Youth Development Specialist

Family Connections is seeking a FY Youth Development Specialist to foster social development through facilitation of recreation and psycho-educational groups.

Core Values:

• CULTURAL PROFICIENCY: Articulates and applies historical context of racism and understands the current reality of consumers and communities of color in order to support racial equity. Actively demonstrates a commitment to supporting equity and inclusion, and serves as an advocate with colleagues, partners, and communities to meet the Agency's goal of becoming an Antiracist Culturally Inclusive Organization.
• RACIAL EQUITY ADVOCATE: Recognizes, supports, and engages in dismantling institutional racism. Partners with, and is accountable to stakeholders, including children, families, and communities of color.
• RACIAL EQUITY MINDSET: Demonstrates awareness of biases, internalized racial superiority and oppression. Leads with a racial equity lens and actively uses the racial equity tool in meaningful ways.
• TRANSFORMATIONAL VALUES: Contributes to valuable and positive, antiracist transformation in individuals, organizations, and social systems in an effort to actively progress across the antiracist multicultural institution continuum. Is able to foster a sense of community and shared purpose via collaboration and cooperation with others inside and outside Family Connections. Embodies the principles and practices that form the Agency's culture. Operates from an abundance mentality that recognizes opportunities and is optimistic and realistic about the future.
• Demonstrates cultural competence through an awareness of and sensitivity towards Agency's clients' and coworkers' cultural and socioeconomic characteristics.
• Committed to the value of a nurturing family as the ideal environment for a child and believes in the capacity of people to grow and change.
• Works from a strengths-based perspective.
• Recognizes that consumers come first and responds to consumers appropriately.
• Knows and adheres to all FC Policies and Procedures. 

 PROFESSIONALISM:
1. Values and participates in the Team as a proactive member.
2. Respects others’ professional opinions and tolerates a range of feelings.
3. Able to give and receive constructive criticism.
4. Willing to take on extra work when needed (i.e. when there is a vacancy).
5. Performs required tasks according to the program philosophy, policies and procedures.
6. Is courteous, approachable, and cooperative towards others and conducts self in a mature, competent, confident, and respectful manner.
7. Understands and adheres to confidentiality rights of clients, co-workers and agency, consistent with HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act), and protects personal health information in written, verbal and electronic forms.
8. Practices self- care, has a sense of humor, and possess a healthy work/ life balance important to providing great customer service.
9. Ensures the safety & comfort of others by communicating the presence of hazards, injuries, equipment problems or any need for help and knows the emergency evacuation and all other safety policies (universal precautions, etc.).
10. In times of crisis is willing to help others, and communicates urgent information quickly to supervisor / Team.
11. Maintains good attendance (i.e. Maintains FT or PT schedule as contracted, and attendance does not impair or negatively affect the team.)
12. Is punctual for client appointments, meetings, etc.
13. Meets program productivity requirements.
14. Uses good judgment, practices ethical decision-making, and explores all options in problem solving.

SUPERVISION:
1. Attends supervision consistently and comes prepared.
2. Documents supervision.
3. Able to receive feedback and to learn from it.
4. Has insight about self (i.e.strengths and weaknesses) and utilizes that knowledge toward growth and change.

Youth Development Specialist responsibilities include:
1. Supervise and coordinate recreational programming and field trips.
2. Build and maintain rapport; interacting with students during appropriate times to facilitate social skill development, and advocating for students, as needed.
3. Facilitate prevention and psycho-educational groups.
4. Insure documentation and data input into Management Information System is completed in timely fashion.
5. Provide case management to students as necessary.
6. Monitor students’ academic and behavioral progress.
7. Assist in the development and marketing of programs in the school environment and community.
8. Discuss all suspected cases of abuse and neglect with Manager/Coordinator and report to DCP&P.
9. Perform other duties as deemed necessary by the Manager/Coordinator of SBYSP.

SPECIFICATIONS:

Education/Certification:
Minimum High School diploma, 3 years experience as a youth service worker; Bachelor’s Degree in human services field preferred.

Experience:
Proven ability to work with adolescents in an urban setting.

Knowledge:
Knowledge of adolescent development, knowledge of community resources, knowledge of group process.

Skills and Abilities:
Ability to create a warm, non-threatening therapeutic atmosphere, ability to provide non-judgmental responses, ability to counsel adolescents, ability to work as a member of a team, ability to advocate for students with school personnel, ability to work with individuals from diverse backgrounds.

Professional Characteristics: Open, warm, empathic, attentive listener, self-aware, ethical, creative, organized, flexible, open to criticism, patient, responsible, able to work independently, mature, self-motivated, dedicated, enthusiastic, will to take on additional tasks and responsibilities, interested in seeking additional training and skills.

Work Environment/Physical Demands: The individual must possess the ability to perform work that requires frequent standing, bending, reaching, squatting, kneeling, moving, and lifting of up to or in excess of 50 pounds.

Salary: $22/hr

Vacation & Benefits: 

• Vacation: As a full-time employee working generally 35 hours per week, you will be eligible to participate in the Family Connections group benefit plans. Benefits include medical, dental, life insurance, long term disability, retirement plans, and additional supplementary benefits. Yes, you can elect to not enroll into these benefits. You will also be eligible to accrue vacation, personal, and sick days in addition to 12 paid holidays, and summer wellness Fridays. 

 

• Benefits also include professional development assistance, referral program, internal/external trainings, Capella University partnership, 403b retirement plan with employer matching (3% max) (you can enroll in your 403b without a waiting period) , employer-paid life insurance, employer paid Long-term Disability (LTD) insurance, employer paid Accidental Death & Dismemberment (AD&D) insurance, etc.

Work Environment/Physical Demands:
The individual must possess the ability to perform work that requires frequent standing, bending, reaching, squatting, kneeling, moving, and lifting of up to or in excess of 50 pounds.

Family Connections is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer committed to excellence. Employment offers are made on the basis of qualifications and without regard to race, sex, religion, national or ethnic origin, disability, age veteran status, or sexual orientation or other protected classes under the State and Federal law.

Family Connections participates in E-Verify and will provide the federal government with information from each new employee’s Form I-9 to confirm authorization to work in the United States.

Candidates must be authorized to work in the United States and eligible for full‑time employment on a W‑2 basis. This role must be performed in a manner that is fully compliant with all applicable federal, state, and local employment laws, including those of the State of New Jersey. C2C, 1099, or other non‑W‑2 arrangements are not eligible for consideration.