What are the responsibilities and job description for the Youth Specialist - PT (53554) position at YSS?
Join YSS as an Youth Specialist (Part-Time)
Qualifications:
Are you quick on your feet, calm under pressure, and passionate about helping youth find their footing? YSS is looking for a motivated, compassionate teammate to join our Mason City crew!
In this role, you’ll work side-by-side with a dedicated team to guide daily activities that help clients learn, grow, and build confidence. No two days are the same—your shifts might be evenings, weekends, and holidays—but your impact always matters.
We’re looking for someone mature, dependable, and tech-savvy who can stay positive and composed while making a real difference in young lives.
As part of your daily responsibilities, you can expect to:
- Supervise and support clients, keeping everyone safe, engaged, and accounted for.
- Model respect, empathy, and healthy boundaries—every moment is a teaching moment.
- Manage group dynamics with confidence and care.
- Plan and lead activities that teach social and life skills in fun, age-appropriate ways.
- Step in with calm, effective crisis interventions when needed.
- Keep accurate, timely records of client behavior and daily progress.
This description is not a complete list of the responsibilities of this position. Duties may change at any time.
If you’re ready to bring your heart, patience, and problem-solving skills to a team that truly changes lives, we’d love to meet you.
We celebrate the strength in your story.
Have you walked the path of recovery from addiction, mental health challenges, trauma, or housing instability? Are you driven to transform your experience into a source of strength and hope for others? If so, YSS wants to hear from you.
We believe your lived experience brings a compassionate and redemptive perspective that can inspire real change. By sharing your story and offering guidance as a role model and mentor, you have the power to make a meaningful impact at YSS.
For those in recovery, we typically ask for two years of sobriety to ensure stability and leadership readiness, though we may consider candidates with one year on a case-by-case basis.
Your journey matters. If you’re ready to use it to uplift and empower others, we warmly encourage you to apply.
What you can expect in return...
We believe in your potential, we meet you where you are, and we invest in your future. In addition to a welcoming workplace, collaborative and supportive colleagues, and mission-driven work that creates hope and opportunity by putting kids first, YSS offers the following benefits for this position:
- Employee Assistance Program
- Employee recognition program
- Personal wellness programs
- Pet insurance discounts
- PSLF Program qualification
- Retirement offerings
- Training opportunities
This isn’t just a job - it’s a chance to be the spark in someone’s story. If you’re ready to inspire, connect, and lead with purpose, apply today and become part of something meaningful at YSS.
We want to create a world where youth are valued and empowered to stand strong. To do this, we ask our staff to embrace YSS core values - Commitment, Collaboration, Compassion, Innovation, Integrity, and a ”Can Do” Spirit. Additionally, we ask for the following:
MUST HAVES - Required Qualifications
- .Bachelor's degree in Human Services or a related field.
- This role involves travel, including transporting clients. To meet YSS insurance requirements, you must:
- Be at least 21 years old
- Hold a valid state-issued driver’s license
- Maintain a clean driving record
- Carry insurance that meets YSS coverage standards
SHOULD HAVES - Preferred Qualifications
- Experience: Minimum one year working with adolescents in a residential setting—guiding, supporting, and making a real impact.
- Communication: Strong verbal, nonverbal, and written skills, plus an ability to listen and observe with care.
- Collaboration: Works seamlessly with others, embracing diverse perspectives and backgrounds.
- Critical Thinking: Strong problem-solving skills with the ability to make sound decisions.
- Resource Management: Skilled at making the most of available tools, time, and energy.
- Time Management: Juggles multiple priorities with ease, keeping yourself and the team on track.
The IDEAL Candidate Will:
- Demonstrate reliability and independence, managing responsibilities with minimal supervision.
- Consistently approach their work with humility, respect, and sensitivity to diverse backgrounds and lived experiences.
- Be mission-driven, with a commitment to equity, inclusion, and positive social impact.
- Speak a language in addition to English—Spanish is a huge plus!
Who we are (and why you’ll love us)...
We’re YSS – one of Iowa’s oldest & largest nonprofits dedicated to putting kids first. Our mission? To spark hope, create opportunities, and help young people thrive. With life-changing programs, a passionate leadership team, and our brand-new 50-acre recovery campus, we’re growing fast and thinking big. Check us out at yss.org!
At YSS, we celebrate the unique backgrounds, identities, and experiences that each team member brings. As an Equal Opportunity Employer, we are dedicated to creating a respectful, inclusive, and empowering environment where everyone can grow and succeed. And we’re always working to do better, together.
YSS is a nicotine-free workplace.
Heads Up! Don’t Miss Our Messages! - We communicate with applicants via email – straight from our Paycom system. So be sure to keep an eye on your inbox (and maybe your spam/junk folder too). Got questions? Email yss@yss.org - we’re happy to help!
The YSS Hiring Process
- Apply – Fill out the online app at yss.org/ysscareers.
- Assessment – We’ll check out your skills and experience.
- Interview – Phone, video, or in-person – we’ll chat and get to know you.
- References – Send us three people who can sing your praises.
- Screening – Background and driving checks (plus license verification if needed).
- Offer – If it’s a match, you’ll get a formal offer through Paycom.
* Applicable Degrees: Addiction Counseling, Addiction Studies, Adolescent Psychology, Behavioral Health, Child and Adolescent Mental Health, Child Psychology, Clinical Mental Health, Corrections, Counseling, Criminal Justice, Education, Family Science, Family Studies, Family Therapy, Human Services, Juvenile Justice, Juvenile Rehabilitation, Mental Health, Nursing, Psychology, Public Administration, Public Health, Rehabilitation Services, Social Work, Therapeutic Recreation, Youth Development, Youth Services
Keywords: Abuse, Addiction, Advocacy, Analysis, Assessment, At-risk, Behavioral, Care, Case, CBT, Centered, Client, Coach, Cognitive, Community, Coordination, Counseling, Crisis, Detox, Develop, Education, Engagement, Evaluation, Evidence-Based, Facilitation, Family, Flexibility, Group, Health, Holistic, Human, Individual, Informed, Inpatient, Intervention, Living, Management, Mental, Monitoring, Motivational, Outpatient, Outreach, Peer, Personalized, Planning, Plans, Prevention, Program, Psychiatry, Psychology, Recovery, Rehabilitation, Relapse, Services, Sober, Social, Specialist, Substance, Support, Technique, Therapeutic, Therapy, Trauma, Treatment, Use, Wellness
Salary : $17 - $22