Youth Outreach Worker I/II - Parks, Recreation and Neighborhood Services

Our diverse and inclusive workforce of more than 7,000 employees play a key role in the success of San José, the heart of the Silicon Valley. All City of San José employees work together as one team to make San José a vibrant, innovative, and desirable place to live and work. Visit here to learn more about our One Team Leadership Values and Expectations, including quality and excellent customer service and here to learn more about San José.

About the Department

Are you ready to join a team that is “Building Community Through Fun?” Are you ready to make a difference??

The City of San José’s Department of Parks, Recreation and Neighborhood Services (PRNS) is looking for people who want to make San José a better place to live and work. Our mission is to connect people through parks, recreation and neighborhood services for an active San José. ActivateSJ, PRNS’s 20-year strategic plan identifies the approach and projects to support healthy communities that inspire belonging by following the guiding principles of Stewardship, Nature, Equity & Access, Identity and Public Life.

The Department creates and activates thriving places near where people live and work. These places are destinations for play and learning with 48 community centers, 10 regional parks, 209 neighborhood parks, Happy Hollow Park & Zoo , and over 60 miles of trails. Our programs and services touch the lives of individuals and families in our community. We take public service seriously by working hard to earn the public’s trust by delivering fun and high-value spaces and programs. Our team is collaborative, supportive, and innovative. We are a fast-paced organization that takes decisive action after thoughtful planning.

For more information, please visit activatesj.org .

Youth Intervention Service s

Youth Intervention Services is the City’s internal team that delivers services to youth in the spectrum of risk, which may include such behaviors as school truancy, school expulsion, fighting and recreational drug or alcohol use. Youth Intervention Services provides various programs to assist youth in shifting from these behaviors to a more positive life path. These programs support youth in a variety of ways, and several have a strong case management component that allows staff to develop individual service plans and strategies specific to their youths’ needs.

The Parks, Recreation, and Neighborhood Services Department is currently seeking to fill multiple full-time Youth Outreach Worker vacancies in the Community Services Division.

Join us in creating safer school environments and providing essential support to empower our youth. We seek a dedicated individual to join our Safe School Campus Initiative and Female Intervention Team programs, with experience and specializing in engaging with gang-impacted and gang-intentional youth. As a Youth Outreach Worker, you will be at the forefront of helping at-risk youth in underserved communities while playing a key role in preventing and de-escalating acts of violence on and off school campuses.

Your role will involve building trust, offering support, and guiding these youth towards a brighter future through mentorship, intervention, community engagement and case management services .

Position Duties

Under direct supervision (Youth Outreach Worker I) or general supervision (Youth Outreach Worker II), the Youth Outreach Worker provides specialized services to youth demonstrating high risk factors, living in disadvantaged and historically underserved communities, and/or attending schools with higher levels of violence and trauma. The role focuses on preventing youth delinquency through outreach, intervention, mentorship, and case management.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

Recruitment and Engagement:

• Recruit potential youth participants from disadvantaged, gang-prone, or gang-impacted communities and schools.
  
• Assist in preventing youth delinquency by providing intervention, mentorship, and case management services.
  

Assessment and Referral:

• Assess youth participants to determine individual and/or family needs for referral services.
  
• Provide information on referral services and enroll participants in outreach programs or services.
  

Intervention and Diversion Services:

• Provide intervention and diversion services, including career and education development, mentorship training and referral, gang intervention and mediation services, gang diversion, family support services, tattoo removal, and street outreach.
  

Case Management/Transformative Mentoring:

• Use a case management approach to mentor youth participants, determine readiness for programs, conduct weekly check-ins, develop action plans, set goals, and plan pro-social activities.
  
• Maintain case records and notes and review cases with the supervisor.
  

Individual Service Plans (ISPs):

• Create and implement Individual Service Plans for youth participants.
  

Administrative Duties:

• Operate and utilize various standard office equipment (computers, printers, scanners, phones, calculators, fax machines).
  
• Perform clerical tasks such as data entry and P-Card reimbursements.
  

Collaboration and Networking:

• Develop working relationships with public and private agencies, private businesses, community-based organizations, non-profit organizations, and City, County, and State departments and agencies, including law enforcement.
  
• Perform community outreach activities, including canvassing neighborhoods and attending community outreach events and meetings.
  

Presentations and Public Speaking:

• Give presentations at schools and community meetings to staff, youth, and parents.
  

Special Programs:

• Work on special programs or other outreach programs as assigned.
  

Bilingual Translation (if applicable):

• Provide bilingual translation as needed.
  

Shift Work:

• Perform shift work as required .
  
  

Working Conditions

Staff hired for these positions may be assigned to any of the following programs:
· Clean Slate Tattoo Removal Program
· Female Intervention Team (FIT)
· Late Night Gym Program
· Safe Schools Campus Initiative (SSCI)
· San Jose Works Youth Jobs Initiative
· Trauma to Triumph
To learn more about our Youth Intervention programs, click here .

