Engagement Specialist San Francisco, CA

Since 1984, Larkin Street Youth Services has helped more than 75,000 young adults in San Francisco with outreach, shelter, housing, education, employment, healthcare, and other services.

Today, we are the largest provider of housing and services to homeless youth in the Bay Area, serving 1,500 youth annually across multiple sites.

Our team is skilled, diverse, and passionate. We encourage professional development, teamwork, and self‑care, always focusing on the young people at the heart of our mission.

Under the guidance of the Program Manager, the Engagement Specialist engages unhoused drop‑in clients, leading activities, providing emotional support, assessing needs, and connecting to resources.

This full‑time position is eligible for full benefits.

• Contribute toward the care and welfare of clients, including crisis intervention and maintaining program safety.
• Build trusting relationships with youth while maintaining professional boundaries.
• Monitor the center for safety hazards and take immediate action when necessary, supporting security staff with hands‑on de‑escalation.
• Conduct hands‑on restraints following safety protocols when necessary.
• Handle crisis situations through de‑escalation techniques and assist clients as they process social and emotional problems.
• Ensure the safety and security of all clients, staff, volunteers, and the facility.
• Write incident reports, community contracts, and coordinate modifications of service processes for clients restricted from services.
• Coordinate restorative re‑entry processes for incidents, including holding re‑entry meetings between clients, restorative resolutions, and anger‑management counseling sessions.
• Facilitate weekly group discussions, workshops, or mentorship programs helping clients build life skills on topics like conflict resolution, anger management, and healthy relationships.
• Promote wellness of the community through a harm‑reduction approach.
• Participate in collaborative case‑conference meetings with other Larkin Street care providers.
• Document client engagement and service provision in electronic databases (ETO, SharePoint).
• Assist individuals by working with other programs to ensure youth move through the continuum of Larkin Street services and/or city services while helping individuals understand and overcome social and emotional problems.

• You are passionate about the Larkin Street Youth Services mission to end youth homelessness.
• You have some social services and/or direct‑service experience.
• 
  * BONUS* Experience working in drop‑in services, shelter, transitional, and/or permanent supportive housing programs.
• 
  * BONUS* Prior security/safety experience.
• You embody our values and core strategies:
  • Client‑Centered
  • Trauma‑Informed Care
  • Restorative Practices
  • Harm Reduction
  • Non‑Violent Crisis Intervention
  • Motivational Interviewing
• You are most excited to serve Transitional Aged Youth (TAY), aged 18 to 25 of diverse backgrounds.
• You are a self‑starter and team player. Your colleagues describe you as compassionate, dependable, and patient.
• You work best in an onsite, in‑person environment; this role is 100% onsite.
• You are willing to work holidays occasionally.
• You are vaccinated against COVID‑19.

• Hourly rate of $25.00–$26.37, plus $1.50 bilingual incentive pay for fluency in Spanish and English.
• Choice of Kaiser and Sutter medical plans, plus dental and vision.
• Generous 3 weeks vacation annually, plus 11 paid holidays and 3 floating holidays.
• 403(b) retirement plan with employer matching.
• Flexible spending accounts for health and dependent care expenses.
• Life insurance.
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP) for counseling services.
• Health Advocate Service.
• Paid sabbatical following 5 and 10 years of employment.

Larkin Street Youth Services is an equal opportunity employer. We consider all applicants for all positions without regard to color, ethnic background, religion, sex, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability, HIV/AIDS status, veteran status, or any other legally protected class. We encourage applicants of diverse backgrounds to apply for any open position in which they feel qualified.

Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, we will consider employment for qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

All City and County of San Francisco employees are required to be vaccinated against COVID‑19 as a condition of employment.