Youth Empowerment Specialist

About Visions and Pathways

At Visions and Pathways, we believe every young person deserves a safe place to live, a caring adult to guide them, and the tools to build a thriving future. We support youth ages 14–21 as they transition to adulthood, offering mentoring, independent living skills, and wraparound support.

We are currently seeking a full-time Youth Empowerment Specialist to join our team. This is a field-based, community-focused role designed for someone who thrives on making meaningful connections, meeting youth where they are, and helping them take the next right step.

Position Overview

Reporting to the Empowerment Supervisor, the Youth Empowerment Specialist provides direct, individualized support to youth enrolled in our Prosperity Independent Living Skills program. The Specialist builds trust through consistent home visits, facilitates life skills workshops, connects youth to critical resources, and helps young people develop and execute personal transition plans toward stability and independence.

Key Responsibilities

Conduct weekly home visits with youth to build rapport, assess progress, and provide individualized support.
Perform intake and strengths/needs assessments with new clients, including initial and periodic Casey Life Skills assessments.
Develop, document, and monitor individualized transition plans in collaboration with youth and their support systems.
Provide consistent guidance and coaching to support youth in developing life skills, making informed decisions, and remaining accountable to their personal growth and goals.
Form linkages with community resources and connect youth with appropriate services and opportunities.
Plan and facilitate independent living skills workshops; administer pre- and post-tests to measure outcomes.
Coordinate with local and state youth-serving associations and programs as needed.
Maintain up-to-date and accurate case files, including timely data entry.
De-escalate youth crises with professionalism, empathy, and appropriate intervention strategies.
Provide presentations to schools and youth-serving organizations to raise awareness about services and strengthen community connections.
Assist with tabling events and other outreach or visibility efforts on behalf of Visions and Pathways.
Submit monthly reports to the Empowerment Supervisor to support program monitoring and compliance.
Demonstrate cultural competence and adaptability when engaging with youth from diverse racial, gender, and cultural backgrounds.

What You Bring

Bachelor’s degree preferably in social work, psychology, or a related human services field.
At least 1 year of experience working with adolescents or young adults.
Demonstrated ability to connect with youth from diverse backgrounds with empathy, consistency, and nonjudgmental support.
Excellent organizational and time-management skills, with the ability to manage multiple cases independently while staying responsive to team communication.
Effective verbal and written communication skills, including report writing, service planning, and professional correspondence.
Proactive problem-solver with the ability to adapt to shifting needs and creatively support youth progress.
A valid NJ driver’s license.
Bilingual/multilingual skills are strongly preferred.

Why This Role Matters

This isn’t a desk job. It’s not a quick-fix kind of work. This is about building trust over time—with young people who may not have many adults they can count on. It’s about asking hard questions, celebrating small wins, and helping youth take control of their story.

If you’re ready to show up, stay consistent, and help youth move from uncertainty to empowerment—we want to meet you.

Compensation

This is a full-time, salary range $45,000 - $50,000.

Send resume to jobs@visionsandpathways.org

Equal Opportunity Employer

Visions and Pathways is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

We value the strength provided by a diversity of background and perspective.