Olympic Peninsula YMCA hiring Youth & Family Resource Navigator - Sequim School District in Sequim, Washington, United States | LinkedIn (2024)

Company OverviewThe Olympic Peninsula YMCA is a non-profit organization that oversees Y programs and focuses on youth development, healthy living, and social responsibility. Our mission is to build healthy minds, bodies, and spirits throughout the communities we serve. We strive to promote the values of caring, respect, responsibility, and honesty. We are open to people of all ages, beliefs, incomes, races, genders, and abilities.

GENERAL FUNCTIONThe Long-term Vision Of The Youth & Family Resource (YFR) Program Is That Youth And Families In Our Region Would Know Themselves To Be Resilient, Vital Members Of a Well-connected, Supportive Community. The Family Resource Navigator (YFRN) Works With Youth And Families With Children (ages 0-18) To Ensure Accessibility To The Resources They Need. Specific Goals For The YFRN Include:

• Serving as a highly collaborative member of the YFR Program Team
• Building trusting partnerships with youth and families with children and to collaboratively advocate for needed resources/services
• Helping to close feedback loops with both agencies and families
• Helping to staff YMCA YFR Program activities as needed

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS

• Bachelor’s degree or any combination of education, experience, and measurable/supervised performance that demonstrates the ability to perform the responsibilities of this position
• 2+ years of experience with family/child-services required
• Excellent communication and writing skills
• Strong problem-solving skills
• Professionalism, organization, punctuality, flexibility, reliability, follow-through, and excellent personal/professional boundaries at all times
• Up-to-date knowledge of most effective resources available in area for youth/families in need
• Strong administrative and computer skills, including working with Microsoft Office suite, program and operating software, and internet applications
• Ability to respond to safety, conflict, and emergency situations
• Ability to establish respectful rapport and communicate effectively with diverse groups of people (co-workers and youth/families served) across the community from different social, cultural, economic, and educational backgrounds
• High degree of emotional maturity and cultural competency
• Dedication to maintaining high ethical standards including confidentiality
• Pass a comprehensive background screening
• Be 21 years of age or older
• Have current CPR and first-aid certification or be able to obtain within 30 days of hire
• Possess personal transportation/WA drivers license
• Have the ability to work flexible hours as needed

AREAS OF RESPONSITILITY

• Provide safe, accessible resource support for youth/families to connect with comprehensive, coordinated services that help them strengthen themselves/their families and become more self-sufficient and capable of mutually supporting other youth/families
• Meet with YFR Program Team to assess current referrals from community partners and individuals (including self-referrals) for youth/families needing resources
• Through most appropriate means, connect with specific youth/families to identify areas of priority need (via text, email, phone, etc. to arrange time to meet)
• Build trusting, collaborative partnerships with referred and self-identified youth/families
• Do an initial intake with youth/families and work to identify areas of priority need; recognize and promote each youth’s/family’s readiness, willingness, and ability to access support
• Both youth/family and YFRN commit to specific follow-up activities to seek resources and set date for next meeting; enter this intake and all follow-up information into WELLD data base
• Collect and manage data regarding youth/family specific needs and follow up using established work flow; perform follow-up activities and support youth/families as they take steps across services (e.g., seeking Request for Information [ROI] when necessary, helping to remind families of appointments, etc.)
• Connect/meet back with youth/families to reassess and make new plans (as necessary)
• Continue to follow up with youth/families to ensure they have connected with resources
• Follow up with referring and resourcing partners to close feedback loops and offer (whenever appropriate) collaboration insights
• Meet with YFR Program team throughout all intake and follow-up measures to connect youth/families with needed resources; evaluate efforts on an ongoing basis with team
• Work with Program Executive for Social Responsibility to implement and shape the YFR Program
• Help to staff YFR Program Family Nights and other family-services activities (e.g., Meal-distribution program) as needed
• Help to staff YFR Program direct services (e.g., diaper bank, resource delivery, etc.)
• Other program-related duties as assigned by Program Executive for Social Responsibility and/or CEO
• Based on youth/families’ needs, continue to research best practices/resources and regularly relay this information to the YFR Program Team
• Identify and use communication pathways to share community resource information with youth/families who do not have phone and/or internet

Please note: in addition to the attached YMCA YFRN Job Description, this document outlines duties, responsibilities, and qualifications specific to the YFRN-SSD.

GENERAL FUNCTION

This school-based YFRN-SSD will work with the District’s McKinney-Vento Liaison and other Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) staff tasked with helping youth and families connect with needed, community resources. Youth/families served include those (1) within the SSD, (2) within the McKinney-Vento program, and/or (3) who identify as housing/food-insecure. The YFRN-SSD works to build connections between the SSD and community agencies to leverage needed resources for youth and families. The YFRN-SSD will have an office in the SSD Administration Building and play a key role in helping the district (including students, families, and staff) to effectively connect with a wide array of community resources.

Minimum Requirements

• Candidate will meet all Minimum Requirements listed on the YMCA YFRN Job Description
• Possess a deep understanding of current youth/family resources in the Sequim area and how to navigate/connect with its vital human-service agencies and organizations

AREAS OF RESPONSILITY

• Respond to all referrals from SSD MTSS staff in a timely, trauma-informed manner
• Help the SSD (staff, students, and families) with community resource identification and acquisition
• Work directly with SSD staff and referred youth/families to discern priority needs and strengths; discuss options in an unbiased and culturally sensitive manner
• Work directly with referred youth/families to provide information and assistance in obtaining needed resources and referrals; this may include helping with filling out application forms, reaching out to a community agency with the youth/family, introducing youth/family to appropriate community agency staff (i.e., warm handoffs), and/or other appropriate support activities
• Prior to each summer break, help to develop and implement supports for students and their families during the break
• During summer break, help students and families to discover and access basic services and enroll in the McKinney Vento Program (when eligible) and other relevant services (e.g., SNAP benefits, DDA, Medicaid, housing services, etc.)
• Help to coordinate and maintain the SSD clothing/resource room
• Help SSD to develop positive community agency connections (e.g., making presentations to community agencies)
• Help to identify possible funding sources to sustain and grow this work
• Whenever appropriate, facilitate the use of the Strengthening Families Locally Protective Factors Survey (https://www.dcyf.wa.gov/sites/default/files/pdf/ProtectiveFactorsSurveyretrospective.pdf) as a reflection tool when interacting with parents/caregivers
• Attend regular check-ins with YMCA supervisor and YFR team
• Attend SSD MTTS meetings as requested (e.g., weekly team meetings and monthly check-in meetings with site supervisor)