Youth Support Specialist

Job description:

Launchpad is a "learn-and-earn" workforce program that prepares Philadelphia young adults, from rising high school seniors through age 22, to thrive in a rapidly changing economy. Through paid, hands-on work-based learning, participants build skills in AI, full-stack engineering, project management, entrepreneurial leadership, and other in-demand workplace competencies while earning industry-recognized credentials. Designed to expand opportunity and choice, Launchpad helps young people transition confidently into college, job training programs, or high-wage careers. As a fiscally sponsored program of Building 21, Launchpad is committed to equal opportunity, diversity, and inclusion, fostering a safe and supportive environment that values individuals from all backgrounds and experiences.

Job Summary

We know that the relationship between a young person and a trusting, caring adult is critical for learning and growth. At Launchpad, we also know that the path to career success is rarely a straight line. Young people face real barriers, and having the right support at the right moment can make all the difference.

The Youth Support Specialist brings clinical training and a deep youth development lens to Launchpad's participant experience. This role is focused on the social-emotional and mental health needs of our participants: identifying barriers to attendance and program engagement, connecting young people to the resources they need, and providing short-term counseling and support for young adults navigating personal challenges.

The Youth Support Specialist works with participants who are referred when specific concerns are identified (attendance concerns, personal crises, transitions, or staff referrals) and maintains regular office hours where any participant can drop in to seek support or talk through what's on their mind. This role partners closely with Launchpad's facilitators and the broader program team to ensure every participant has what they need to stay engaged, persist through challenges, and thrive.

Duties

Support participants experiencing barriers to attendance and program success

• Monitor attendance data and conduct timely, caring outreach to participants who are missing program, identifying root causes of absences and co-creating re-engagement plans
• Meet individually with referred participants to assess needs, build trust, and develop individualized support plans while maintaining accurate, up to date case notes and monitoring of youth development and barrier reduction
• Manage a needs assessment process to identify potential barriers for new program participants and youth who will require support and/or intervention
• Provide short-term, solution-focused counseling and support to participants navigating personal, family, or emotional barriers
• Recognize when participants need longer-term or more intensive support and coordinate warm handoffs to external mental health providers, social services, or community organizations
• Maintain regular office hours where participants can drop in to seek support, process challenges, or connect with resources, creating a consistent and accessible touchpoint for the whole community
• Communicate and collaborate with participants' external support networks (high school staff, families, and other youth-serving organizations) to coordinate care, problem-solve barriers, and support re-engagement, in accordance with confidentiality and consent requirements

Build and maintain a network of external resources and supports

• Develop and steward relationships with community-based organizations, mental health providers, social service agencies, and other partners who can support participant needs beyond Launchpad's core program
• Connect participants with targeted referrals for mental health services, housing, food access, family support, legal aid, and other critical needs
• Maintain an up-to-date resource directory and keep the broader team informed about available supports
• Track referrals, including long term outcomes for the young person, quality of resources provided, and overall health of the partnership

Strengthen engagement and persistence through proactive, data-informed outreach

• Own attendance tracking and reporting, maintaining accurate records and surfacing patterns and trends to the program team
• Use attendance and engagement data to identify participants at risk of disengagement and intervene early
• Conduct exit interviews with participants who leave Launchpad, documenting reasons for departure and connecting them to meaningful next steps and referral opportunities
• Follow up with participants during and after transitions to ensure continuity of support

Contribute to a supportive, youth-centered program culture

• Partner with facilitators and program staff to take a holistic, coordinated approach to participant support, proactively collaborating to identify gaps and remove barriers
• Participate in full-group programming, field trips, and community-building events
• Bring a trauma-informed, culturally responsive, strengths-based lens to all interactions with participants and families
• Contribute participant well-being updates to team meetings and quarterly reports, using data-informed reflections to surface trends and strengthen interventions
• Coordinates support plans with the program team, sharing what's needed for staff to support each student, with clear consent practices about what's shared and with whom.

Skills

• MSW, Master's in Counseling, or equivalent graduate-level credential in social work, counseling, psychology, or a related mental health or human services field required; licensure (LSW, LPC, or equivalent) preferred
• Demonstrated experience working with adolescents or young adults, particularly those from under-resourced communities, in a clinical, counseling, or youth development context
• Strong command of trauma-informed practice, motivational interviewing, and strengths-based approaches to working with young people
• Familiarity with the Philadelphia social services landscape and experience connecting young people and families to community resources
• Belief that building strong, trusting relationships with young people is the foundation of all effective support
• Curiosity about emerging technologies, including AI tools that can support youth engagement, case management, communication, and program improvement in ethical and participant-centered ways
• Deep commitment to positive youth development and an unwavering belief in the potential of every participant
• High level of self-awareness, humility, interpersonal skill, and emotional intelligence
• Adaptability and comfort with the change, iteration, and ambiguity of a startup environment
• Commitment to personal growth and continuous learning
• Willingness to contribute to a collaborative culture that builds trust and challenges and supports every member of the Launchpad community

Salary and Benefits

• Salary: $55,000 - $65,000/year
• Benefits: Strong benefits package including health, dental, vision, and paid time off

Benefits:

• Dental insurance
• Health insurance
• Paid time off
• Vision insurance

• Dental insurance
• Health insurance
• Paid time off
• Vision insurance