youth while ensuring adherence to the daily program schedule.
• Make copies of forms or documents as assigned.
• Prepare welcome kits, sort new donations, organize unit storage closets, and replenish youth supplies as requested or needed.
• Do laundry as assigned for youth linens.
• Clean and prepare vacant residential spaces to be ready for new intakes.
• Maintain youth common areas according to cleanliness standards.
• Count medication nightly and document on the medication log, notifying the supervisor of any inaccuracies.
• Rotate youth files according to the annual system.
• Attend supervision with supervisor and meetings as assigned.
• Attend professional development training as assigned.
• Read and respond daily to all agency communications.
• Cover the front desk when required.
• Cover all areas of the building as assigned.
• Transport youth in agency vehicles when assigned.
• Utilize agency resources (vehicles, computers, telephones) for agency use only.
• Assist with fundraising affairs and special events as needed.

Applicant must be available to work the following schedule:
Thursday, Friday, Saturday & Sunday 10:00 PM – 8:00 AM; days off:
Monday, Tuesday & Wednesday.

• Bachelor's degree in psychology, sociology, social work or related field preferred.
• Preferred experience with young people ages 18‑24 experiencing homelessness or human trafficking, and/or lived experience. Knowledge of public benefits and community in NJ.
• Must be a self‑starter and team player with ability to work well with others. Knowledge of adolescent development and ability to build positive rapport with young people. Excellent communication skills demonstrated by concise, timely and professional correspondence, both written and verbal.
• Bilingual in Spanish preferred but not required.
• Must have a valid NJ driver's license and good driving record. May need to transport clients/staff if required using agency transportation.

• Medical
• Dental
• Vision
• 403B Retirement Plan