Street Outreach and Community Youth Programming Specialist

Midwest Youth Services; Jacksonville (IL); On-site; USD 40,000 - 62,000; Full time

Job summary

Midwest Youth Services is seeking a Street Outreach & Community Youth Programming Specialist in Jacksonville, IL, with travel across the service region, to develop and deliver proactive outreach for at-risk youth.

The role focuses on identifying gathering places, creating youth-centered activities, and building partnerships with community organizations to connect youth with resources and positive opportunities.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in social work, human services, psychology, sociology, or related field.
• Strong interpersonal, verbal, and written communication skills.
• Ability to work well in a team and independently.
• Willingness to travel throughout the service region.
• Availability for evenings/weekends as needed.

Responsibilities

• Assist in developing, implementing, and maintaining a structured street outreach service delivery model throughout the agency's designated service region.
• Identify community locations, gathering spaces, events, and other environments where youth may benefit from direct outreach and engagement.
• Conduct proactive outreach to youth who may be experiencing risk factors, barriers to services, or limited access to positive community supports.
• Develop creative and effective approaches to reaching youth who may not otherwise engage with traditional service providers.
• Establish and maintain appropriate, professional, and trusting relationships with youth through consistent engagement.
• Provide information about agency programs, community resources, available services, and opportunities for positive youth involvement.
• Identify emerging youth needs, trends, and barriers to engagement and assist in adapting outreach strategies accordingly.
• Work collaboratively with supervisory staff to ensure outreach activities align with agency priorities, contractual requirements, and program objectives.
• Develop, coordinate, and facilitate creative, youth-centered activities that encourage positive engagement and participation.
• Design informal educational, recreational, and skill-building opportunities that reflect the interests and needs of youth within the communities served.
• Identify opportunities for youth leadership, positive peer interaction, and continued involvement in community programming.
• Encourage healthy decision-making, positive relationships, personal development, and connections to supportive adults and community resources.
• Adapt programming strategies to maintain relevance and appeal to the populations the agency seeks to reach.
• Assist youth and families in connecting with appropriate agency programs and community resources when additional support is needed.
• Serve as a positive and professional representative of Midwest Youth Services in community settings.
• Establish a visible and consistent agency presence in locations and environments where youth may benefit from outreach and support.
• Actively engage youth, families, community organizations, businesses, and other stakeholders to build trust and strengthen relationships.
• Develop and maintain partnerships that support youth engagement, outreach opportunities, and access to resources.
• Represent the agency at community events, youth activities, collaborative meetings, and other appropriate outreach opportunities.
• Identify new opportunities to strengthen community partnerships, increase agency visibility, and expand youth engagement throughout the service region.
• Promote the agency's mission and services while maintaining appropriate professional boundaries and a positive public presence.
• Follow established agency safety procedures and protocols during street outreach and community-based programming.
• Maintain awareness of surroundings, potential risks, and environmental conditions when conducting outreach activities.
• Exercise sound judgment when identifying appropriate outreach locations, activities, and engagement strategies.
• Coordinate outreach activities with supervisory staff to ensure appropriate staffing, communication, and safety considerations.
• Recognize situations requiring additional support, crisis intervention, or referral to appropriate agency personnel.
• Promptly communicate safety concerns, incidents, or emerging community risks to supervisory staff.
• Maintain appropriate professional boundaries, confidentiality, and ethical standards in all interactions with youth and community members.
• Collaborate with the Community Prevention & Education Specialist to support educational programming, awareness initiatives, and community events.
• Assist with the delivery of prevention activities, educational presentations, resource sharing, and other community-based programming.
• Work collaboratively with other agency programs to support coordinated outreach and appropriate connections to available services.
• Participate in agency-sponsored events, special initiatives, and community engagement opportunities.
• Contribute ideas and recommendations to strengthen outreach programming and improve youth participation.
• Maintain accurate records of outreach activities, youth contacts, community engagement, resource distribution, referrals, and program participation.
• Assist with tracking program outcomes, engagement trends, and progress toward assigned outreach objectives.
• Collect and report required program data in accordance with agency policies and applicable contractual obligations.
• Communicate regularly with supervisory staff regarding outreach activities, program progress, challenges, and opportunities for improvement.
• Participate in program planning, staff meetings, training, and professional development activities.
• Follow agency policies and procedures, including confidentiality, professional boundaries, and ethical standards.
• Perform additional duties as assigned to support agency programming and operational needs.

