Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Youth Intern

🎯 Role Definition

The Youth Intern supports program staff in planning, implementing, and evaluating activities designed to promote positive outcomes for children and adolescents. This role combines direct participant engagement, administrative support, data collection, and partnership outreach to ensure high-quality, evidence-informed youth services. The ideal candidate demonstrates strong communication, organizational skills, cultural responsiveness, and a commitment to youth development and equity.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

Student or recent graduate in education, social work, psychology, public health, or a related field seeking practical experience.
Volunteer or part-time program assistant experience in after-school, summer camp, or community center settings.
Peer mentor, school counselor intern, or classroom aide roles transitioning into professional youth services.

Advancement To:

Youth Program Coordinator
Case Manager / Youth Advocate
Community Outreach Specialist
Program Analyst (Youth Services)
Education Program Manager

Lateral Moves:

Volunteer Coordinator
Communications & Engagement Assistant
Curriculum Development Assistant

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

Assist with the design, planning, and delivery of age-appropriate curriculum and lesson plans for after-school programs, summer camps, and workshops that support academic, social-emotional, and career-readiness goals.
Lead and co-facilitate small-group activities and skill-building sessions that encourage teamwork, problem-solving, goal-setting, and resilience among youth from diverse backgrounds.
Conduct outreach and recruitment activities in schools, community centers, and online channels to identify participants, share program benefits, and increase enrollment to meet participation targets.
Provide consistent one-on-one mentorship to assigned youth, building trusting relationships, providing goal check-ins, and connecting participants with internal resources and external services as needed.
Collect, enter, and maintain accurate participant data, attendance logs, behavior notes, and consent forms in the organization’s CRM or database to support monitoring and reporting requirements.
Assist program staff with administering pre- and post-program surveys, focus groups, and qualitative interviews to gather outcome and impact data for evaluation purposes.
Support event planning and logistics for parent nights, community fairs, graduation ceremonies, and field trips, including vendor coordination, materials preparation, and on-site setup/tear-down.
Create engaging outreach and promotional content for social media, newsletters, and flyers that highlights program successes, upcoming events, and volunteer opportunities to attract participants and funders.
Help maintain a safe and inclusive environment by monitoring youth activities, reinforcing program rules, responding to minor incidents, and following established safety and child protection protocols.
Coordinate volunteer recruitment, orientation, and scheduling for program sessions; supervise volunteers during activities and provide feedback to program staff on volunteer performance.
Assist with basic budget tracking and expense reconciliation for program supplies, stipends, and event costs, ensuring purchases align with approved budgets and procurement policies.
Support grant and donor reporting by compiling impact data, success stories, and photos; prepare draft narratives and attachments that align with funder requirements.
Translate educational materials, outreach messages, and consent forms into commonly spoken community languages (where applicable) to reduce barriers to participation and increase accessibility.
Facilitate workshops on college and career readiness topics—such as resume writing, interview skills, financial literacy, and time management—under supervision and using established curricula.
Conduct community needs assessments through outreach, stakeholder interviews, and secondary research to inform program design and identify potential partnerships.
Perform regular inventory checks for program supplies and learning materials, order replacements as necessary, and organize storage areas to maximize accessibility and efficiency.
Support case management intake processes by collecting background information, documenting needs, and coordinating referrals to counseling, housing, healthcare, or employment services.
Maintain confidentiality of participant records and adhere to organizational data privacy policies, ensuring secure handling of personal information and sensitive case notes.
Participate actively in weekly staff meetings, training sessions, and professional development opportunities; document learnings and propose process improvements to increase program quality.
Develop and deliver brief instructional materials, handouts, and multimedia resources that reinforce learning objectives and can be used by staff, families, and community partners.
Track and report on key performance indicators (KPIs) such as retention rates, attendance trends, and participant satisfaction metrics to support continuous improvement.
Engage family members and caregivers through outreach calls, home visits (when applicable), and family-focused events to strengthen home-school-community partnerships and support youth success.
Support the development and maintenance of community partner relationships by scheduling meetings, preparing briefing materials, and following up on action items to sustain collaboration.
Assist with pilot projects and innovation initiatives—testing new curriculum modules, digital tools, or engagement strategies—and document outcomes and lessons learned.

Secondary Functions

Support ad-hoc data requests and exploratory data analysis.
Contribute to the organization's data strategy and roadmap.
Collaborate with business units to translate data needs into engineering requirements.
Participate in sprint planning and agile ceremonies within the data engineering team.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

Experience with program management tools and CRMs (e.g., Salesforce, Apricot, Efforts to Outcomes) for participant data entry, tracking, and reporting.
Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite (Excel, Word, PowerPoint) and Google Workspace (Sheets, Docs, Slides) to create reports, presentations, and attendance trackers.
Basic data collection and analysis skills: administering surveys, cleaning datasets, producing simple charts, and summarizing findings for staff and funders.
Familiarity with content creation tools and social platforms (Canva, Mailchimp, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok) to develop outreach materials and newsletters.
Knowledge of youth development frameworks (Positive Youth Development, CASEL social-emotional learning competencies) and ability to apply them in program activities.
Basic financial literacy for tracking expenses, preparing purchase requisitions, and supporting budget monitoring.
Experience with virtual engagement platforms (Zoom, Google Meet, Microsoft Teams) including breakout rooms, screen sharing, and interactive tools.
Ability to prepare written materials, grant attachments, and impact summaries that align with funder expectations and reporting timelines.
Basic safeguarding and child protection training or certifications; knowledge of mandatory reporting requirements and first aid/CPR is a plus.
Familiarity with multilingual communication or translation tools to adapt materials for non-English speaking families.

Soft Skills

Strong interpersonal and relationship-building skills with the ability to connect authentically with youth, families, volunteers, and community partners.
Excellent oral and written communication skills, including public speaking and facilitation for delivering workshops and presentations.
Cultural humility and sensitivity to work effectively with diverse populations, respecting differences in background, ability, and lived experience.
High level of organization and time management, able to balance multiple tasks, prioritize deadlines, and maintain accurate documentation.
Problem-solving mindset and adaptability to respond to shifting program needs, last-minute changes, and emergent youth issues.
Empathy, patience, and resilience when supporting youth through challenging circumstances or behavior management situations.
Collaborative team player who contributes ideas, supports colleagues, and accepts constructive feedback in fast-paced environments.
Initiative and self-direction to identify process improvements, propose pilot activities, and follow through on assigned projects with limited supervision.
Attention to detail for data accuracy, compliance with policies, and preparation of professional-facing materials for stakeholders.
Confidentiality and ethical judgment to handle sensitive participant information and maintain trust with families and funders.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

High school diploma or equivalent; currently enrolled in or recently completed an associate’s or bachelor’s degree is preferred.

Preferred Education:

Pursuing or completed a Bachelor’s degree in Education, Social Work, Psychology, Public Health, Nonprofit Management, Human Services, Youth Development, or a related field.

Relevant Fields of Study:

Education and Teaching
Social Work and Human Services
Psychology
Public Health and Community Health
Nonprofit Management and Community Development

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range:

0–2 years of relevant experience; internships, volunteer roles, practicum experiences, or part-time youth work qualify.

Preferred:

6–12 months of direct experience supporting youth programming, mentorship, or community outreach; experience with data entry and program evaluation preferred.
Prior experience using a CRM or program database, basic grant reporting exposure, and demonstrated facilitation experience with groups of children or teens.