Youth Specialist - Part Time

Neighborhood Place of Puna; Keaau (HI); On-site; USD 40,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

Neighborhood Place of Puna seeks a Youth Specialist to mentor and engage youth, helping them access education, employment, and resources. You will support workshops, assist with resumes, and connect youth to internships, while also maintaining the Puna Hub's Community Garden and related activities.

Role emphasizes collaboration with families, agencies, and community partners to create a welcoming environment and foster youth growth in the Puna area.

Qualifications

• Preferred: Associate degree or higher.
• Required: High School Diploma or equivalent and 2 years serving vulnerable populations.
• Proficient with MS Word/Google Docs and MS Excel/Google Sheets.
• Able to communicate effectively with families, staff, and community members.
• Ability to manage multiple tasks and meet deadlines.
• Strong organizational and planning skills.
• Ability to work as part of a team and maintain flexibility around task assignments.
• Ability to establish, recognize, and adhere to professional boundaries.
• Proven experience providing direct service to families and/or individuals.

Responsibilities

• Welcome and build relationships with youth at the hub.
• Provide mentorship and encouragement toward personal goals.
• Support youth participation in activities, workshops, and programs.
• Assist youth with resumes, job applications, and interview preparation.
• Connect youth to training programs, internships, and resources.
• Assist in maintaining the Community Garden and garden activities.
• Assist in planning and facilitating youth activities and skill-building.
• Maintain a safe, welcoming, youth-friendly environment; engage in outreach.

Skills

Computer literacy

Communication

Community resources

Multitasking

Organization

Teamwork

Boundaries

Direct service

Education

Associate degree or higher

High School Diploma or equivalent + 2 years experience with vulnerable populations

Tools

MS Word

Google Docs

MS Excel

Google Sheets

Job description

Position Summary:

The Youth Specialist supports youth and young adults accessing the Puna ʻŌpio Hub by providing mentorship, engagement, and connection to resources that support education, employment, and stability.

Youth Specialists help create a welcoming environment where youth can build relationships, explore career pathways, strengthen life skills, and connect to resources that support their future.

Youth Specialists also assist in maintaining the community garden, providing youth with hands‑on opportunities to learn about food security, teamwork, and responsibility.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

Youth Engagement

• Welcome and build relationships with youth accessing the hub.
• Provide mentorship and encouragement to youth working toward personal goals.
• Support youth participation in activities, workshops, and programs.

Education & Employment Support

• Assist youth with resumes, job applications, and interview preparation.
• Support youth in exploring career and educational opportunities.
• Connect youth to job training programs, internships, and community resources.

Resource Navigation

• Connect youth to services including housing support, education resources, food programs, and other supports.
• Assist youth in completing applications, forms, or accessing technology needed for employment or school.

Community Garden Support

• Assist with planting, harvesting, and maintenance of the Puna ʻŌpio Hub Community Garden.
• Support youth participation in gardening activities and food security initiatives.

Program Support

• Assist in planning and facilitating youth activities, workshops, and skill‑building opportunities.
• Help maintain a safe, welcoming, and youth‑friendly environment at the hub.
• Participate in community outreach to engage youth in the Puna area.
  

General Expectations and Responsibilities:

• Collaborate with community agencies, members, and organizations to become familiar with the services they offer.
• Maintain a professional and respectful disposition at all times.
• Deliver all services with a high level of customer focus and service in accordance with training, NPP policies and procedures, program requirements, and direction from leadership.
• Engage in active listening and use clear communication and verbal skills.
• Document all pertinent data and information regarding work with individuals, agencies, and other community members promptly in accordance with company requirements.
• Participate in organization planning.
• Attend staff meetings and trainings
• Attend community meetings as directed.
• Update shared calendar to reflect activities, meetings, and general schedule.
• Other duties as assigned.
  

Supervisory Responsibilities:

This position requires no supervisory responsibilities.

Qualifications:

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Car Use:

The position will require operating a company vehicle and/or personal vehicle to transport goods or personnel to various locations as needed. A valid HI driver's license and a clean driving record are required for this role. A reliable personal vehicle is required for this role.

Education and/or Experience:

Preferred: Associate Degree or higher

Required: High School Diploma or equivalent and 2 years serving vulnerable populations.

Computer Skills:

To perform this job successfully, an individual must have knowledge of basic office software especially: MS Word or Google Docs, MS Excel or google sheets, and generally be familiar and comfortable using computers and various programs and apps.

Skills and Knowledge:

• Excellent computer literacy and knowledge of Microsoft Suite, Google Docs, and Google Sheets.
• Ability to communicate effectively and courteously with families, staff, and community members.
• Knowledge of available community resources.
• Ability to handle multiple tasks and adhere to deadlines.
• Proven organizational and planning skills.
• Ability to work as part of a team and maintain flexibility around task assignments.
• Ability to establish, recognize, and adhere to appropriate professional boundaries.
• Proven in providing direct service to families and/or individuals.

Other Requirements:

• Valid Hawaii driver’s license and no-fault car insurance.
• Clean driving abstract.
• Resident of Puna/East Hawaii Community area preferred.
• Criminal Record and/or DHS-CWS background check
• Participate in the upkeep of office and general cleanliness of workspace

Unconditional Welcoming:

NPP Staff will strive to approach everyone with unconditional welcoming. We encounter each person as unique, recognizing that they have intrinsic value and are worthy of our respect. We understand that each person is walking their unique journey. We understand that their actions of body, speech, and mind — no matter how distressing — are shaped by their past experiences, causes, and conditions that we may never know. We believe that no one is so broken that they cannot heal, even if we cannot see a path of healing. Therefore, NPP Staff will strive to treat everyone with respect, love, and compassion no matter their race, sex, gender identification, gender expression, sexual orientation, national origin, native language, religion, age, disability, marital status, citizenship, genetic information, pregnancy, etc. Our job is simply to accept all as unconditionally as possible.

Physical Demands:

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this Job, the employee is regularly required to use hands to finger, handle, or feel; reach with hands and arms; stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl and talk or hear. The employee is frequently required to stand; walk; sit; climb or balance and taste or smell. There will be frequent requirements to drive and/or walk on unpaved roads. The employee must frequently lift and/or move up to 25 pounds and occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds. This job’s specific vision abilities include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and ability to adjust focus.

Work Environment:

The work environment characteristics described here represent those employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this Job, the employee is regularly exposed to wet and/or humid conditions and outside weather conditions. The employee is frequently exposed to fumes or airborne particles and extreme heat. The employee is occasionally exposed to moving mechanical parts. The noise level in the work environment is usually loud.

Neighborhood Place of Puna provides support to individuals and families experiencing homelessness and other challenging circumstances. It is not uncommon to see, engage, or be confronted with the following: violence and threats of violence; profane, racists and/or sexist language; bodily fluids; conflict; interactions with First Responders; alcohol and other street drugs; cigarette smoke; death of service participants; nudity of service participants; people involved with sex work; people involved in the drug trade; persons used against their consent, will or knowledge; people in conflict with the law; and/or other situations that may be unsettling. Measures are taken to train staff to deal with these situations appropriately.