Skills

Interpersonal skills

Verbal & written communication

Team collaboration

Creativity

Problem solving

Safety awareness

Adaptability

Education

Bachelor's degree

Job description

MIDWEST YOUTH SERVICES

Street Outreach & Community Youth Programming Specialist

Department: Outreach & Community Development
Reports To: Senior Outreach and Community Development Coordinator
Location: Jacksonville, Illinois, with travel throughout the agency's service region
Education Requirement: Bachelor's Degree Required

Position Summary

Midwest Youth Services is seeking an energetic, innovative, and relationship-driven professional to serve as our Street Outreach & Community Youth Programming Specialist. This position will be responsible for assisting in the development, implementation, and ongoing delivery of a proactive, community-based street outreach model designed to engage youth who may be at risk, underserved, or disconnected from traditional support systems.

The Street Outreach & Community Youth Programming Specialist will play an important role in representing Midwest Youth Services and establishing a consistent, approachable presence within the communities we serve. Through direct youth engagement, relationship-building, and creative programming, this individual will work to connect young people with positive opportunities, supportive relationships, and available resources.

This position will identify locations and opportunities where youth naturally gather, develop meaningful engagement strategies, and create youth-centered activities that encourage participation and positive involvement. The specialist will also establish and maintain relationships with community partners to strengthen outreach efforts and expand access to services.

The ideal candidate will be approachable, creative, safety-conscious, adaptable, and passionate about connecting with young people. Strong communication skills, sound judgment, and the ability to work collaboratively in a team environment are essential.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities

Street Outreach Program Development & Delivery

• Assist in developing, implementing, and maintaining a structured street outreach service delivery model throughout the agency's designated service region.
• Identify community locations, gathering spaces, events, and other environments where youth may benefit from direct outreach and engagement.
• Conduct proactive outreach to youth who may be experiencing risk factors, barriers to services, or limited access to positive community supports.
• Develop creative and effective approaches to reaching youth who may not otherwise engage with traditional service providers.
• Establish and maintain appropriate, professional, and trusting relationships with youth through consistent engagement.
• Provide information about agency programs, community resources, available services, and opportunities for positive youth involvement.
• Identify emerging youth needs, trends, and barriers to engagement and assist in adapting outreach strategies accordingly.
• Work collaboratively with supervisory staff to ensure outreach activities align with agency priorities, contractual requirements, and program objectives.

Community Youth Programming & Engagement

• Develop, coordinate, and facilitate creative, youth-centered activities that encourage positive engagement and participation.
• Design informal educational, recreational, and skill-building opportunities that reflect the interests and needs of youth within the communities served.
• Identify opportunities for youth leadership, positive peer interaction, and continued involvement in community programming.
• Encourage healthy decision-making, positive relationships, personal development, and connections to supportive adults and community resources.
• Adapt programming strategies to maintain relevance and appeal to the populations the agency seeks to reach.
• Assist youth and families in connecting with appropriate agency programs and community resources when additional support is needed.

Community Engagement & Agency Representation

• Serve as a positive and professional representative of Midwest Youth Services in community settings.
• Establish a visible and consistent agency presence in locations and environments where youth may benefit from outreach and support.
• Actively engage youth, families, community organizations, businesses, and other stakeholders to build trust and strengthen relationships.
• Develop and maintain partnerships that support youth engagement, outreach opportunities, and access to resources.
• Represent the agency at community events, youth activities, collaborative meetings, and other appropriate outreach opportunities.
• Identify new opportunities to strengthen community partnerships, increase agency visibility, and expand youth engagement throughout the service region.
• Promote the agency's mission and services while maintaining appropriate professional boundaries and a positive public presence.

