Youth Mentoring Specialist

Duties and Responsibilities

The Youth Mentoring Specialist Staff reports to the Youth Mentoring Leader and plays a key role in supporting Garden Pathways with various youth program activities. Youth Mentoring Specialists are responsible for ensuring that youth receive caring, quality, and appropriate mentoring and supportive services.

Essential Job Duties

• Provide mentoring support to youth identified and eligible for Garden Pathways youth services;
• Develop healthy, mentoring relationships with youth;
• Participate in the development of individualized and group service plans for youth, and prepare and present progress reports as needed;
• Participate in regular mentoring activities with youth;
• Maintain regular contact (minimum of 1 hour per week) with each youth (phone and face);
• Regularly review each youth’s progress toward meeting goals outlined in the service plan with supervisor(s);
• Model pro-social behaviors for youth;
• Confront youth on negative or delinquent behaviors and consult with supervisor regarding such behaviors;
• Provide transportation to youth clients to and from appointments and activities;
• Develop relationships with families and school staff, and maintain regular dialogue about youth’s needs, progress, and challenges;
• Participate and assist with facilitation of group workshops and activities, including self-esteem, forgiveness, and anger management mentoring groups;
• Attend meetings with youth and their families including school, medical, counseling, and court;
• Maintain daily case notes that capture all work done on each youth, and collect data and demographic information and input data into case management system;
• Attend partner and collaborative meetings and trainings related to Garden Pathways work with youth;
• Advocate for youth participants within a variety of settings, including but not limited to, school, juvenile court, medical and mental health agencies, and other community based service providers;
• Identify and network with other youth serving organizations;
• Meet weekly with Youth Mentoring Leader for supervision, guidance, youth participant review, and submission of progress reports;
• Assists with informing schools, parents, and the community about the work of Garden Pathways.

Other Job Duties

• Maintains safe and functional work environment
• At all times, model, reinforce, and abide by the Garden Pathways Service Values
• Performs other duties as assigned

Position Qualifications

Youth Mentoring Specialist will receive necessary training in areas that include effective communication with youth and families, adolescent development, advocacy in a variety of settings, positive mentoring, and navigating local systems, and understanding applicable professional, ethical, and legal rules.

Other qualifications include:

• A willingness to learn and support the mission and services of Garden Pathways;
• Minimum of one year experience working with at-risk youth;
• Deep commitment to supporting and working with youth;
• Excellent oral and written communication skills;
• Excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to develop trusting relationships with a wide range of stakeholders;
• Familiarity with Bakersfield and rural areas of Kern, and comfortable working in a range of neighborhoods;
• Reliable transportation;
• Flexible, dependable and has an excellent work ethic (may work some evenings and weekends);
• Tenacity with creative problem solving skills with persistence to see task through to completion;
• Attention to detail and organizational skills for multi-tasking;
• Computer skills (typing skills and proficient with Microsoft Office);

Job Types: Full-time, Part-time

Pay: $17.00 - $19.00 per hour

Benefits:

• 401(k)
• 401(k) matching
• Dental insurance
• Health insurance
• Life insurance
• Paid time off
• Vision insurance

Schedule:

• Monday to Friday
• Weekends as needed

Education:

• Associate (Preferred)

Experience:

• working with at-risk youth: 2 years (Preferred)

License/Certification:

• Driver's License (Required)

Work Location: Multiple locations

Salary : $17 - $19