Activities or Day Space Coordination (AmeriCorps)

Jesuit Volunteer Corps Northwest; Missoula (MT); On-site; USD 32,000 - 46,000; Full time

Job summary

Jesuit Volunteer Corps Northwest is seeking a Youth Services Specialist to support The Meadowlark program in Montana. You will work with children and their families, lead activities, and help provide inclusive programming to support resident youth and break cycles of poverty and violence.

You will collaborate with program directors, managers, and community partners to plan and implement services, participate in weekly team meetings, and mentor families toward positive outcomes, with a strong

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in human services or related field, or equivalent education/experience.
• Experience working with youth is required; at-risk youth experience preferred.
• Must pass a background check to protect YWCA participants.
• Love for children and zeal for their welfare; understanding homelessness and its effects on youth.
• Knowledge of youth violence prevention; ability to maintain confidential information.
• Knowledge of group facilitation techniques and small group work with special needs children.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate youth services activities and teen programs.
• Engage families to assess needs and provide resources.
• Collaborate with program directors and staff to plan and implement activities.
• Participate in weekly team meetings and supervision.

Skills

Youth development

Crisis management

Confidentiality

Communication skills

Education

Bachelor's Degree in human services or related field

Job description

Opportunities to serve with JVC Northwest exist in the five beautiful states of Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, and Alaska in remote, rural, and urban settings. Click the pins to read about each locale.

Jesuit Volunteers also have the opportunity to serve in other US regions through our sibling organization, Jesuit Volunteer Corps .

Below is a list of opportunities organized by location and by category of service. As part of your application to become a Jesuit Volunteer, we’ll ask about your service preferences, but we ask all applicants to be open to where the need is greatest, and we may ask you to consider options you had not initially thought about. VisitThe JV Experience to learn more about the application process and pleasecontact us if you have any questions.

https://www.ywcamissoula.org/services/youth-services/

Position Focus

• AmeriCorps Status
  AmeriCorps
• Service Impact Area
  Capacity Building
• Primary Role
  Activities or Day Space Coordination (AmeriCorps)
• Length of Service Term
  12 months
• Primary Service Area
  Family Services/Abuse Prevention
• Populations Served
  Children and Families, Immigrants and Refugees, Indigenous Communities, Individual with physical or intellectual disabilities, Latinx communities, LGBTQIA2S+ communities, Survivors of DVSA, Teens/At-Risk/Opportunity Youth, Individuals experiencing housing instability and/or houselessness, Individuals with mental illness
• Other Issues and Roles
  Food and Hunger, Social Services, Teen/At-Risk/Opportunity Youth Services
• Brief Position Description:
  The Youth Services Specialist interacts with children and their parents as part of the Youth Services Program at The Meadowlark. The services provided range in nature from therapeutic to recreational and work toward breaking the cycle of poverty and violence by providing inclusive programming and support for resident youth of all ages, including leading a teen group. The Youth Services Specialist will also serve alongside program directors and managers, as well as community stakeholders to facilitate strategic planning for the GUTS! program. The ideal person will embody anti-racist and inclusive approaches to serving with youth, and serve as part of a dynamic team to meet the individualized needs of families.

Day in Life of JV

The Youth Services Specialist will arrive at The Meadowlark in the morning and be initially greeted by several friendly, caring co-workers. The Youth Services Specialist will serve in the Youth Services office, alongside the Program Manager, GUTS! Coordinator and Youth Advocates. After a morning to check in about projects, activities, and families. The Youth Services Specialist will map out their day. Potential examples of this include following up with parents who expressed interest in parenting resources, lending a hand during an especially full toddler time, designing an engaging activity for Teen Time later in the day, and conducting research either via the web or meetings about violence prevention work for boys and other youths who have experienced trauma. Some weeks there will be in-person staff meetings, other weeks there will be trainings or celebrations. Whatever they are engaged with, the Youth Services Specialist will collaborate to problem-solve and make action items to provide quality programs that week. The Youth Services Specialist will also meet with families on an individual basis to build the relationship that is so crucial to familial success. They spend time listening to parents to assess their needs, playing with or talking to the children to assess their needs. The Youth Services Specialist will also join the weekly Youth Services team meetings during which the team works together to problem solve and share success stories. Each person gives an overview of what they are working on and gives updates on the families we are serving. The members also meet individually with their supervisor every week for one hour. During supervision, they discuss any challenges, successes, and any projects they are currently engaged with. Their supervisor is also available on a regular basis if situations are coming up that they need to discuss and/or problem solve. These types of meetings are an opportunity for staff to mentor each other, share observations, and check in about what is working best for individual families and their children.

Required & Preferred Skills

• Education Requirements
  Bachelor's Degree
• Driver's License Requirement
  No
• Vehicle Requirement
• Nature of Driving
• Spanish Language Requirement
  No requirement other than English
• Preferred Spanish Language Level
  No requirement other than English
• Additional Languages and Level Preferred
• Required experience, qualities, or specialized training
  Bachelor’s degree in human services or related field, or equivalent education/experience. Experience working with youth required, experience with at-risk youth preferred. Must pass a background check designed to protect the interest of YWCA participants. Love for children and zeal for their welfare. An understanding of homelessness, particularly in relation to the effects on children, and Knowledge of youth violence prevention. Ability to maintain confidential information. Knowledge of group facilitation techniques and small group work with an emphasis on special needs children and children in crisis. An interest in and respectful attitude toward all people.
• Preferred experience, qualities or specialized training
  Ability to respond appropriately to crisis situations and assertively apply conflict management techniques. Ability to serve cooperatively and effectively with other staff, agencies and professionals in the community. Ability to communicate effectively with a variety of individuals, including adult and child residents, peers, supervisors. Willingness to take responsibility for their part in communication breakdowns and to work toward resolution of resulting problems. Ability to successfully offer, accept and act on constructive criticism. Ability to understand and serve in complex situations. Strong written, verbal, and organizational skills. Good work habits, including ability to organize and manage time and information.