Youth Empowerment Specialist

Ywca; Lancaster (Lancaster County); On-site; USD 42,000 - 56,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health benefits

Retirement plan with employer match

Employee Assistance Program (EAP)

Life Insurance

Disability insurance

Paid Time Off (PTO)

Training and development opportunities

Childcare at a discounted rate

Parental leave

Tuition discount at Widener University

Job summary

YWCA Lancaster is seeking a Youth Empowerment Specialist to lead prevention education and youth programming for K–12 students in school and community settings. You will develop curricula, deliver engaging sessions, and build strong partnerships with schools and youth-serving organizations.

The role emphasizes trauma-informed, culturally responsive teaching, and active participation of youth in decision-making, with opportunities for professional development and impact on equity initiatives.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in education, social work, gender studies, liberal arts, or a related field.
• Experience with K-12 youth in school-based, after-school, community-based, or other youth-serving settings.
• Strong communication, presentation, and group facilitation skills, including public speaking.
• Commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging, and ability to work effectively with youth from diverse backgrounds.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office and virtual presentation platforms.
• Valid driver’s license and ability to travel within the service area as needed.
• Experience developing, adapting, or evaluating educational curricula and youth programming preferred
• Experience collaborating with schools, educators, or community organizations to deliver youth programming preferred
• Knowledge of youth development, healthy relationships, violence prevention, racial and gender equity, or related topics preferred.

Responsibilities

• Lead school-based prevention education programs, workshops, trainings, and community education sessions aligned with organizational priorities.
• Develop and facilitate youth empowerment groups and clubs that build relationships, strengthen skills, and encourage leadership and action.
• Facilitate engaging, age-appropriate discussions on healthy relationships, consent, violence prevention, racial and gender equity, intersectionality, bystander intervention, and related topics.
• Apply evidence-informed, trauma-informed, and culturally responsive practices, adapting content and instructional methods to participants’ developmental needs.
• Build and maintain relationships with schools, educators, administrators, and youth-serving organizations.
• Develop, adapt, and maintain educational curricula and training materials informed by current research, best practices, and community needs.
• Support program evaluation by collecting participant feedback, measuring outcomes, and identifying opportunities for improvement.
• Build supportive relationships with youth and foster confidence, agency, leadership, and meaningful participation in decision-making.
• Incorporate youth perspectives and feedback into program design, delivery, and improvement.
• Maintain accurate program records, attendance data, and activity reports.
• Support grant reporting and program documentation.
• Participate in staff meetings, professional development, and organizational initiatives.

Skills

Communication skills

Public speaking

Facilitation

Microsoft Office

Virtual presentation tools

Travel readiness

Curriculum development

School collaboration

Youth development

Education

Bachelor’s degree or equivalent

Tools

Microsoft Office

Virtual presentation platforms

Job description

If you are unable to complete this application due to a disability, contact this employer to ask for an accommodation or an alternative application process.

Youth Empowerment Specialist

Full Time Lancaster, PA, US

eliminating racism
empowering women
YWCA Lancaster
YWCA Lancaster is seeking a Youth Empowerment Specialist to lead engaging, evidence-based prevention education that empowers young people to build healthy relationships, prevent violence, and advance racial and gender equity. Working primarily with K–12 students in school and community settings.

What your day looks like:

Prevention Education and Program Delivery

• Lead school-based prevention education programs, workshops, trainings, and community education sessions aligned with organizational priorities.
• Develop and facilitate youth empowerment groups and clubs that build relationships, strengthen skills, and encourage leadership and action.
• Facilitate engaging, age-appropriate discussions on healthy relationships, consent, violence prevention, racial and gender equity, intersectionality, bystander intervention, and related topics.
• Apply evidence-informed, trauma-informed, and culturally responsive practices, adapting content and instructional methods to participants’ developmental needs.
• Build and maintain relationships with schools, educators, administrators, and youth-serving organizations.

Curriculum Development and Program Improvement

• Develop, adapt, and maintain educational curricula and training materials informed by current research, best practices, and community needs.
• Support program evaluation by collecting participant feedback, measuring outcomes, and identifying opportunities for improvement.

Youth Engagement

• Build supportive relationships with youth and foster confidence, agency, leadership, and meaningful participation in decision-making.
• Incorporate youth perspectives and feedback into program design, delivery, and improvement.

Administrative Responsibilities

• Maintain accurate program records, attendance data, and activity reports.
• Support grant reporting and program documentation.
• Participate in staff meetings, professional development, and organizational initiatives.

Who you are:

• Bachelor’s degree in education, social work, gender studies, liberal arts, or a related field; equivalent education and experience may be considered.
• Experience working directly with K-12 students or youth in school-based, after-school, community-based, or other youth-serving settings.
• Strong communication, presentation, and group facilitation skills, including public speaking.
• Commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging, and with the ability to work effectively with youth from diverse backgrounds.
• Proficiency with Microsoft office and virtual presentation platforms.
• Valid driver’s license and ability to travel within the service area as needed.
• Experience developing, adapting, or evaluating educational curricula and youth programming preferred
• Experience collaborating with schools, educators, or community organizations to deliver youth programming preferred
• Knowledge of youth development, healthy relationships, violence prevention, racial and gender equity, or related topics preferred.

Who we are:

YWCA Lancaster is dedicated to eliminating racism, empowering women, and promoting peace, justice, freedom, and dignity for all. Everything we do is based on the belief that all women and families have the right to be safe and choose the direction of their lives. Since 1889, we have served children and adults in the community through a variety of programs. Current offerings include the Racial Equity Institute, Dorothy Height Book Club and Lunch & Learns on current topics; Kepler Hall residence, home to fifty women, men and children; Child Enrichment Center providing child enrichment for ages six weeks to five years and before/after school care in a number of settings; Sexual Assault Prevention and Counseling Center with a 24 hour hotline and no-cost professional counseling for survivors of sexual assault and their loved ones. Our programs address the fact that far too many individuals experience violence, and lack economic security, and these issues disproportionately impact women and people of color. If we want to empower all women, we must also tackle racism. When all women and families can reach their full potential, our communities thrive.

• Medical, Dental, Vision after 30 days of employment
• Retirement plan with employee match
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• 403b plan
• Life Insurance
• Long/Short Term Disability
• Paid Time Off (PTO)
  • 15 days (1 st year), paid holidays, 1 floating holiday
• Training and Development Opportunities
• Participation in YWCA activities and seminars
• Childcare at a discounted rate
  • First child-no cost childcare in our four-star rated program
• Parental leave
• 20% tuition discount at Widener University (including graduate and continuing studies-bachelor’s completion)

We are always looking for talented individuals to join our team. As a progressive company with strong core values, we offer a professional working environment and a competitive benefits package as well as the opportunity for personal and professional growth.

Equal Opportunity Employer

YWCA is an equal opportunity employer that is committed to diversity and inclusion in the workplace. We prohibit discrimination and harassment of any kind based on race, color, sex, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, genetic information, pregnancy, or any other protected characteristic as outlined by federal, state, or local laws. This policy applies to all employment practices within our organization, including hiring, recruiting, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, leave of absence, compensation, benefits, training, and apprenticeship.