Youth Development Specialist

Youth Development Specialists under supervision, and with limited latitude for the exercise of independent judgment and initiative, work as part of an interdisciplinary team to provide secure, safe care, and skill- based therapeutic interventions for pre-adjudicated and post-adjudicated youth in juvenile detention facilities and other ACS operated or managed juvenile justice facilities and programs. Youth Development Specialists facilitate youth learning of pro-social, academic, and vocational skills; mentor and guide youth individually and in groups; use a behavior management system to shape youth behavior, and encourage youth as they develop; encourage youth and family communication; build rapport with families to help them with their children; advocate for youth and their families; facilitate youth group meetings in the residential unit and elsewhere; address conflicts with crisis intervention methods such as verbal de-escalation, reframing strategies, and physical de-escalation techniques, using the least amount of physical intervention necessary; may serve as part of a rapid response team to respond to emergency situations; work with youth gangs and provide remediation activities; provide anti-bullying and violence reduction intervention; assist in the development of individualized and group treatment, programming, and safety plans; provide supervision, structure and guidance to youth, in all settings, follow all health protocols and safety and security protocols such as those concerning searches, headcounts, bed checks, visual observations of each youth, youth rooms, and other youth-occupied areas to ensure facility safety and security, intervention in volatile situations, the use of restraints, and others; conduct searches, establish ground rules and maintain protocols for the residential unit; reinforce youth behavior to support safety protocols, and assess youth’s needs and risks and develop individualized safety plans; work with teachers and youth to support youth academic achievement; facilitate, engage and support youth in all activities, including school, wakeup and bedtime routines, meals, chores, recreation, religious services, court preparation, court attendance, family visits, health care visits and other activities as necessary; observe youth closely and record observations; complete required reports on attendance, incidents, and behavior observations; participate in youth admission and orientation processes; provide feedback to supervisors and managers to improve policies and procedures and complete special projects, as needed; may accompany youth to court appearances and allay youth’s anxieties; drive transport vehicles and ensure youth safety in vehicles and court detention rooms; apply mechanical restraints during transport, in court detention rooms and in emergency situations as necessary; escort and accompany youth throughout the facility, including up and down flights of stairs, while maintaining order and ensuring safety; provide oversight and supervision of youth during meals, recreational programs and other activities, often standing and moving from post to post and/or interacting with youth for extended periods of time. All Youth Development Specialists perform related work.
Special Working Conditions:
Youth Development Specialists are required to work shifts to cover the 24 hours/7 days a week operation of juvenile detention facilities, including overnights, Saturdays, Sundays, holidays and mandatory overtime. Juvenile detention facilities are located in the Bronx and Brooklyn. Courts are located in all five boroughs. Locations and shift assignments are based on the needs of the agency. Some of the physical activities performed by Youth Development Specialists and environmental conditions experienced are: using physical restraint techniques as appropriate; restraining youths if the situation warrants it; attending, participating in and passing Safe Crisis Management (SCM) training as well as

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How To Qualify:
You may be given the test before we verify your qualifications. It is your responsibility to ensure that you meet the education and experience requirements for the examination before submitting your application. If you are deemed "Not Qualified," your application fee will not be refunded and you will not receive an Admission Notice or score. As per Section 54(2) of the Civil Service Law, the education requirement needed to qualify must be met by November 25, 2027. The experience requirement needed to qualify must be met by the last day of the Application Period (November 25, 2026).

