San Diego Youth Services
JOB ANNOUNCEMENT
Youth Support Partner
Tuesday through Saturday (Tues/Wed/Thurs/Fri 10:30am-7pm; Saturday 11:30am-8pm)
San Diego Youth Services seeks a Youth Support Partner in the I CARE Program to be based at Mid-City Youth Center. This is a full time & exempt position reporting to the Program Manager
San Diego Youth Services: Who we are
San Diego Youth Services has helped improve the lives of more than 780,000 homeless, runaway and vulnerable youth since its beginning in 1970. We provide safe places to live and long-term solutions through shelter, foster homes, community centers and housing to more than 28,000 youth every year at 100+ community and school locations. Through prevention, early intervention and treatment, we also help youth before they need higher levels of care or become homeless.
We aim to:
- Meet the basic needs of youth. Hunger, poverty and youth homelessness are on the rise for many youth and their families today. We help meet these basic needs for youth. What could be more vital than food and shelter? We provide safe places to live and long-term solutions through shelter, foster homes, community centers and housing.
- Create positive connection. We help youth focus on positive life changes and healthy relationships as part of providing needed resources and services. San Diego Youth Services has long provided foster homes and adoption support services for families considering adopting a youth in the foster care system.
- Help youth develop life skills. In addition to a range of safe and stable housing options, we offer support to help youth develop the independent living skills necessary to become self-sufficient and keep off the streets.
- Promote overall health and well-being. Early intervention and care for the whole child are critical. We provide a broad continuum of services to help youth overcome trauma and challenges that put them at risk, including case management, counseling, mental health treatment and educational support and resources.
SDYS has a staff of approximately 215 employees and 80 volunteers working across San Diego County and an annual budget of approximately $22 million.
You can learn more about us at www.sdyouthservices.org
DEPARTMENT DESCRIPTION OR PROGRAM DESCRIPTION HIRING FOR
I CARE supports youth, up to age 21, who are at risk for or have experienced sex trafficking or other commercial sexual exploitation. The program provides a mental health clinic and a drop-in center. I CARE provided services to 129 youth and community training to more than 2,160 individuals during the past year.
CONTEXT OF THE POSITION
Provide trauma informed peer support and family support services to Commercially Sexually Exploited (CSE) Youth and those at risk of exploitation throughout San Diego County through unprecedented patience, creativity and acceptance, as youth develop relational competencies and life skills. Provide services to those youth who are open to the I CARE Drop In Center. Youth Support Partner is responsible for supporting the drop-in center milieu, facilitating groups, screening referrals, providing intake assessments, creating a service plan in partnership with the youth, being an advocate and accompanying youth to various meetings, including court and legal proceeding, facilitating appropriate referrals, linking to therapy, supporting service partners additional case management needs and assisting in the day-to-day service provision of the program and team decision making while supporting program outcomes.
Essential functions include:
1. The development, implementation, and evaluation of an integrated treatment approach for youth experiencing commercial sexual exploitation (CSE) with co-occurring psychiatric and substance disorders and quality trauma informed youth programs that adhere to and uphold the rigorous standards of San Diego Youth Services as mandated by its mission, purpose, guiding principles and standards of quality.
2. Responsible for completing screenings, intakes and corresponding paperwork for Drop-In Center participants as well as maintaining client files regularly. Must serve at least 20 unduplicated clients within Drop In Center per fiscal year per FTE.
3. Maintain 30% productivity standard of billable services.
4. Develop individualized goal plans and provide coaching, peer support and rehabilitative services in areas relating to but not limited to independent living skills development, educational and vocational services, health and wellness, healthy relationship building, emotional regulation, domestic violence education, sexual health education, crisis intervention, and leadership development support and adherence, when applicable, as well utilizing advocacy skills for youth and families as needed. Utilize lived experience
professionally and appropriately within role’s provision of services to enhance peer and family support services.
5. Provide assessment, guidance and life planning support to participants during weekly/daily communication as appropriate based on their goals and identified level of care needed.
6. Facilitate 1-2 groups and ongoing activities at the Drop-In Center including but not limited to psycho-educational, skill building, CSEC prevention and artistic expression groups as well as pro-social activities and outings in the community.
7. Provide onsite coverage and supervision of youth in the milieu at the Drop-In Center during established hours on a rotation with other team members.
8. Maintain professional and appropriate levels of coordination of care with outside providers of the youth’s treatment team including but not limited to youth’s probation officer (PO) and/or youth’s Child Welfare Services Social Worker when applicable.
