Drop-in Center Youth Support Worker

The Youth Empowerment Society (YES) is looking for an energetic and compassionate Support Worker for the Alliance Club youth drop-in program

The Youth Support Worker is responsible for providing the necessary services and support to youth accessing the Alliance Club drop-in program. Staff aim to meet short-term physical, emotional and psychological needs of youth by providing support, access to food and club facilities, crisis response and referrals.

**Duties and Responsibilities**

To perform the job successfully, the Youth Support Worker must be able to consistently perform each essential duty adequately. Other duties may be assigned.

**Youth Engagement and Service Planning**:

- Work with youth and others when appropriate, to facilitate initial and ongoing check-ins of individual needs of youth accessing the program.
- Facilitate referrals to appropriate community services as needed.
- Provide direct on-site supervision and support of youth accessing the program.
- Provide behavioural management skills, crisis response, intervention and risk reduction services to best support youth and families as well as create a safe and stable environment, especially around issues such as trauma, suicidal ideation, mental health and addictions.
- Support youth to participate in their short-term goals as appropriate.
- Provide recreational and social activities for the youth.
- Demonstrate a level of cultural safety, sensitivity and understanding of the client population.
- Form mutually respectful partnerships with persons served to address any issues and problems they face.
- Support family relationships as appropriate.
- Assists youth to develop personal management skills such as self-awareness, problem solving, assertiveness, anger management, conflict resolution, group dynamics, dealing with authority, well-being and nutrition, self-esteem, etc.
- Accept the clients’ rights to self-determination and individuality. Must not discriminate on the basis of race, ethnicity, language, religion, marital status, gender, sexual orientation, age, abilities, socio-economic status, political affiliations, or national ancestry.
- Demonstrate a youth centred strength based approach.
- Maintain a positive conviction about the capacity of people to grow and change.
- Set appropriate boundaries, intervene appropriately and maintain a helping role to meet the needs of the persons served.
- Recognize persons with special needs and make appropriate referrals.
- Act as an advocate for youth and promote empowerment for youth to advocate on their own behalf.
- Respond to youth overdose in the Alliance Club as required.

**Program Development and Administration**:

- Maintain a collaborative and cooperative working relationship with other YES programs, agencies, professionals, ministries and the community.
- Collect client and program feedback from youth and stakeholders.
- Initiate on-going program evaluation with youth and referral agents.
- Write reports and attend staff meetings as required by the Youth Empowerment Society.
- Fulfill the requirements of health and safety policies and emergency procedures and protocols.
- Work respectfully in partnership with other team members in the Agency.
- Participate in supervision meetings with the Operations Manager as required.
- Monitor and manage own attitude, behaviour, well-being, and professional development in relation to increasingly challenging client populations and complex or sensitive presenting issues such as trauma and abuse.
- Participates in developing and implementing evaluation systems to assess the effectiveness of interventions. Modifies services as deemed appropriate.
- Liaises and shares relevant information with MCFD, police, judicial system, families, etc. in an effort to help make knowledgeable, informed choices regarding mutual clients.
- Assist in the orientation and supervision of new staff and volunteers.
- Act as a full team member of YES staff in providing back up assistance in other programs.
- Attend case management meetings as required.
- Obtain groceries, laundry and office supplies as needed and pick up food or other donations.
- Complete food inventory and meal preparation including the preparation of meat using best practice as outlined through valid Food Safety Certification
- Perform light housekeeping and basic maintenance duties.
- Fulfill the requirements of training needs to meet the standards of accreditation as established by Agency policy.
- Manages and submits petty cash expenditures and remittance as required.
- Participate on internal and community committees as required.

**Professional and Personal Qualifications**

The requirements listed below detail the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required to perform the duties and responsibilities of the job.

The staff person will need to demonstrate a good standard in a number of the competencies listed within the agency’s competency framework. The knowledge and skills required to demonstrate the