Resource Specialist II

About Our Organization 
Youth Guidance creates and implements school-based programs that enable children to overcome obstacles, focus on their education, and ultimately, to succeed in school and in life. We believe that no matter what challenges a young person faces, they are more likely to succeed when they have caring adults in their lives. Our highly trained staff guides kids to overcome the life and academic challenges facing the youth. We meet kids where they are — physically and emotionally — to help them focus on their education, make positive choices, and remain on the right path toward life success.

Founded in 1924 and celebrating 100 years of impact this year, Youth Guidance is a leading provider of outcomes-driven programs serving more than 18,000 youth around the country.  For more information, visit www.youth-guidance.org.

Position Summary: The Resource Specialist II plays a vital role in enhancing training, professional development, and resources both internally across the organization and externally with other professionals. Reporting to the Senior Community Connections Program and Partnerships Manager, this position involves the implementation, coordination, and evaluation of the Gender-based Violence and Human Trafficking training program. Key responsibilities include developing and updating training material for specific audiences, facilitating GBT/HT trainings for school, healthcare, and human service professionals, and coordinating, scheduling, and marketing GBV/HT trainings. The coordinator will work closely with external partners to offer training and technical assistance, ensure accurate data management, and maintain training materials.  The Resource Specialist II will also provide case management services, including referrals, resource connections, and direct assistance, to Youth Guidance students and families, and will collaborate with other YG staff within schools to provide outreach and identify resources that meet group or school-wide needs and increase the reach and effectiveness of YG services.  The Resource Specialist II will participate in strategizing, implementing, and evaluating the success of resource provision to YG students and families.

Essential Duties/Responsibilities

• Implements Youth Guidance GBV/HT training for school, healthcare, and human service professionals across Chicago.

• Develops and updates training content with new information and to meet the needs of specific audiences.

• Works alongside Program and Partnerships Manager to coordinate, schedule, and market GBV/HT training to Chicago partner organizations.

• Assists with collection and evaluation of attendance and participant satisfaction survey data.

• Assists with post-training support for attendees, including but not limited to providing resources, referrals, and consultation to address challenges related to GBV/HT.

• Problem-solves challenges and areas of improvement as identified by survey data or other feedback to continually improve training quality and effectiveness.

• Attends professional conferences, trainings, and networking opportunities as relevant to the program.

• Develops, updates, and facilitates youth-focused workshops on GBV topics.

• Provides culturally responsive case management services to Youth Guidance students and families, including concrete resource provision, referrals to other organizations, and connection to supports for mental/emotional health and gender-based violence.

• Consults and collaborates with Youth Guidance staff to assess needs and coordinate resource provision for students and families.

• Develops relationships with community organizations that provide services to youth and families affected by gender-based violence, as well as resources for other urgent needs like homelessness, food insecurity, and access to healthcare.

• Completes assigned documentation and assist with program data tracking to ensure high-quality, effective service provision.

• Other duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications

Education/Experience/Training

• Bachelor’s degree in social work, human services or a related area preferred.

• Experience developing and delivering training content for adult learners.

• 3-5 years of work experience in education, human service, youth development, or social service field

• Minimum of 2 years’ experience providing direct services to populations impacted by GBV/HT.

• Minimum 1 year of case management or related job experience.

Skills/Abilities

• Strong organizational, communication, and critical thinking skills

• Commitment to DEIB principles

• Proactive approach to problem-solving

• Ability to present information effectively to diverse audiences

• Demonstrated growth mindset and ability to learn and adapt
  based on ongoing feedback

• Ability to develop and maintain effective working relationships with schools, organization leaders, external partners, key funders and supporters.

• Demonstrates a sense of urgency in accomplishing goals and objectives to ensure success.

• Ability to creatively engage and connect with youth, caregivers, and families.

• Ability to function in group and team settings with the capacity to be solution-focused, task-driven, and innovative in those settings.

• Proficiency in Microsoft Office products (Outlook, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint).

• Proficiency in or ability to quickly learn web-based applications (SalesForce, Monday.com)

• Other duties as assigned

Core Competencies

• Communication: Uses effective written and oral communication with internal staff, teams, and community served; demonstrates empathy and listening

• Client orientation: Recognizes needs of diverse stakeholders and approaches relationships with a service orientation, to ultimately maximize the impact

• Equity mindset: Understands and is committed to goals of equity, consistently brings an equity mindset to the organization’s work and workplace

• Growth mindset: Views growth as important for personal and professional development; seeks out opportunities to expand skills, even if the change is required, demonstrates curiosity and eagerness to learn

• Ownership and quality of work: Effectively manages own work, and work of the team to ensure delivery of high-quality work

• Mission drive: Demonstrates commitment to the missing of the organization as a whole and alignment with organization values

Physical Demands

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions

• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is required to sit and stand for sustained periods of time, frequently talk, hear, use hands and fingers to feel, handle and operate objects or controls, and occasionally stand, bend, stoop, kneel and crouch.

• The employee is required to have close visual acuity to perform an activity such as: preparing and analyzing data and figures, transcribing, and viewing a computer terminal.

• The employee may occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds.

Work Environment

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Local travel required based on need for in-person training

• May require occasional evening or weekend availability

Our Values
 At Youth Guidance, we believe that creating a welcoming and supportive environment where everyone feels valued and respected is fundamental to realizing our vision of bright and successful futures for all young people. We acknowledge that many systems and institutions intended to support youth do not provide fair treatment or access for everyone. We strive to celebrate the unique qualities of youth and recognize them as empowered leaders, problem-solvers, and experts of their own experiences.

Youth Guidance is an equal opportunity employer. Youth Guidance does not discriminate based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, veteran status, marital status, sexual orientation, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law and is committed to fostering a welcoming and supportive environment where everyone feels valued and respected. People of all backgrounds are encouraged to apply.