9. Provide linkages and referrals to community-based organizations and resources as needed to support clients needs.
10. Conduct community outreach including but not limited to providing CSEC trainings and general outreach to potential referring partners as well as to youth and families directly. Develop and establish collaborative working relationships with partners and community members.
11. Monitor participant progress and maintain accurate records including data entry into approved database. Adhere to documentation timelines and standards.
12. Prepare and submit required reports.
13. Transport participants when necessary.
14. Work independently and as a team member to create innovative ways to meet goals and provide a high level of service that is engaging and meets the needs of the participants.
15. Participate in and attend all staff meetings, SDYS staff development events and appropriate agency-wide committees.
16. All other duties as assigned by Program Manager.
- Must be at least 18 years of age and have a High School diploma/GED.
- Have 1-3 years experience, preferably working with high risk adolescents who have experienced commercial sexual exploitation and/or human trafficking.
- Have lived experience through being a survivor of victimization such as human trafficking, domestic violence, sexual abuse or experience as a former foster youth.
- Must be 3 years+ post lived experience prior to employment. Bilingual preferred.
- Available to work evenings, weekends (Saturdays and/or Sundays) and some holidays in accordance with the established Drop In Center Hours.
- Experience in crisis intervention, group facilitation, documentation, and case management preferred.
- Must possess excellent oral and written skills; work well autonomously and with multi-disciplinary team.
- Able to work in a diverse setting with people of all backgrounds, culture, and sexual orientation. Familiarity with probation and social service systems.
- Willingness to develop or possess working knowledge of trauma-informed care.
- Must be computer literate in Microsoft Outlooks, Word and Excel. Valid CA driver’s license, auto insurance and good driving record required; must possess and use personal vehicle on the job to transport youth and complete other assigned duties (mileage reimbursed).
- Maintain certification in CPR and First Aid. Employment is subject to required clearances which include tuberculosis test, fingerprinting, background checks, and drug testing.
SDYS EXPECTATIONS
- Adhere to and uphold the rigorous standards of SDYS as mandated by its mission, purpose, guiding principles and standards of quality.
- Maintain confidentiality and privacy standards of service partner protected health information and other applicable information and material in accordance to agency and center policies, and applicable regulations and laws including HIPAA.
- Welcome and support SDYS volunteers and assist them in accomplishing their services whenever applicable.
- Effectively communicate with people from diverse backgrounds and experiences.
- Receive and give supportive feedback to foster equity and inclusion in working relationships.
- Recognize, nurture, and learn from strengths in co-workers.
- Maintain warm, welcoming and safe work environments.
- Possess flexibility to accomplish job responsibilities in several work environments, whether it be from home, on the road, or in an office.
Salary Range: $17-$19/Hour
SDYS offers a comprehensive benefits package to full time employees that includes generous PTO, personal holidays, health, vision, dental, life insurance, parental leave and a 403(b)-retirement plan with matching contribution. SDYS is proud to be one of the recipients of the Community Based Organization (CBO) Behavioral Workforce Grant Program funded by California Department of Health Care Access and Information (HCAi). As part of a 3-year grant (2023-2025), SDYS is able to award eligible staff educational assistance in the form of undergraduate scholarships, educational loan repayment assistance and graduate and doctorial level stipends.
SDYS is a Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) employer. Read more about the PSLF program here.
Candidates must be able to follow all the guidelines provided by the agency, government, and health authorities to maintain safety and health when the job requires physical presence and/or contact with others during the COVID-19 pandemic, including the submission of proof of vaccination as mandated by the California Public Health Order. The successful candidate will need to submit verification of vaccination or have a valid religious or medical reason not to be vaccinated.
Commitment to cultivating and preserving a culture of diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging.
As an organization working to meet the basic needs of youth, create positive connections, help youth develop life skills, and promote overall health and well-being, SDYS believes its practices and actions must reflect the highest level of commitment to access, equity, and social justice.
The collective sum of the individual differences, life experiences, knowledge, innovation, self-expression, and talent that our members invest in their work represents not only part of the SDYS’ culture, but the SDYS’ reputation and achievements as well. SDYS remains open to feedback from all communities it touches and knows that input from those with direct experience of issues will make the SDYS more effective in achieving its goals.
SDYS is proud to be an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, or veteran status. Auxiliary aids and services are available upon request to individuals with disabilities. In compliance with the Immigration and Nationality Act as amended, all new employees must verify their eligibility to work in the United States.
