Youth Services Navigator South Surrey White Rock - Alex House

Description

Working collaboratively with the Alex House Youth & Family team, and under the general direction of the Manager, Youth & Family Program, the Youth Services Navigator (YSN) will be responsible for developing and implementing the integrated youth services project.

The YSN will provide a culturally sensitive approach to providing education, support, and guidance to youth and their families while connecting them to community resources, providing wrap around support during the transition process.

The YSN will take a trauma informed, anti-oppressive, and strengths based approached to bridging the gap between services for youth in South Surrey/White Rock.

The YSN will engage with youth and their families to reduce barriers to accessing services and programs that contribute to a youth's overall wellness.

As a leadership role, in the context of the neighbourhood house work, the YSN will take a lead role engaging local community organizations to work collaboratively in order to streamline access for youth to services and supports.

The YSN will, in consultation with, Y&F Manager and/or Y&F Program Director establish policies and procedures regarding participant involvement, program requirements and outcome measurements.

• Collaborate with youth in assessing individual needs, identifying strengths as well as barriers and creating plans with youth to address their needs.
• Provide youth and their families with culturally appropriate support to navigating mental health and substance use resources and services locally, and within Metro-Vancouver.
• In consultation with Y&F Manager will oversee intake criteria and process for referrals, and serve as the point of contact for youth and their families navigating complex systems.
• Screen intakes when required, including referrals to crisis supports.
• Provide interim brief service and case management support, incl. calling/coordinating case conferences with youth and their families.
• Support the coordination of Triage, as well as provide support to referred clients to access interim services.
• Attend Vine Youth Clinic with clients as needed.
• Develop and facilitate group and peer to peer program supports incl. life skills, parent education, and/or peer support groups.
• Provide education, support, and guidance to youth and their families while connecting them to community resources, providing brief counselling, and wrap around support during the transition process.
• Advocate for youth and their families as required.

• Assess the community and organizational needs and assets, establishing program goals and objectives with inputs from the community, the Program Manager, and/or Program Director.
• Organize resources, including human, financial and other resources in order to achieve goals and outcomes of the program.
• Monitor and ensure the objectives and outcomes of the program(s) meet expectations.
• Write program reports, collect statistics and keep other program related documentation/systems in place.
• Communicate and promote program(s) information both internally and externally, develop materials for promotion as required, and ensure they are maintained and updated regularly, including social media, websites etc.
• Build, develop and maintain effective relationships with all stakeholders of the program incl. but not limited to the Alex House Y&F team, Vine Youth Clinic, MCFD incl. Child Youth Mental Health, School District incl. Triage and other community stakeholders.
• Develop and prepare funding proposals for the program(s) and identify new funding opportunities, in consultation with Y&F Manager and/or Y&F Program Director.

• Take a decolonized lens while working with community, building wider understanding of the impacts of colonization.
• Work collaboratively with community partners to determine and address gaps in services for youth and their families. These will include mental health and substance use services as well as housing, food, education, employment, and other life skills services etc.
• Act as an advocate for youth at wider community meetings.
• Deliver education programs for community to reduce barriers, stigma, and to build understanding.
• Design and develop prevention and intervention programs to meet community needs in collaboration with other Alex House Managers.
• Represent Alex House committees and advocacy groups in the community in program related areas.
• Actively engage the community in the development of responsive programming, and engage in decision making around community needs.
• Conduct social research as required.
• Oversee recruiting, hiring, orienting, coaching, and terminating volunteers incl. practicum students