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JOB DETAILS

Youth Specialist - Youth Haven

CompanyFriends of Youth
LocationKirkland
Work ModeOn Site
PostedOctober 14, 2026
About The Company
For over 70 years, Friends of Youth has been driven by a belief that all youth should have every opportunity to succeed, and partners with youth and families to provide the relationships, resources, and skills they need to attain personal growth and success. With 24 program sites serving 18 cities in the Puget Sound Region, Friends of Youth provides safe places and emotional support for youth facing circumstances including homelessness, foster care, and behavioral health challenges. By joining our team, you will make a difference in the lives of young people by supporting them in taking their next steps toward safety, stability, and belonging. We are always excited and happy to meet anyone who shares an interest in and passion for contributing to our mission.
About the Role

Starting Salary: $24.00

Salary Range: This position is represented by a Union. Annual increases occur each year, with the current cap at 8 years or $32.85. 

Weekly Hours: 20

Shift: 5:00PM-10:30PM, Friday-Monday

FLSA Status: Non-Exempt, hourly

Union Status: Union 

Reports To: Supervisor of Youth Haven


Are you looking for a job where you can make a positive impact on the lives of young people? Do you want to join a community that celebrates diverse voices, values collaboration, and measures success by the lives that are touched and the futures that are shaped? 

Join the team at Friends of Youth where it’s all about making a meaningful difference for the youth in our community while building a successful and rewarding career.

As a Youth Specialist at Youth Haven, you’ll have the opportunity to positively impact youth by:

  • Providing a safe and stable environment for youth ages 7-17 at our Youth Shelter, utilizing a trauma-informed approach.
  • Supervising on-site activities and outings in the community (Yes, we go on field trips!). 
  • Providing transportation to meet medical, educational, and legal needs of our clients. 
  • Modeling and teaching healthy communication and daily living skills.
  • Encouraging and motivating youths’ interests to identify and work to achieve personal goals.


Friends of Youth is proud to offer team members:

  • 30 Days of PTO per year (15 vacations days, 11 paid holidays, and 4 paid floating holidays)
  • Paid sick leave
  • 5 days of paid Bereavement Leave
  • 3 days of paid Pet Bereavement Leave
  • Medical, dental, and vision insurance
  • Transgender-inclusive health benefits.
  • Retirement plan with employer match.
  • Flexible Spending Accounts
  • Employer-paid long-term disability and life insurance for full-time employees
  • Training and development opportunities
  • Employee Assistance Program


job requirements 

 

Education and Experience 

  1. High School Diploma or General Education Diploma (GED). Bachelor’s degree in a human-service field preferred.
  2. Minimum of 6 months of full-time experience, providing direct service to youth in a work or volunteer capacity.
  3. Experience working with youth who are homeless and/or involved in the foster care system.
  4. Experience working with immigrant and refugee youth is preferred.

Additional Requirements 

  1. Must be 21 years or older. 
  2. Must satisfactorily pass criminal history check.
  3. Must satisfactorily pass tuberculosis (TB) test. 
  4. Must have reliable transportation and a Washington State driver’s license (or be able to obtain one by date of employment) 
  5. Employees and volunteers who operate their own or Friends of Youth vehicles on Friends of Youth business, must have a safe driving record as defined by Friends of Youth. 
  6. Employees and volunteers who operate their own vehicle(s) on Friends of Youth business must carry auto liability insurance that complies with the requirements of Friends of Youth.
  7. Must successfully complete the following health certification requirements within 30 days of employment: Food Handler’s Card, CPR, First Aid and Bloodborne Pathogens. 
     
     

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

  1. Able to engage with diverse populations in a culturally responsive manner. 
  2. Demonstrate a commitment to the values of diversity, equity, and inclusion by honoring and celebrating diverse characteristics and expressions of personal identity. 
  3. Strong commitment to Friends of Youth’s mission, vision, and values. 
  4. Excellent verbal and written communication skills. 
  5. Excellent organizational and time-management skills. 
  6. Able to maintain strong personal and professional boundaries. 
  7. Able to work independently and as part of a team. 
  8. Able to establish and maintain positive working relationships with youth. 
  9. Able to separate one’s personal beliefs and values from those of youth.
  10. Proficient skill set with Microsoft Office programs.


essential duties

 

Safety and Wellbeing

  1. Maintain a safe living environment.
  2. Model and teach self-regulation.
  3. Promote a sense of community and safety.
  4. Support conflict resolution skills.
  5. Utilize preventative floor management techniques to address challenging behaviors.
  6. Encourage family involvement and provide support as appropriate.


Youth Engagement

  1. Listen to and address individual concerns.
  2. Provide personal attention.
  3. Support the growth and development of independent living skills.
  4. Respect confidentiality.
  5. Build positive relationships with youths.
  6. Interact with empathy and without judgement.


Supervision and Monitoring

  1. Plan, supervise and support tasks that promote mental, physical, and social health.
  2. Ensure the safe storage of medications and dispense as prescribed and instructed.
  3. Assist with homework, work attainment, goal setting and achievement.
  4. Prepare meals and snacks.
  5. Design and facilitate scheduled groups and activities as requested.
  6. Transport youths to appointments and outings as assigned.
  7. Stay in close contact to maintain awareness of the whereabouts of the youths.
  8. Monitor health and other behaviors.
  9. Report any concerns regarding abuse, exploitation and/or neglect to the Supervisor and subsequently to Child Protective Services.
  10.  Assist in training volunteers, interns, and relief employees under the guidance of the Supervisor.


Communication and Record Keeping 

  1. Attend and positively contribute to weekly team meetings.
  2. Attend professional training for continuous knowledge and growth.
  3. Model positive and healthy behaviors.
  4. Objectively document behavioral events.
  5. Maintain daily communication logs.
  6. Record medication and fund disbursements.
  7. Complete incident reports as per agency policy.
  8. Complete other reports as requested by a supervisor.
  9. Provide consistent communication and support with daily accurate documentation for reports.



Friends of Youth is committed to equity and creating a diverse and inclusive work environment as an equal opportunity employer. We welcome, honor, and celebrate our clients, colleagues, and communities’ diverse identities and cultures. For more information, email hr@friendsofyouth.org. 


5:00PM-10:30PM, Friday-Monday
20
Key Skills
Trauma-informed careYouth supervisionCrisis interventionConflict resolutionCase documentationTransportationCommunication skillsTime managementMicrosoft officeMentoringBehavioral monitoringSafety complianceEmpathyTeamworkRecord keeping
Categories
Social ServicesHealthcareSecurity & Safety
Benefits
Paid time offPaid sick leaveBereavement leavePet bereavement leaveMedical insuranceDental insuranceVision insuranceTransgender-inclusive health benefitsRetirement planFlexible spending accountsLong-term disability insuranceLife insuranceTraining and development opportunitiesEmployee assistance program
Job Information
📋Core Responsibilities
The Youth Specialist provides a safe, trauma-informed environment for youth ages 7-17 at a shelter while supervising daily activities and outings. They also model healthy communication, assist with personal goal setting, and provide transportation for medical, educational, and legal needs.
📋Job Type
part time
📊Experience Level
0-2
💼Company Size
225
📊Visa Sponsorship
No
💼Language
English
🏢Working Hours
20 hours
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