Safety Engagement Specialist

Covenant House International; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 40,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

Covenant House Illinois is seeking a Safety Engagement Specialist to help protect youth in residential and drop-in settings in Chicago. You will collaborate with the Youth Engagement Specialist to provide direct, compassionate care and crisis support while modeling trauma-informed approaches.

The role emphasizes engaging youth, maintaining safety, and supporting crisis debriefings. Strong communication, confidentiality, and teamwork are essential to foster a secure, supportive environment.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in social work or related field; or equivalent experience.
• Experience engaging with youth, trauma-informed care, and crisis de-escalation.
• Knowledge of confidentiality, reporting requirements, and HIPAA where applicable.

Responsibilities

• Maintain safety and welfare of youth in residential and drop-in programs.
• Model crisis intervention and trauma-informed practices.
• Support youth through crisis de-escalation and debriefing with YES staff.
• Assist in program activities that promote youth engagement and belonging.
• Document incidents and safety concerns accurately in ETO or equivalent system.
• Collaborate with multidisciplinary CHIL team to ensure trauma-informed safety.

Skills

Crisis intervention

Trauma-informed care

Youth engagement

De-escalation

Communication

Documentation

Education

Bachelor's degree in social work or related field

High school diploma with 5+ years related experience

Job description

Job Title(s): Safety Engagement Specialist

Department: Program

Reports To: Safety Engagement Manager

Direct Reports: NA

Classification: Exempt

Work Location: In-person

Date: 12/29/2025

Revised: 8/25/26

Organization Overview

Covenant House Illinois (CHIL), founded in 2017, provides critical protection and resources for youth ages 18–24 experiencing homelessness across Chicagoland and Illinois. Through trauma-informed, harm-reduction, and youth-centered services including shelter, workforce development, education, and clinical support CHIL empowers young people to achieve long-term stability and independence. With continued growth and expansion, CHIL is committed to strengthening service delivery through strong compliance, quality assurance, and data-driven decision-making.

Position Summary

This position is responsible for maintaining the safety, welfare, care and security of CHIL premises through participating in providing supportive care to youth who reside in our residential programs and/or who attend the drop-in program. The position works alongside our Youth Engagement Specialist (YES) and serves overlapping functions. As a Safety Engagement Specialist, the position also supports the provision of residential services through direct, individualized care to youth in both our residential and drop-in programs. The Safety Engagement Specialist supports youth who may have experienced homelessness, trauma, human trafficking, or other significant barriers and works alongside Youth Engagement Specialist to develop programming and activities that promote youth involvement, support youth experiencing housing instability, and facilitate positive community engagement. The position takes a leading role in supporting and helping YES staff manage crises, including modeling crisis intervention and trauma informed best practices, and facilitating crisis-debriefing with the team. The position requires a compassionate and strengths-based approach to relationship-building, service delivery, and crisis management

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

Key Responsibilities: (Covenant House Illinois reserves the right to unilaterally modify, remove, or add to any of the following)

