Youth Engagement Specialist in Oak Park, Illinois at Oak Park Township

Job Summary: The Youth Engagement Specialist builds collaborations between systems and agencies to assist youth in Oak Park and River Forest Communities. The Engagement Specialists conducts individual counseling with youth, group counseling with youth, mentoring, and community outreach. The Engagement Specialist assists youth and families, and implement programming geared toward youth in the Oak Park and River Forest Communities. This is an ideal position for recent grads!

Job Functions:

• Ability to show knowledge or ability to gain knowledge in the following areas: youth mental health, specifically anxiety and depression, substance abuse, trauma, aggression, and behavioral problems, gangs.
• Carries a caseload of 20 individuals for counseling and interventions. Performs crisis intervention, making social diagnostic assessments, and assists in developing a comprehensive treatment plan for clients.
• Run groups during school year that focus on current events, trends, and needs.
• Collaborates closely with families, school personnel, mental health professionals, and other agencies associated with client. See clients in the office, their homes, school, and other areas outside of the office. Transport youth, if necessary.
• Help provide wraparound services by encourage and referring youth, families, parents/ guardians to other community services and activities.
• Knowledge of the DSM 5.
• Able to maintain and complete documentation related to job duties in a timely manner. Must have good time management skills.
• Initiate and maintain in contact (via phone, email, or in person) with youth, parents/ guardians, families, mentors, therapist, police, and other community agencies involved in youth’s case.
• Maintain relationships and partnerships with current agencies and organizations that serve youth in the Oak Park and River Forest Communities
• Conduct community outreach events, including but not limited to, park visits, library visits, trainings for partner agencies staff, workshops for parents and youth, partner outreach events, and Township outreach events.
• Assists agencies in developing long term community based strategic plans to help with village wide prevention efforts regarding youth; including implementing goals/strategies.
• Keeps Manager informed regarding community issues and sensitive topics.
• Participate in weekly supervision with Youth Engagement Manager and participate in weekly Youth and Family Services Team Meetings.
• Performs other duties as assigned.
• Supervision for LPCs and MSWs available.

Job Type: Full Time

Minimal Qualifications:

• Master’s in social work, counseling, psychology
• Working with youth and families (preferred).

Education:

• Master's (Required)
• LCSW or LCPC (preferred)

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

Knowledge of:

• Social Work, counseling, psychology
• Criminal Justice and approaches used by law enforcement in local, state, and federal environments; juvenile law and court systems
• Ethical standards and codes of conduct in dealing with clients and public
• Crisis Intervention Techniques
• Conflict Resolution

Skill In:

• Time management and prioritizing work
• Verbal and written communication and organization
• Facilitation and group leadership
• Mediation and collaboration building

Ability To:

• Maintain relationships with community organizations and administrators
• Facilitate presentations and trainings for youth, parents, community associations, and other public groups.
• Remain calm in stressful and crisis situations

Physical Abilities:

• Sit, keyboard, read, write, add, hear and speak for extended periods
• Drive automobile to meet with clients in their homes or other locations, and meetings with other agencies, committees and councils, etc.
• Lift up to 10 pounds on occasion.