Our Young Adult Services team is looking for our next Young Adult Service Navigator. Using your experience providing human services, you will increase identification of youth experiencing homelessness/housing instability and provide evidence-based techniques to identify youth and families meeting short-term goals and supporting long-term self-sufficiency. Through positive youth development, motivational interviewing, and trauma-informed care, you will accomplish this by:

• Teaching community members and county agencies what youth homelessness looks like;
• Increasing collaboration between county youth serving systems and WCA Young Adult Services department;
• Developing methods in collaboration with local education agencies to identify students and families experiencing homelessness;
• Identifying social determinates of health as well as other casual deterrents toward self-sufficiency;
• Connecting youth and families to schools and other resources;
• Providing resources to youth and families in need such as toiletries, food items, clothing, applications for assistance, etc.; and
• Reporting any unusual incidents, suspected or alleged abuse of any youth.

Westmoreland Community Action is a non-profit organization that works to connect individuals and families to opportunities and resources throughout the community to improve their quality of life and help to reduce poverty in the community. This is accomplished through housing, counseling, support, education, intervention, collaborations, partnerships, information, referrals, and networking.

Investing in the future of our community starts with empowering our youth. Our youth programs aim to provide comprehensive support and opportunities for young people to thrive academically, socially, and emotionally. Our Young Adult Services Department provides Re-entry and a variety of housing options.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree with major course work in either sociology, social work, psychology, counseling, education or other related field, OR High school diploma or equivalency and 12 semester hours in sociology, social welfare, psychology or other social service and two years experience in public or private human services, of which one year must be mental health direct care experience.
• Experience working within youth systems such as Child Welfare or Juvenile Justice, providing Mental Health Services and/or working with individuals experiencing homelessness/housing instability.
• Must be willing to travel throughout Westmoreland County.
• Must possess a valid PA driver’s license, auto insurance, and a reasonably clean driving record.
• Must be able to provide or able to obtain child abuse, state police, fingerprint-based criminal background check, and sex offender registry clearances.
• Must be able to successfully complete and maintain Recognizing and Reporting Child Abuse training.

Rate based on experience: $19.34 – $21.17 per hour.

Benefits:

• 100% Employer paid dental, vision, life insurance, short-term disability, and long-term disability polices,
• ICHRA health plans – Using an allowance, choose the best plan for you,
• 16 paid holidays,
• 10 days of vacation in first year of employment,
• Sick time,
• 8% retirement match after 1 year and 1000 hours of service,
• Mileage reimbursement,
• Time and a half for holidays worked.

Westmoreland Community Action (WCA) is committed to recruiting and retaining a diverse workforce that reflects our community and those that we seek to serve. If you, in good faith, believe that you are qualified to succeed in this position, we encourage you to apply. Please include a cover letter to tell us about your unique qualifications for the position. Our hiring manager will review your application and, if interested, will contact you regarding next steps.

REQUIREMENTS NECESSARY TO SAFELY PERFORM THE ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS OF THE POSITION OF YOUTH SYSTEMS NAVIGATOR:

Strength requirements - Push/pull, lift/move up to 25 pounds.

Manual dexterity - Perform moderately difficult manipulation - typing, writing, filing.

Coordination - Perform tasks which require foot and/or hand/eye coordination - driving a car, computer data entry.

Mobility - Walk, stand, sit for prolonged periods of time, drive.

Speech - Articulate with extreme accuracy – employee/participant relations, phone contact.

Vision - Read small print, drive a car.

Hearing - Able to receive verbal information with some background noise.

Concentration - Able to concentrate on moderate to fine detail with constant interruption.

Memory - Able to remember multiple verbal and written task-assignments given at beginning of a period extending over long period of time.

Environment Conditions – Indoor/outdoor work.