• Mission and Standards of Procedure:
• Ensure the provision of the highest quality delivery of services to youth in accordance with the Covenant House Mission Statement and Principles and Core Values.
• Ensure a safe environment for all youth.
• Participate in required training and team meetings.
• Maintain confidentiality while understanding and complying with requirements of mandated reporting, duty to warn, HIPAA, and other limits to confidentiality.
• Trauma-Informed Safety Practices:
• Approach all interactions with youth, staff, and visitors using trauma-informed practices, understanding the effects of trauma on behavior and responses.
• Maintain a calm, non-confrontational demeanor when addressing challenging behaviors, de-escalating situations without resorting to force or punitive measures.
• Respect youth privacy, autonomy, and personal boundaries while ensuring safety protocols are followed.
• Recognize and respond to signs of trauma or distress in youth and intervene in a way that promotes emotional safety and stability.
• Understanding and support the implementation of Trauma Informed Care, Harm Reduction, Restorative Justice and Positive Youth Development.
• Relentless Engagement:
• Supervise and engage youth in day-to-day activities with empathy and respect, maintaining a safe, welcoming, and inclusive environment.
• Support youth in alignment with Trauma-Informed Care, Harm Reduction, and Positive Youth Development frameworks.
• Establish and maintain a program atmosphere that fosters a sense of belonging and connection for all youth
• Regard any personal information about youth as confidential.
• Is outgoing, engaged and genuine while consistently building relationships with youth.
• Serve meals to youth when kitchen staff are unavailable, and ensure space is cleaned up after meals have been completed.
• Prepare and distribute lunch bags to youth.
• Participate in wanding and bag checks of youth entering the space to ensure the safety of the facility.
• Participate in room searches when directed by supervisor.
• Routinely check and respond to emails and all other agency approved forms of communication in a timely manner.
• Escort youth to external appointments and activities as needed.
• Assist youth with basic needs such as lockers, showers, laundry, and meals.
• Support youth from diverse backgrounds, including LGBTQIA+ youth and those who may be navigating substance use or mental health concerns.
• Positive Youth Development:
• Assist in the creation and implementation of individualized success plans for youth assigned for Relentless Engagement initiative.
• Follows up with youth concerns in a timely manner to ensure access to effective support.
• Facilitate group services, activities, and peer support meetings, that foster meaningful engagement and skill development.
• Cultivate and encourage youth voice and choice, establish opportunities for youth leadership and for growth throughout program activities and decisions. When appropriate or need, the YES staff represents the voice of youth in program planning and development and helps ensure youth perspectives are included in decision-making processes.
• Support youth skill development via interpersonal or group activities that promote social-emotional skill building, foster youth engagement and contribution, support healthy relationships and bonding, encourage active sense of youth belonging and membership, positive shared norms, expectations, and perceptions, and fosts youth interpersonal safety.
• Actively support youth access and linkages to supportive services and integration among services
• Assist youth in crisis situations by providing immediate support, problem-solving, and action planning. The position uses trauma-informed approaches to address this need.
• Resolve conflict in a consistent, strengths-based manner.
• Maintain certification in Crisis Prevention Intervention (CPI), Anger Management and Restorative Justice and other prevention, de-escalation and re-engagement methods.
• Facilitate groups on anger management, Restorative Justice and other peace and community building methods (1-2 times per week).
• Lead staff training on CPI, Restorative Justice, Anger Management and other prevention and de-escalation methods as needed.
• Support staff in building engagement and re-engagement skills to support youth coping with distress or dysregulation and support evidence-based interventions.
• Use effective CPI de-escalation techniques to manage conflicts or behavioral concerns, ensuring a safe resolution for all involved.
• Work collaboratively with CHIL staff and case managers to address behavioral or emotional issues, ensuring that any actions taken are in line with trauma-informed care principles.
• Wh en necessary, meet individually with youth on topics such as anger management, restorative justice, etc.
• Assist in managing challenging situations in a way that supports youths' emotional needs and minimizes further trauma or distress.
• Lead coordination and help facilitate re-entry meetings for youth after an incident.
• Document all security related incidents, including disruptions, safety concerns, and emergency situations, in a clear and timely manner in ETO.
• Complete detailed reports on security activities, incidents, and interventions, ensuring that information is accurately logged for future reference or review.
• Follow up on incidents to ensure that appropriate actions are taken and that necessary resources are provided for youth or staff.
• Emergency Response & Crisis Management:
• Is an active member of the Safety Committee.
• In coordination with the Safety Engagement Manager and CHIL management, conducts regular walk-throughs of the CHIL facility and its immediate surroundings to ensure safety and neighborliness, maintaining a secure and welcoming environment for all.
• Lead the development and implementation of emergency response protocols, including fire, medical emergencies, natural disasters, and other critical incidents.
• Serve as the primary point of contact for emergency situations and provide leadership during crises, including coordinating evacuations or lockdowns when necessary.
• Train CHIL staff in emergency preparedness, ensuring that they know how to respond appropriately to various emergency situations (e.g., fire drills and violent incidents).
• Regularly review and update emergency plans to ensure they reflect the latest safety regulations and best practices.
• Training & Staff Support:
• Provide training to CHIL staff on topics such as conflict resolution, de-escalation techniques, identifying potential security threats, and responding to emergencies.
• Offer guidance and support to staff in handling challenging situations involving youth, particularly in managing safety concerns related to behavioral issues or mental health crises.
• Act as a resource to staff when they need assistance in addressing safety concerns or handling difficult situations.
• Assist youth with daily activities such as signing up for a locker, accessing shower facilities and/or support with laundry services as needed.
• Assist staff with front desk duties such as wanding the youth and other safety procedures.
• Youth Groups and Activities
• Supervise all youth activities in the facility and engage youth in a positive manner.
• Provide assistance with events/activities as assigned.
• Perform all additional job duties as assigned.
• Collaboration with Multidisciplinary Team:
• Work collaboratively with both internal and external service providers, including legal advocates, healthcare professionals, and community-based organizations.
• Support Youth Engagement Specialists and floor staff whenever possible and/or needed.
• Participate in all required trainings, supervision, and staff meetings.
• Data Documentation
• Document information using case files and ETO regarding all client interaction, caseload progress and outside agency contact. Ensure accurate and timely tracking, documentation, and reporting of data and statistics as required for agency reports using ETO.

Other duties and responsibilities as assigned.

Qualifications:

Education and Experience:

• Bachelor's degree in social work, or a social service field; or High School Diploma with 5 or more years of related experience.
• Effective written, verbal, listening and communication skills

Skills & Abilities

• Engage youth who may engage in substance use and have mental health concerns
• Demonstrate knowledge and experience working with the LGBTQIA+ population
• Ability to handle difficult situations calmly and professionally, particularly when dealing with youth or vulnerable populations.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to work collaboratively with CHIL staff, youth, and external partners.
• Strong problem-solving and conflict-resolution skills, particularly in high-pressure or emergency situations.
• Ability to train and support staff in safety protocols, security procedures, and crisis response techniques.
• Understanding of trauma-informed care and the specific safety needs of homeless youth populations.
• Ability to exercise appropriate judgment in crisis situations, with effective interpersonal skills
• Must be willing to function as an active member of an interdisciplinary team.
• We operate a 24/7 facility which means staff may be required to work some holidays and weekends. Holidays are fairly distributed among staff.
• Participate in rotation of staff on holidays and weekends.
• Participate in a rotating on-call rotation to support program needs 24/7 for the assigned week.

Working Conditions

This position requires the employee to work onsite in our office facility. Potential exposure to challenging behavioral situations or high-stress environments, requiring the ability to maintain composure and apply trauma-informed practices. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to verbally communicate, listen, stand for moderate periods of time, walk, and lift up to 50 pounds, occasionally driving a minivan. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.

At Covenant House Illinois, diversity, equity, and inclusion are at the heart of our mission. We know that a team with varied backgrounds and perspectives is stronger and better equipped to serve our youth. That's why we foster a culture where every team member feels valued, heard, and supported.

We are committed to continuous learning, honest reflection, and creating opportunities for growth.

Covenant House Illinois is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We base all employment decisions on qualifications and business needs- without regard to race, gender, sexual orientation, religion, disability, or any other protected status. Discrimination and harassment have no place here, and we welcome all qualified applicants to join our team.