Participant Support Specialist

AMERICAN YOUTHWORKS; Lockhart (TX); On-site; USD 21,000 - 28,000; Part time

Job summary

AMERICAN YOUTHWORKS in Lockhart, TX is seeking a Part-time Participant Support Specialist to provide participant-centered support and resource navigation for program participants and alumni.

The role identifies barriers, coordinates support plans, assists with benefits navigation, and connects participants with housing, transportation, health care, and other community resources, using trauma-informed, strengths-based practices.

Qualifications

• Experience supporting program participants or similar populations preferred.
• Familiarity with trauma-informed, strengths-based, and restorative practices.
• Strong communication and coordination skills.

Responsibilities

• Recruitment, intake, and enrollment activities in coordination with program staff.
• Provide participant-centered support and resource navigation to address barriers affecting attendance and completion.
• Develop and maintain participant support plans with goals, strengths, barriers, and next steps.
• Connect participants with housing, food, transportation, health care, and other community resources.

Job description

CAREER DETAILS

CAREER TITLE: Participant Support Specialist

LOCATION: AYW Operating Site, Lockhart, TX

DIVISION: YouthBuild

DEPARTMENT: Participant Services

POSITION REPORTS TO: Participant Services Manager

POSITION SUPPORTS: Program participants and alumni

POSITION SUPERVISES: N/A

CLASSIFICATION: Part-time, Temporary, Non-Exempt

POSITION PURPOSE

The Participant Support Specialist provides participant-centered support and resource navigation to program participants and alumni to strengthen engagement, stability, completion, and successful transition. The position identifies barriers, coordinates support plans and resources, assists with benefits navigation, and provides follow-up as needed. Working with program staff, internal teams, and community partners, the role also supports recruitment, enrollment, retention, documentation, and transition planning using trauma-informed, strengths-based, and restorative practices.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS AND BASIC DUTIES

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions and basic tasks.

Under the direction of the Participant Services Manager, the Participant Support Specialist will perform the following functions:

1. Recruitment, Intake, and Enrollment
   1. Support intake and enrollment activities in coordination with recruitment, enrollment, CORE/Compliance, and program staff.
   2. Assist with interest forms, eligibility screening, intake appointments, participant paperwork, CASAS testing coordination, background-check coordination, and required documentation collection as assigned.
   3. Support participant orientation activities, including helping participants understand available support services, resource-navigation options, program expectations, paperwork requirements, timesheets, payroll processes, and other required procedures.
   4. Ensure assigned applicant and enrollment documentation is complete, accurate, appropriately secured, and maintained in accordance with grant, program, and organizational requirements.
   5. Track and maintain assigned recruitment, enrollment, demographic, and participant information in approved systems.
2. Participant Support and Resource Navigation
   1. Maintain an assigned participant support roster based on program needs, staffing levels, and participant support intensity.
   2. Provide participant-centered support, resource navigation, support planning, referrals, benefits navigation, and follow-up to address barriers that may affect attendance, engagement, participation, completion, or transition.
   3. Develop and maintain participant support plans, as appropriate, identifying participant goals, strengths, barriers, resources, next steps, and follow-up actions.
   4. Connect participants with appropriate internal and external resources, including housing, food assistance, transportation, health care, child care, legal aid, public benefits, and other community-based services.
   5. Coordinate approved needs-based support services in accordance with AYW policies, grant requirements, funding restrictions, and documentation standards.
   6. Assist participants with public-benefit applications and navigation, including applicable food, health care, cash, child care, housing, and other assistance programs.
   7. Provide approved transportation when necessary to help participants obtain required identification or documentation, access benefits or community resources, attend appointments, or address other program-related needs.
   8. Obtain and maintain applicable Community Partner Program navigator certification when required for assigned benefits-navigation responsibilities.
3. Engagement, Retention, and Completion Support
   1. Partner with program staff to identify participants who may be at risk of disengagement, repeated absence, early exit, or unsuccessful completion.
   2. Conduct regular participant check-ins to identify barriers, monitor support needs, and help participants remain engaged and progressing toward completion.
   3. Coordinate with education, training, and worksite staff when participant support needs may affect classroom participation, hands‑on training, externships, construction activities, or other program requirements.
   4. Conduct visits to training sites, construction sites, externship locations, or other program settings as needed to provide participant check‑ins and support coordination.
   5. Participate in participant-centered planning, restorative‑practice, transition, and other multidisciplinary meetings as requested.
   6. Support appropriate re‑engagement efforts for participants experiencing attendance, participation, or other barriers to successful program completion.
4. Career Pathways and Transition Coordination
   1. Coordinate with Career Pathways staff when participant support needs may affect job readiness, post‑secondary readiness, placement, graduate follow‑up, or transition planning.
   2. Participate in transition planning with participants and appropriate program staff to identify and address support