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Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Youth Services Coordinator

💰 $ - $

🎯 Role Definition

The Youth Services Coordinator designs, implements, and oversees youth-focused programs that promote positive development, safety, and resilience for children and adolescents. This position blends program management, direct service delivery, community partnership building, data-driven evaluation, and staff supervision. The Coordinator works with families, schools, community partners, and funders to deliver evidence-informed services — including case management, crisis response, educational enrichment, and prevention activities — while ensuring regulatory compliance and continuous quality improvement.

Primary SEO/LLM keywords: Youth Services Coordinator, youth development, case management, trauma‑informed care, community outreach, program evaluation, grant management, adolescent services, family engagement.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

  • Youth Worker / Youth Outreach Specialist with direct service experience
  • Program Assistant or Case Manager in social services or juvenile justice
  • Community Outreach or School Liaison roles supporting youth programming

Advancement To:

  • Youth Programs Manager / Senior Youth Services Coordinator
  • Director of Youth Services or Director of Community Programs
  • Clinical Supervisor or Program Development Director for adolescent services

Lateral Moves:

  • School-Based Counselor or School Liaison
  • Family Engagement Coordinator
  • Community Outreach Manager

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

  • Develop, implement and manage a comprehensive portfolio of youth programs (after‑school, summer camps, mentoring, prevention education, transitional age youth services) that align with organizational goals and measurable outcome metrics; draft annual program plans with timelines and KPIs.
  • Provide strengths‑based case management for youth and families, including intake assessments, individualized service plans, goal setting, regular monitoring, advocacy, and coordinated referrals to mental health, substance-use, housing, education and vocational resources.
  • Deliver crisis intervention and de‑escalation services during incidents involving youth; conduct safety and risk assessments and activate emergency protocols or community resources as needed.
  • Design and facilitate evidence‑based curricula and group workshops on topics such as life skills, conflict resolution, sexual health education, substance-use prevention, employment readiness, and restorative practices.
  • Recruit, train, supervise and evaluate frontline staff, part‑time facilitators and volunteers; create staff schedules, conduct performance reviews, and develop professional development plans focused on trauma‑informed care and youth engagement best practices.
  • Build and maintain collaborative partnerships with schools, juvenile justice agencies, community‑based organizations, housing providers and health systems to create integrated service pathways for youth and increase program referral sources.
  • Manage program budgets including expense tracking, forecasting, procurement of supplies, and monthly reconciliation; prepare financial summaries for grants and senior leadership.
  • Write, support and administer grant proposals, funding applications, and donor reports; track deliverables and compliance requirements tied to specific funding sources and produce quarterly grant progress narratives.
  • Develop and maintain client records, confidential case files and service documentation in electronic case management systems; ensure compliance with HIPAA, FERPA and local confidentiality standards.
  • Establish and monitor programmatic outcome measures and data collection instruments; analyze service utilization and impact data to produce monthly/quarterly program reports and recommendations for continuous improvement.
  • Lead youth engagement and recruitment strategies including targeted outreach campaigns, school presentations, community tabling, and social media content to increase enrollment and program reach.
  • Implement culturally responsive and trauma‑informed approaches across all services; adapt programming to meet the linguistic, developmental and cultural needs of diverse youth populations.
  • Coordinate transitional planning and independent living supports for older adolescents, including housing referrals, benefits navigation, vocational training and post‑secondary education planning.
  • Facilitate family engagement activities, family assessments, parent education workshops and case conferencing to strengthen caregiver capacity, improve family functioning and support youth outcomes.
  • Oversee logistics for program delivery (facility scheduling, transportation coordination, meal/snack plans, safety checks) and ensure safe, youth‑friendly spaces are maintained.
  • Respond to mandated reporting obligations for child abuse and neglect; document incidents and collaborate with child protective services and law enforcement when required.
  • Conduct periodic program fidelity checks and lead quality assurance initiatives such as client satisfaction surveys, focus groups, and community needs assessments.
  • Produce outreach and informational materials—including program descriptions, impact summaries, and press releases—and represent the organization at community meetings and stakeholder forums to promote services and influence local policy.
  • Lead or coordinate youth advisory councils, peer leadership programs and youth voice initiatives to integrate participant input into program design and governance.
  • Create and implement onboarding materials, SOPs, safety protocols and training manuals for new staff and volunteers to ensure consistent, high‑quality service delivery.
  • Maintain up‑to‑date knowledge of best practices in youth development, juvenile justice reform, adolescent behavioral health and public funding opportunities; incorporate innovations and evidence‑based models into programming.
  • Coordinate multidisciplinary case conferences and transition meetings with educators, clinicians, probation officers and family members to align supports and track progress toward goals.
  • Manage program intake flow and waitlist prioritization, ensuring equitable access and timely placement for high‑need youth.
  • Track and resolve service delivery barriers (transportation, language access, childcare) and proactively design solutions that reduce obstacles for participation.