Education And Experience Requirements:
1. A four-year high school diploma or its educational equivalent and one of the following:
a. one year of full-time satisfactory experience working directly with juveniles or young adults (ages 10-24) in juvenile detention, education, vocational rehabilitation or education, antiviolence work, mental health, counseling, mentoring, youth/young adult leadership development, recreation, sports or athletics, health promotion, community organizing, and/or closely related activities; or
b. one year of full-time satisfactory experience working in security or public safety in one of the
following settings:
i. an educational setting, for example as a school safety agent, or;
ii. in juvenile or young adult detention, or;
iii. in a community services setting which primarily serves juveniles and young adults (ages 10-24); or
c. one year of full-time satisfactory experience working in a health or human services field such as mental health, counseling, nursing, life or career coaching, casework, social work, probation, congregate care, physical fitness, or sports training; or
d. one year of honorable full-time United States military service commanding service members; or
2. An associate degree from an accredited college or university or completion of 60 semester credits of study at an accredited college or university, including or supplemented by six months of full-time satisfactory experience as described in "1 a, b, or c" above; or
3. A baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university; or
4. A satisfactory combination of education and/or experience equivalent to the above; academic coursework in social work, counseling, education, recreation, criminal justice, psychology, biology, sociology, human services, or a closely related field may be substituted for experience as described in "1. a, b, or c" above at the rate of 12 semester credits from an accredited college or university for 6 months of experience; however, all candidates must possess a four-year high school diploma or its educational equivalent.
Notes:
Experience described in 1 “a” & “c” above can include internships, volunteer work, athletic programs, or closely related experience. Verifiable experience working as a correction officer in a facility specifically assigned to juveniles or young adults (ages 10 to 24) may be qualifying under “1b” above; however' experience as a correction officer working with an adult population (over age 24) is not qualifying. If you were educated outside the United States, you must have your foreign education evaluated to determine its equivalence to education obtained in the United States. This is required only if you need credit for your foreign education in this examination. For more information, see the Foreign Education Evaluation Guide in the Required Information section. During the Education and Experience Exam (EEE), you will get instructions on converting part-time experience to the full-time equivalent. You must final submit your Education and Experience Exam in OASys by midnight Eastern time on the last day of the Application Period, and once you Final Submit, no changes can be made. Failure to click Final Submit by the deadline will result in an incomplete application, and you will not receive a score or a refund of the application fee. Medical Requirement: Medical guidelines have been estab

The multiple-choice test will be given at a computer terminal. Your score on this test will be used to determine your place on an eligible list. You must achieve a score of at least 70% to pass the test. The multiple-choice test is designed to assess the extent to which candidates have certain knowledge and abilities determined to be important to the performance of the tasks of a Youth Development Specialist. Task areas to be tested are as follows: Coordination with fellow staff, correspondence and supervision duties. The test may include questions requiring the use of any of the following abilities: Attention to Detail: Being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks. Example: A Youth Development Specialist generates accurate reports, including logbooks and one-to-one group logs. Coaching and Mentoring: Identifying the developmental needs of others and coaching, mentoring, or otherwise helping others to improve their knowledge or skills. Example: A Youth Development Specialist conducts a 1-on-1 session with a resident to discuss the resident's well-being. Conflict Resolution: Negotiating with others to resolve grievances or conflicts and handling complaints by developing a constructive solution. Example: A Youth Development Specialist prevents residents from causing harm to themselves or others and mediates various types of conflicts in order to minimize the likelihood of further altercations.

Information Ordering: The ability to follow correctly a rule or set of rules or actions in a certain order. The rule or set of rules must be given. The things or actions to be put in order can include numbers, letters, words, pictures, procedures, sentences and mathematical or logical operations. Example: A Youth Development Specialist coordinates the movement of residents during fire drills in a specific order/location based on which dorm/hall the resident occupies. Judgment & Decision-Making: Reviewing information to evaluate options and make decisions. Example: A Youth Development Specialist evaluates a youth's behavior, emotional state and surrounding circumstances to determine whether to engage youth, give youth space or engage in deescalation techniques. Monitoring: Monitoring/assessing performance of oneself, other individuals or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action; overseeing the quality of performance. Example: A Youth Development Specialist develops methods that allow residents and fellow staff members to accomplish daily tasks more effectively. Problem Sensitivity: The ability to tell when something is wrong or likely to go wrong. It includes being able to identify the whole problem, as well as elements of the problem. Example: A Youth Development Specialist recognizes oppositional/questionable body language such as gang sign calls and attitude changes. Teamwork: Developing mutual trust and cooperation while working together toward the accomplishment of a common goal or outcome. Example: A Youth Development Specialist builds a cooperative relationship with residents based on mutual trust and encourages task completion by promoting rewards (e.g.,STRIVE points). Written Comprehension: The ability to understand written words and paragraphs. Example: A Youth Development Specialist interprets and understands documents detailing policies, procedures and mental health care plans. Written Expression: The ability to use English words or sentences in writing so that others will understand. Example: A Youth Development Specialist produces clear and concise incident and behavioral observation reports, tally point sheets, log books, security sheets, emails.

City residency is not required for this position.