· Work in an outdoor environment with unpredictable working conditions including but not limited to exposure to loud noise levels, cold and hot temperatures, inclement weather conditions, and odors.

· Lift, carry, push, and pull tools, equipment, and supplies weighing on average 25 pounds, or heavier weights, in all cases with the use of proper equipment.

· Move between/within work areas, including but not limited to sitting, walking, and standing on various surfaces, turning, bending, grasping, and making repetitive hand movements.

Minimum Qualifications

Youth Outreach Worker I:
Completion of high school or equivalent (General Education Development [GED] Test or California Proficiency Certificate) AND one (1) year of full-time equivalent experience working with children and/or youth.

Acceptable Substitution:
None.

Youth Outreach Worker II:
Completion of high school or equivalent (General Education Development [GED] Test or California Proficiency Certificate) AND three (3) years of full-time equivalent experience in working with children and/or youth.

Acceptable Substitution:
College coursework can be substituted for up to a maximum of one (1) year of the required experience on a year-for-year basis.

Certifications:
Possession of a valid State of California driver’s license.

Other Qualifications

The ideal candidate will possess the following competencies, as demonstrated in past and current employmen t history.

• Job Expertise - Demonstrates knowledge of and experience with applicable professional/technical principles and practices, Citywide and departmental procedures/policies and federal and state rules and regulations.
  
• Communication Skills - Effectively conveys information and expresses thoughts and facts clearly, orally and in writing; demonstrates effective use of listening skills and displays openness to other people's ideas and thoughts.
  
• Computer Skills - Experienced with common business computer applications including but not limited to: MS Outlook, MS Word, MS PowerPoint, MS Access, and MS Excel.
  
• Teamwork and Interpersonal Skills - Develops effective relationships with co-workers and supervisors by helping others accomplish tasks and using collaboration and conflict resolution skills.
  
• Conflict Management - Uses appropriate interpersonal styles and methods to reduce tension or conflict between two or more people, by presenting the facts, analysis, and conclusions or solutions that show command of content and perspectives and interests of the audience.
  
• Customer Service - Demonstrates the ability to anticipate customers' needs and deliver services effectively and efficiently using professional demeanor.
  
• Decision Making - Identifies and understands issues, problems, and opportunities; uses effective approaches for choosing a course of action or developing appropriate solutions .
  
• Initiative - Exhibits resourceful behaviors toward meeting job objectives ; anticipates problems, is proactive, and avoids difficulties by planning; displays willingness to assume extra responsibility and challenges; pursues continuing education opportunities that promotes job performance.
  
• Flexibility - Makes effective decisions and achieves desired results in the midst of major changes in responsibilities, work processes, timeframes , performance expectations, organizational culture, or work environment.
  

Selection Process:

The selection process will consist of an evaluation of the applicant's training and experience based on the application and responses to all the job specific questions. You must answer all questions to be considered or your application may be deemed incomplete and withheld from further consideration. Only those candidates whose backgrounds best match the position will be invited to proceed in the selection process. Additional phases of the selection process will consist of one or more interviews.

If you have questions about the selection or hiring processes, please contact Taylor Pawlik at Taylor.Pawlik@sanjoseca.gov

Additional Information:

Employment Eligibility: Federal law requires all employees to provide verification of their eligibility to work in this country. Please be informed that the City of San Jose will NOT sponsor, represent or sign any documents related to visa applications/transfers for H1-B or any other type of visa which requires an employer application.

You must answer all job-specific questions to be considered for this vacancy or your application will be deemed incomplete and withheld from further consideration. Applicants are expected to write their own essays/responses. Please be advised that use of AI content in your responses may result in your removal from the hiring process.

Please note that applications are currently not accepted through CalOpps or any other third party job board application system.

This recruitment may be used to fill multiple positions in this, or other divisions or departments. If you are interested in employment in this classification, you should apply to ensure you are considered for additional opportunities that may utilize the applicants from this recruitment.

Please allow adequate time to complete the application and submit before the deadline or the system may not save your application. If your online application was successfully submitted, you will receive an automatic confirmation email to the email address you provided. IF YOU DO NOT RECEIVE THE CONFIRMATION, please email CityCareers@sanjoseca.gov and we will research the status of your application.

The City of San Jose offers a wide range of core health benefits including Medical, Dental, Vision, Employee Assistance Program, Life Insurance, Disability, and Savings Plans. Please visit the City's benefits pagefor detailed information on coverage, cost, and dependent coverage.

For information on the City’s Retirement Plan(pension for full-time employees), please visit the Office of Retirement Services website. You will be able to view information based on different Sworn/Federated job classification.

In additional to the benefits above, there is an additional perks siteto explore further benefits of working for the City of San Jose like paid leave, educational reimbursements, and holiday pay are specific to the job classification and union membership.

Closing Date/Time: 1/3/2025 11:59 PM Pacific

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• City of San Jose

• 408-535-1285

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