Personnel Department
YOUTH SERVICES SPECIALIST
DISTINGUISHING FEATURES OF THE CLASS: Work involves responsibility for administrative duties in support of a youth services program or programs. Administrative duties involve development, implementation and coordination of procedures for identifying youth problems and for evaluating the effectiveness of youth programs to meet these needs. Work also involves assisting the Director in providing a wide variety of technical assistance to youth program operators. May be designated to serve as Runaway and Homeless Youth Service Coordinator. Work is performed under general supervision of the Youth Director. Performs related work as required.
TYPICAL WORK ACTIVITIES: (Illustrative only)
- Develops and implements procedures for evaluating various youth programs with regard to program effectiveness, efficiency impact and need;
- Develops instruments and techniques to be used for monitoring and evaluating youth programs and conducts site visits of Office of Children and Family Services funded programs;
- Reviews Office of Children and Family Services applications and budgets;
- Prepares funding summaries for Youth Board's Program Review Committee;
- Assists agencies in making necessary program and budget revisions under general guidelines of the Youth Director;
- Develops and implements ongoing procedures for the identification of youth problems and needs;
- Assists the Director in the development of three year Comprehensive Youth Services Plan;
- Identifies resources available to meet identified youth problems and needs;
- Assesses current record-keeping systems of municipal and private youth programs;
- Assists youth program operators in the development, implementation, and maintenance of appropriate record-keeping forms, systems and procedures;
- Assists the Director in the provision of technical assistance to municipal and private youth programs in the areas of program design and administration, board development, budgeting and funding;
- Prepares interpretive summaries of youth needs and services data;
- Reviews, tabulates and analyzes reports from funded programs;
- Assists with interagency coordination of youth services and promotes a community awareness of youth issues.
- Performs a variety of related activities as required.
When designated to serve as Runaway and Homeless Youth (RHY) Services Coordinator:*
- Works closely with others in the County Youth Bureau to develop and implement county plans and services for runaway and homeless youth and their families;
- Identifies, assesses, and monitors all available county resources for runaway and homeless youth and their families;
- Ensures that the county provides a 24/7 hotline to respond to inquiries concerning shelter space, transportation and services that may be utilized by runaway and homeless youth and their families;
- Ensures that the county’s runaway and homeless youth program participants have access to educational services, including transportation;
- Considers requests of runaway youth, with written consent of parent, guardian, or legal custodian, to remain in shelters beyond the 30-day maximum length of stay;
- Provides written notification to County Youth Bureau of any approvals issued for runaway youth, with proper written consent, to remain in shelters beyond the 30-day maximum length of stay;
- Adheres to all NYS Office of Children and Family Services Runaway and Homeless Youth program regulations;
- Performs a variety of related activities as required.
Typical Work Activities are intended only as illustrations of possible types of work that might be appropriately assigned to an incumbent of this title. Work activities that do not appear above are not excluded as appropriate work assignments, as long as they can be reasonably understood to be within the logical limits of the job.
FULL PERFORMANCE KNOWLEDGES, SKILLS, ABILITIES AND PERSONAL CHARACTERISTICS: Good knowledge of the typical problems and needs of modern youth; good knowledge of the organization and operation of community agencies; good knowledge of community agencies, facilities and services which can be utilized to aid youth; good knowledge of human services research methods, including both library and field research; good knowledge of community organization techniques; working knowledge of community and public relations techniques; working knowledge of governmental budgetary practices and procedures; ability to coordinate interagency group discussions; ability to organize and present data, reports and recommendations clearly and concisely in written and oral form; ability to communicate effectively; ability to plan and organize work; tact; resourcefulness; diplomacy; integrity.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:
Bachelors degree in psychology, social work, education, or related field and one (1) year of full-time paid experience with a youth or community organization.
PLEASE NOTE: Education beyond the secondary level must be from an institution accredited or recognized by the Board of Regents of the New York State Department of Education as a post-secondary, degree-granting institution.
*Required responsibilities of designated runaway and homeless youth service coordinator, as set forth in 9 NYCRR 182-1.15(c)
1/93; 10/97; 5/09; 4/18; 7/21; 1/23
Competitive Class
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Mission Statement
Our mission is to administer, in a fair and equitable manner, the provisions of New York State Civil Service Law and Putnam County Civil Service Rules with respect to the offices and employments in the classified service of Putnam County and the civil divisions therein, which include the towns, villages, school districts, libraries and special districts.
It is Putnam County Personnel Department’s responsibility to ensure Putnam County taxpayers of a public workforce qualified for their jobs pursuant to the principles of selection according to merit and fitness as set forth in Article 5, §6 of the New York State Constitution.
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Paul Eldridge
Personnel Officer