Position Title:

Youth Support Specialist

Job Description:

Are you interested in a career supporting and guiding our city's youth? Salt Lake City Police Department is looking for a new full-time Youth Support Specialist! As a Youth Support Specialist, you'll work with kids and their families who are referred to the Promising Youth Project for prevention, intervention, support, and referral to appropriate services. You'll provide information, connections, and programming while guiding program participants in healthy decision making.

About the Position:

Candidates with a bachelor's degree in social or behavioral sciences (or an equivalent combination of experience and education) are encouraged to apply! Read more about the minimum requirements below. This position requires a high degree of independent judgment, decision-making, and an exceptional ability to work with, and effectively communicate with, diverse populations in difficult situations.

The hours for this position are Monday through Friday between 7 am and 6 pm, with occasional evening events, 40 hours per week. This position is not eligible for remote work.

About the Team:

SLCPD's Promising Youth Program is a part of our Victim Advocacy group, which consists of full-time and part-time victim advocates and youth support specialists and their supervisors. The team currently has 15 members and is dedicated to helping victims of violent crime and school aged children find the resources they need to overcome adversity.

This position will remain open until filled. Early application submittal is encouraged.

Position Salary Range:

$18.67 - $28.08 hourly, paid bi-weekly

This is an AFSCME union position and is eligible for pay increases at the 2-, 4-, 6-, and 8-year marks, depending on experience. AFSCME positions are offering attractive incentives for those seeking secure and rewarding employment opportunities, including a guaranteed 4% increase in fiscal year 2026. Join our team today!

This position is eligible for full city benefits, including:

• Health, dental, vision, and life insurance

• 13 paid holidays per year

• Paid vacation and personal leave

• Six weeks of paid parental leave

• Retirement contributions toward a pension plan or 401(k)

• A robust EAP that provides emotional support, work-life solutions, legal guidance, and financial resources, including up to 15 counseling sessions for you and your household family members at no cost

• Tuition reimbursement

• Discounted supplemental benefits like pet insurance, legal services, and shopping.

  Key Responsibilities:

• Maintains a caseload as assigned of youth and their families while providing specific case management, family support, school support and evidence-based programming and services to youth and families.

• Schedules and meets with clients’ weekly utilizing school visits and/ or home visits.

• Follows curriculum and program structure.

• Communicates effectively with team members, team supervisor, clients, families, treatment teams, school administrations, DCFS, and/or Juvenile Probation and case managers.

• Maintains accurate case files (physical and electronic).

• Provides reports to specified personnel including treatment team members, school administration, juvenile probation officers, juvenile case managers, and juvenile/family courts.

• Identify and provide services to referred youth while referring to appropriate resources.

• Engages in crisis response and provides service in prevention and intervention as needed.

• Attends weekly team meetings/case staffing. May be required to act as a trainer. May be required to attend national, state and local conferences regarding prevention and intervention efforts.

• Facilitates in providing schools and school administration with awareness, resources, presentations, and trainings.

• Ensures all activities comply with Salt Lake City Police Department policies and Promising Youth Project Code of Ethics.

• Mandatory duty to report any type of victim abuse, concerns of safety, or violation of laws.

• Participates and attends community council meetings in Salt Lake City and responds to emergency community meetings as needed.

• Acts as a bridge between the citizen, department, community, community agencies and other helping professionals to coordinate services and the best route of care for the person looking for assistance.

• Performs other duties as assigned.

  Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in Social or Behavioral Science or related field. Education and experience may be substituted on a year for year basis.

• Effective interpersonal skills, to work with individuals in crisis situations.

• Ability to communicate clearly and concisely, both orally and in writing.

• Knowledge of case management processes, peer court processes, juvenile judicial processes; prevention and early intervention, evidence-based curriculums, motivational interviewing, restorative justice practices; gang culture, local gang issues, and resources for victims of crimes.

• Network effectively with a variety of types of organizations, including government agencies, schools, social service agencies, law enforcement, courts/probations/corrections, grassroots organizations.

• Ability to exercise judgment regarding appropriate information sharing, confidentiality requirements, and human relations.

• Ability to set priorities and work independently in the absence of supervision.

• Skills to facilitate meetings, resolve conflicts, and build consensus.

• Ability to work effectively with diverse populations.

• Demonstrated knowledge and ability to use a personal computer and related software applications.

• Ability to travel from one work location to another.

  Desired Qualifications:

• Knowledge of “What Works Principles.”

• Knowledge of implementing evidence-based curriculum.

• Prior experience in a social service setting, at-risk youth prevention, and gang prevention.

Offers of employment are contingent on successful completion of a criminal background check in accordance with City and department policy and applicable law. Criminal offenses will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis and do not automatically disqualify a candidate from City employment.

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by persons assigned to this job. They are not intended to be an exhaustive list of all duties, responsibilities and skills required of personnel so classified.

All requirements are subject to possible modification to reasonably accommodate individuals with disabilities.

Position Salary Range:

Entry - $18.67

2 year - $20.00

4 year - $22.68

6 year - $24.00

8 year - $28.08

Department:

Police

Full Time/Part Time:

Full time

Scheduled Hours:

40

Need help applying? Please call our Recruitment team at 801-535-6699 or email careers@slc.gov .

BENEFITSFull-Time roles with Salt Lake City Corp are eligible for a generous, robust benefits package including:

• Health Insurance (95% of premium paid by city)

• HSA or Flex Account (HSA – City contributes $1,000 - $2,000 annually into account, no match required)

• Dental, Vision and Life Insurance

• City-paid retirement contributions toward a pension plan and/or 401(k)

• A robust Employee Assistance Plan (EAP)

• Up to $4,000 tuition reimbursement annually

• Discounted supplemental benefits like pet insurance and legal services

• Wellness clinic for employees and their families

Paid Time Off

• 12 vacation days to start

• 12 paid holidays & 1 personal holiday

• Up to 80 hours of personal leave annually

• 6 weeks of paid parental leave to all new parents

• Additional time off credit possible for rehires or new hires coming from another public jurisdiction

VETERAN EMPLOYER:

Salt Lake City is proud to be a partner of the Utah Patriot Program, providing employment opportunities for Veterans, Military and spouses. We are also a proud National Service Partner.

ABOUT SALT LAKE CITY CORP

Our Salt Lake City family serves a population of over 200,000. As an Equal Opportunity Employer, the City is committed to providing resources, access, and opportunity to all and continue to recruit and retain talented people from all backgrounds. Our employees make a real difference with the work they do every day and are actively shaping our beautiful City's future.

We aspire to shape a better community and workplace, and as such, we are committed to pay equity. We are proud to have achieved gender pay equity as a leader in the Utah community by creating a workplace where there is equal opportunity for all.

The City is committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals. As part of this commitment, Salt Lake City will ensure that persons with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodations. If reasonable accommodation is needed to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and/or to receive other benefits and privileges of employment, please contact Human Resources at 801-535-7900.