Youth Programs Specialist (Ranch)

Job Purpose:
The Ranch Youth Specialist (RYS) plays a vital role in connecting kamaliʻi and families to LT Ranch Programs and engaging in activities that foster healing, hope, and personal growth. This includes intake and registration process, supporting outreach efforts, and ensuring a smooth, equitable, and welcoming experience for all participants. Collaborating with the program team, the RYS will develop, implement, and evaluate impactful programming for vulnerable youth, assisting participants in gaining self-awareness, emotional balance, empathy, adaptability, and a positive outlook through nature-based experiential activities.

As part of LT’s continuum of services, LT Ranch offers residential, day and after-school camps to vulnerable youth, providing a program centered on social-emotional skill building for the purposes of healing and growth. The Ranch also serves as a space for kīpuka programs and strategic partnerships, focusing on healing through nature-based and creative experiential activities.

Essential Responsibilities:

• Intake: Interviews parents and children and screens for program fit, coordinating logistics such as scheduling, consent forms, and rosters, and maintaining accurate data in LT Data systems.
• Youth Engagement: Facilitate experiential activities by creating a safe environment that facilitates learning and is encouraging and engaging for youth.
• Program Support: Assist the Director in planning and implementing programs, including recruitment, scheduling, daily preparations, administrative tasks, and case follow-up. Integrate ranch pillars into programs for ʻōpio, emphasizing key social-emotional skills to foster personal growth and healing. Provide support for kīpuka extension and strategic partnerships.
• Collaborative Programming: Work with teammates to deliver culturally resonant activities, such as:
• Animal-assisted interactions that foster engagement and reflection.
• ʻĀina-based activities that model sustainability and connect youth to the ʻāina through moʻolelo.
• Creative arts and makery projects that promote self-awareness and connection to self and others.
• Youth Support: Address the behavioral, emotional, and psychological needs of participants, ensuring a supportive environment.
• Monitoring and Documentation: Observe and document youth participation, design behavior intervention and management plans, and monitor and report on progress.
• Group Management: Model positive group management practices to ensure the safety of participants, fostering healthy relationships and maintaining appropriate physical and emotional boundaries.
• Relationship Building: Develop and maintain strong, positive relationships with teammates, individuals, families, groups, animals and communities.
• Outreach: Provide outreach services to individuals and communities regarding Liliʻuokalani Trust programs and services.

Shift-Specific Responsibilities:
The RYS may be assigned to support various shifts for residential program implementation, including:

• Weekdays: Assist the Director with recruitment, scheduling, program planning, implementation, and case follow-up.
• Weekends: Coordinate weekend activities for the program.
• Evenings: Engage kamaliʻi in evening activities such as reflection, meal preparation, fireside chats, and bedtime routines.
• Night Shifts: Ensure the safety of kamaliʻi overnight, engage them in evening activities, and prepare spaces, meals, and programs for the next day.

Other Duties:

• Participate in program planning, budget development, and evaluation.
• Provide transportation for staff, beneficiaries, and families as needed.
• Engage in continuing education and professional development opportunities.
• Contribute to the team’s success by accepting new assignments, assisting colleagues, learning new skills, and striving for improved outcomes.
• Enjoy working outdoors in a ranch setting, including hands-on experience with ʻāina-based activities and being near animals.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in education, human/social services, or other relevant field. Or have at least 4 years of relevant experience.
• At least 2 years' experience in planning and implementing youth programs. Knowledge of youth development and the ability to work with the most vulnerable populat

Licenses or Certifications

• Valid driver license, clean traffic abstract, and access to a privately owned automobile with valid no-fault insurance.
• Required to have a TB clearance.
• First Aid and CPR/AED Certification, preferred.

Job Competencies

• Collaboration: Ability to interact effectively with youth, community partners, and multi-disciplinary teams. Knowledge of community resources and services.
• Communication: Clearly conveys and receives information and ideas to individuals or groups that engages the listener and invites response and feedback. Demonstrates good written, oral, and listening skills.
• Cultural Competence: Respects and relates well to people from varied backgrounds and is sensitive to group differences. Experience working with at-risk youth.

Organizational Competencies:

• Alignment with Queen’s legacy: Understanding and appreciation of Queen Lili'uokalani's story, her legacy and the Hawaiian Culture is foundational to staff’s commitment to working with our Hawaiian children, families and communities. Demonstrates respect for and appreciation of Hawaiian values history, and culture, understanding its implication in one’s work, in fostering meaningful relationships, and in embracing the community served.
• Ho'omau i ka 'imi Na'auao (Continuous Learning and Improvement): Committed to creating and reinforcing an environment of continuous learning and improvement.
• Ho'ike i na Mana'o Pono (Effective Communication): Communicates with those we serve and each other in a consistent manner that results in mutual understanding, harmony, and action.
• No'ono'o loi (Critical Thinking and Problem Solving): Actively and skillfully understands, conceptualizes, applies, analyzes, synthesizes, and/or evaluates information and develops and supports fact-based analyses and recommendations.
• Ho'o kumu a'e or 'Imi hakuhia (Innovation): Identifies and integrates creative ideas into new or existing services and promotes effective problem-solving.
• Pilina Ho'ohana a me ka Hana Hilina'i (Building Relationships and Creating Trust): Manages relationships to create optimal opportunities and move the organization forward.
• Alu Like I ka Hana (Teamwork): Works cooperatively and collaboratively with others throughout the organization in alignment with the organization's objectives.
• Ho'onui I ka 'Ike (Capacity Building): Encourages personal growth by exhibiting trust and a belief in the capacity of others.

Job Title: Youth Ranch Specialist Reports to: Program Director, LT Ranch
FLSA Status: FT; Exempt Aligned Executive: Vice President and Chief Programs Officer
Kipuka: LT Ranch Department: LT Ranch Programs

Mental and Physical Demands:
Perform light physical work, including climbing, stooping, kneeling, crouching, reaching, and lifting weight of up to 25 pounds. Exposed to outdoor climate and diverse terrain.

Terms and Conditions of Employment
As a condition of employment, employee will be subject to LT’s policies and procedures.

Liliʻuokalani Trust is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We strive to recruit, train, and retain innovative talent from a diverse candidate pool. All employment decisions will be based on merit, competence, performance, and business needs. Applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, religion, ancestry, genetic information, citizenship, marital/civil union status, arrest and court record, domestic or sexual violence victim status, credit history, disability or veteran/military status or other applicable legally protected characteristics.