Youth Development and Prevention Coordinator

SoHum Health

Posted: Aug. 18, 2022

The Youth Development and Prevention Coordinator will provide services focused on youth outreach, prevention, and education. They will facilitate various activities that will make a meaningful difference in Southern Humboldt’s youth, and help foster opportunities to develop the skills needed to become successful adults. The Youth Development and Prevention Coordinator will act as a mentor to at-risk students, addressing substance use/misuse and career exploration, in addition to intervening to promote healthy behaviors.

Essential Functions

Facilitate trauma-informed, culturally relevant, developmentally appropriate, and community-driven youth prevention and intervention programs that address substance use/misuse.
Promote healthy behaviors and environments that minimize harms associated with substance use.
Engage youth within their communities, schools, organizations, peer groups, and families in a manner that is productive and constructive while also recognizing, utilizing, and enhancing youth’s strengths.
Promote positive outcomes for youth by providing opportunities, fostering positive relationships, and support needed to build on their strengths.
Increase individual’s protective factors such as positive family support, caring adults, positive peer groups, a strong sense of self/self-esteem, and engagement in school and community activities.
Create opportunities for career exploration and engagement with community agencies such as the Fire Departments, Sheriff’s office, and community service providers.
Improve the lives of children and adolescents by meeting their basic physical, developmental, and social needs.
Support youth in building the competencies needed to become successful adults.
Competencies

Emotional intelligence and empathy when working with clients.
Effective communication skills to work with a variety of clients, mental health care professionals, and others in their field.
Critical-thinking skills to evaluate all the dynamics of a family or service needed, working with families to find the best possible solution. In many cases, will need to use creative problem-solving as part of the critical-thinking process to find the best available options for clients.
Organizational skills to work with multiple families at once. Organization of paperwork and electronic files to ensure each case is updated with the correct information, across different systems. Time management and ability to prioritize cases based on client needs and emergency status.
Advocacy to verbally represent families in order to connect them with the services, resources, and opportunities they might need from both government and nonprofit organizations. Promoting social justice through the advocacy of new programs, revision of outdated policies, and expansions of underserved programs.
Strong ability to set boundaries to establish a work-life balance based on available time and resources with families and other professionals, to prevent burnout and maintain positive relationships.
Professionalism to constantly be learning and developing better ways to serve clients and the community through classes and hands-on learning. Applying learned knowledge in a professional manner to better serve individuals, families, and groups they work with.
Physical Abilities/Requirements

Must have a valid driver’s license.

Hours of Work & Compensation

$32 per hour. 24-32 hours a week, grant funded through September 2023.

Required Education and Experience

Certificated Substance Use Counsellor, or Bachelor’s degree in Social Work, or related field, with 5 years of experience.

Preferred Education and Experience

Master’s degree in Social Work, School Counseling, or related field, Pupil Personnel Services Credential.

Open until filled