INFORMATION FOR VOLUNTEERS

Volunteers are a very important component in the shelter community. Volunteers may have opportunities for impacting the youth personally as they serve as tutors, mentors, activity directors, music and visual art instructors, and more.  These one-on-one times are often the point of most personal connection and therefore hold great potential for developing a vision that gives hope for the future.
 Volunteers will receive basic orientation and training and will participate in helping to frame the youth’s action plan.  If you are interested in being a volunteer with Youth Empowerment Shelter, contact us at yesyouth17@gmail.com, or call (541) 705-4777 and talk to the on duty staff member.  You will need to complete an application and give references.  Volunteers, like all staff, must be able to pass a background check and a drug test.
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Volunteer Opportunities

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o  Mentor - Spend time with individual youth, developing a friendship and guiding them as they pursue their futures.
o  Assist with fundraising events, i.e., help at outreach booths during community 'festivals. 
o   House chores, like repairs, improvements
o   Yard work, gardening.
o   Supplemental staff positions; training and equipping will be provided.
o  Interacting with the resident youth in individual and group settings for tutoring, crafts, cooking, outdoor activities, mentoring and others.
Background checks are required for 1:1 participation with youth.

Items we need:
Shampoo
​Bedding for single beds (new please!)
Bath towels
Basket ball
​Patio table
Free standing wire shelves - 5 ft tall, 3 ft long
Head phones (over ear)
Shoe gift cards
Non-stick pans
Underwear- male and female- medium and large sizes
Basketball/Gym Shorts- male and female- medium and large sizes (1 of each in size small would be appreciated, too)
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EMPLOYMENT OPENINGS -
​Now Hiring - Part Time Weekend Youth Supervisor/Fill In and Full Time Personal Advisor/Community Health Worker

Weekend Youth Supervisor and Fill In
Do you like working with youth ages 10-18? Do you like helping youth reach their goals and to learn new things?  Do you like doing activities or just staying around the house and watching a movie or playing a card game or working on a puzzle with youth? Well, then we have the job for you.
Regular shifts for the weekend position will be Saturday and Sunday 8 hours/shift, scheduling is flexible; and to be a fill in staff member as needed if another staff member calls in sick or requests time off. There is a weekly staff meeting, currently on Zoom on Thursdays from 8AM-9:30 AM.

Personal Advisor/Community Health Worker position is 32-40 hours per week and has a lot of the same duties. Community Health Worker will work in the Bridges 2 Health program and be certified after training. 

Job Duties:
Supervise youth who can be aged 10-18 years old in their daily activities. Help with homework if needed. Teach independent living skills (life skills) like cooking, household chores, time management, laundry, personal hygiene, interpersonal communication skills, money management, etc. Mediate conversations among youth as needed. Insure that visitors are Covid free, the health questions are answered and that all visitors wear a mask. Manage the preparing of evening meal (if working swing shift), breakfast (if day shift) and snacks. Follow all directives and guidelines for food handling according to the Oregon Food Bank and Health Department. Keep accurate incident reports. Serve as a role model, demonstrating positive interpersonal skills and youth development strategies. Assist with educational, employment and service needs. Take youth to do activities like hiking, to the movies, Farmer’s Market, swimming, etc. Contribute to the smooth management of the shelter, which may include assuming other duties as assigned.
  
General Requirements of a Youth Empowerment Shelter employee:
Maintain confidentiality of youth within the Y.E.S. program. Work as a team with coworkers in serving all resident youth. Attend staff meeting once/week. Demonstrate thorough understanding of agency policies and procedures. Attend all mandatory trainings. Accurately record and share with other staff all information regarding youth care and interaction on your shift. 

ALL SHELTER STAFF ARE MANDATORY REPORTERS
Upon hire, must participate in training and receive certification in:
Food Handler’s Card, CPR/ First Aid Training, CPI (non-violent crisis intervention training), Youth Mental Health First Aid, Med Pass Sanitation, Trauma Informed Care, other trainings as required.
Qualifying Requirements:
Pass Criminal History Background Check, Pass drug test, Possess valid Driver’s License/car insurance and have reliable transportation. If interested in the position of Weekend Youth Supervisor and Fill In, please either email or call us at executivedirector@yeshelter.org and 541-705-4777.
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​Recommended Reading

• Almost Home, by Kevin Ryan & Tina Kelly, 2012 - Inside the lives of homeless teens; moving stories of pain and hope from Covenant House.​
• To the End of June, by Chris Beam,  2013 - The intimate life of American foster care.  -  A New York Times notable book of the year.
• Breaking Night: A Memoir of Forgiveness, Survival and My Journey from Homelessness to Harvard, by Liz Murray, 2011.​
• All God's Children, by Rene Denfeld, 2007 - Inside the dark and violent world of street families in Portland, OR.