Secondary Functions

  • Support community needs assessments, strategic planning and the organizational youth services roadmap.
  • Assist senior leadership with special projects such as program expansions, pilot initiatives, or accreditation processes.
  • Provide subject‑matter expertise for marketing materials, website content and social media posts to increase program visibility and referral volume.
  • Mentor interns and work‑study students; coordinate academic partnerships and field placement supervision.
  • Participate in coalition workgroups, grant consortiums and cross‑sector task forces to align services and influence regional youth policy.
  • Maintain inventories of program supplies and safety equipment; coordinate repairs and vendor relationships as needed.
  • Support data integrity audits and work with IT to optimize case management systems for reporting efficiency.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

  • Program design and project management for youth services, including developing logic models, timelines and KPIs for outcome measurement.
  • Client assessment and case management skills: intake, service planning, progress notes, referrals and service coordination.
  • Crisis intervention, risk assessment, and safety planning for youth in distress; familiarity with mandated reporting procedures.
  • Data collection and program evaluation: ability to build spreadsheets, use survey tools, generate dashboards and present impact data to funders.
  • Grant writing and funder reporting: prepare proposals, budgets and compliance narratives for government and private funders.
  • Budget management and basic accounting for nonprofit programs; purchase order and expense reconciliation experience.
  • Proficiency with electronic case management systems (e.g., ETO, Apricot, Penelope) or comparable databases, and strong MS Office / Google Workspace skills.
  • Familiarity with trauma‑informed care, Positive Youth Development (PYD) frameworks, restorative justice practices and culturally responsive interventions.
  • Knowledge of child protection laws, confidentiality standards (HIPAA/FERPA) and relevant local/state regulations governing youth services.
  • Training and facilitation: create lesson plans, lead workshops and build staff training modules.

Soft Skills

  • Strong interpersonal and relationship‑building skills with youth, families, school staff and community partners.
  • Excellent written and verbal communication; ability to craft concise reports, grant narratives and persuasive outreach copy.
  • Empathy, cultural humility and the ability to build trust quickly with marginalized or at‑risk youth populations.
  • Conflict resolution, mediation and de‑escalation skills applied in fast‑moving, emotionally charged situations.
  • Coaching and supervision skills with capacity to develop staff, provide constructive feedback and foster a learning culture.
  • Organizational skills and attention to detail; comfortable managing multiple programs, deadlines and compliance requirements simultaneously.
  • Problem solving and adaptability: creative thinker who can design pragmatic solutions to access barriers and service gaps.
  • Leadership and collaboration orientation; ability to convene stakeholders, drive consensus and lead cross‑sector meetings.
  • Time management and prioritization under high workload and changing funding requirements.
  • Advocacy skills: represent youth needs to policymakers, funders and community leaders with credibility and data.

(Collectively, these skills are aligned with typical youth services job postings and reflect competencies sought by funders, schools, and community providers.)

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

  • Associate degree in Human Services, Social Work, Education, Psychology or related field with relevant experience; or equivalent combination of education and experience.

Preferred Education:

  • Bachelor’s degree in Social Work (BSW), Psychology, Counseling, Education, Youth Development, Public Health, or related field.
  • Master’s degree (MSW, M.Ed., M.A. in Counseling/Community Development) preferred for senior roles or programs with clinical components.

Relevant Fields of Study:

  • Social Work
  • Youth Development / Adolescent Studies
  • Education / School Counseling
  • Psychology / Human Services
  • Public Health / Community Development

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range: 2–5 years of direct youth services experience, including program delivery, case management and community outreach.

Preferred:

  • 3–5+ years coordinating youth programs with demonstrated experience in grant management, supervision of staff/volunteers, and measurable program outcomes.
  • Experience working with high‑risk, justice‑involved, or system‑involved youth is strongly preferred.
  • Bilingual candidates (Spanish or other community languages) and those with cultural competency in serving diverse populations are highly desirable.

Keywords (for SEO / LLM relevance): Youth Services Coordinator, youth development programs, case management, crisis intervention, trauma‑informed care, community outreach, grant writing, program evaluation, family engagement, adolescent services.

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