Youth Center Coordinator – job description

Northfield Union of Youth (NUY) is a youth services 501(c)(3) non-profit organization with a mission to give power and voice to area youth and to create a caring and enriching community.  Youth, employees, volunteers, board members, and adults work creatively and collaboratively together to meet this mission.  Employment with NUY is viewed through the lens of NUY’s mission and can present continuous and evolving duties and tasks, but always rooted in youth empowerment and developmental relationships.  NUY’s work is based on a trauma-informed, harm-reduction, and positive youth development model.  Uniquely, NUY is run by various youth boards and an adult board of directors.  Programming is created, led, and implemented by youth.  Organizational policies and procedures are agreed on jointly by both the youth and adult boards.  The position of Youth Center Coordinator includes the following responsibilities:

Youth Center Management:

The Key youth center is the longest-running youth-run youth center in the nation and provides a safe place for youth to connect with each other, caring adults, and their community from 3pm-10pm 365 days a year! The Key combines youth empowerment, enrichment activities, and supportive services.  The Key celebrates over 10,000 visits by youth each year (20-50 youth each day) and is a life-giving community for generations of youth.

Position responsibilities include consistent oversight, management, and coordination of the youth center.

  • Providing primary staff support during youth center hours in conjunction with other staff or AmeriCorps members.
  • Training, supervision, and support of AmeriCorps members and Youth Jr Staffers.
  • Ensuring program quality, and volunteer/mentor coordination. This is done by working collaboratively with youth, as a consistent point person, to assist in supporting youth-led ideas.
  • Responding to emergencies and crises.
  • Working with community partners like Northfield Police Dept, mental health professionals, employers, schools, and other individuals or organizations.

Relationship Building:

Position responsibilities include

  • Providing social and emotional support for youth, creating and fostering developmental relationships with youth, empowering and supporting youth leadership, and other responsibilities as they arise.
  • Providing youth-centric support services on a self-referral basis for youth.
    • Includes relational referrals to academic support, workforce development, housing, food, healthcare, etc.
    • Includes building and developing collaborative relationships with other youth services organizations and programs.
  • Role modeling and maintaining appropriate boundaries with young people.

Organizational Development

Position responsibilities include

  • Communicating and strategically planning with the Executive Director on a regular basis, including administrative tasks and duties as assigned by the Executive Director to assist the organization.
  • Communicating and strategically planning with youth board members and youth participants on a regular basis.
  • Management of several projects at one time.
  • Assisting with other responsibilities and tasks as they develop.

Qualifications:

  • Experience in outreach and relationship building with youth of various demographics
  • Ability to work under stress and respond to emergencies/crisis situations
  • Ability to balance communication with community adults while holding confidence of youth
  • Knowledge of youth mental health issues and substance use disorders
  • Flexibility in work hours to meet the needs of the organization and the youth
  • Desire to grow youth capacity while meeting social/emotional and basic needs
  • Team-oriented personality
  • Ability to pass all required background checks

Preferred Qualifications:

  • Bilingual
  • Bachelor’s Degree or equivalent

Compensation:

NUY firmly believes in finding the right person who can engage and build relationships with youth, while fulfilling necessary organizational requirements.  The position is designed to be full-time (salaried-exempt). Compensation will be a salary range of $40,000-$50,000/year plus benefits, based on experience and qualifications.  NUY offers flexible work arrangements, professional development opportunities, and a chance to creatively build and implement new programs.

Equal Opportunity:

NUY is an equal opportunity organization.  NUY believes that the most efficient and effective workplaces employ employees with diverse backgrounds.  We strive to create a work environment where all employees and individuals, regardless of their race, creed, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, marital status, political affiliation, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, public assistance status or veteran status, can succeed and make an impact in the community.

Application and Hiring Process:

NUY will be interviewing on a rolling basis until the position is filled.

To apply, please submit a cover letter, résumé, and contact information for three professional references to key@unionofyouth.org. Inquiries and questions can be sent to this same e-mail address or by contacting Executive Director Emily Fulton-Foley at 651-999-9795.