Outreach Safety & Professional Practice

• Follow established agency safety procedures and protocols during street outreach and community-based programming.
• Maintain awareness of surroundings, potential risks, and environmental conditions when conducting outreach activities.
• Exercise sound judgment when identifying appropriate outreach locations, activities, and engagement strategies.
• Coordinate outreach activities with supervisory staff to ensure appropriate staffing, communication, and safety considerations.
• Recognize situations requiring additional support, crisis intervention, or referral to appropriate agency personnel.
• Promptly communicate safety concerns, incidents, or emerging community risks to supervisory staff.
• Maintain appropriate professional boundaries, confidentiality, and ethical standards in all interactions with youth and community members.

Program Collaboration & Support

• Collaborate with the Community Prevention & Education Specialist to support educational programming, awareness initiatives, and community events.
• Assist with the delivery of prevention activities, educational presentations, resource sharing, and other community-based programming.
• Work collaboratively with other agency programs to support coordinated outreach and appropriate connections to available services.
• Participate in agency-sponsored events, special initiatives, and community engagement opportunities.
• Contribute ideas and recommendations to strengthen outreach programming and improve youth participation.

Program Documentation & Accountability

• Maintain accurate records of outreach activities, youth contacts, community engagement, resource distribution, referrals, and program participation.
• Assist with tracking program outcomes, engagement trends, and progress toward assigned outreach objectives.
• Collect and report required program data in accordance with agency policies and applicable contractual obligations.
• Communicate regularly with supervisory staff regarding outreach activities, program progress, challenges, and opportunities for improvement.
• Participate in program planning, staff meetings, training, and professional development activities.
• Follow agency policies and procedures, including confidentiality, professional boundaries, and ethical standards.
• Perform additional duties as assigned to support agency programming and operational needs.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree required in social work, human services, psychology, sociology, criminal justice, education, community development, or a related field.
• Strong interpersonal, verbal, and written communication skills.
• Demonstrated ability to establish rapport and build positive relationships with youth from diverse backgrounds and experiences.
• Ability to work effectively as part of a team while independently carrying out assigned responsibilities.
• Strong problem-solving skills, sound judgment, adaptability, and the ability to respond appropriately to changing community environments.
• Creativity, initiative, and enthusiasm for developing engaging youth-centered activities and outreach strategies.
• Genuine passion for working with youth, strengthening families, and supporting community development.
• Ability to maintain professional boundaries and follow established safety procedures.
• Ability to represent the agency professionally and communicate its mission and services effectively.
• Basic computer proficiency, including electronic documentation and reporting.
• Valid driver's license and ability to travel throughout the agency's service region.
• Ability to work occasional evenings, weekends, and nontraditional hours to reach youth in community settings.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience working directly with at-risk youth, underserved populations, or community-based programs.
• Experience in street outreach, youth engagement, mentoring, prevention, or direct service programming.
• Familiarity with trauma-informed care, positive youth development, and strengths-based engagement practices.
• Experience developing or implementing youth-centered activities, outreach initiatives, or community programming.
• Knowledge of community resources and barriers affecting youth and families.
• Experience establishing collaborative relationships with community organizations or service providers.

Work Environment & Expectations

This position is primarily community-based and requires regular travel throughout Midwest Youth Services' eight-county service region.

Duties may include working in public spaces, attending community events, visiting outreach locations, and engaging youth in nontraditional service environments.

Flexible scheduling, including occasional evenings and weekends, will be necessary to reach youth during times when they are most accessible.

The employee must demonstrate professionalism, flexibility, sound judgment, cultural responsiveness, and a commitment to maintaining safe and appropriate outreach practices.

Community Representation & Professional Expectations

As a representative of Midwest Youth Services, the employee is expected to promote the agency's mission, maintain positive relationships with youth and community partners, and demonstrate professionalism in all interactions.

The employee should actively seek opportunities to engage underserved youth, strengthen community relationships, expand awareness of agency services, and contribute to a collaborative, supportive work environment.