Youth Engagement Specialist-1 Jobs

Staff - Non Union

Job Category

Non Union Technicians and Research Assistants

Job Profile

Non Union Hourly - Research Assistant /Technician 3

Job Title

Youth Engagement Specialist-1

Department

Research | Jenkins Mental Health & Substance Use | School of Nursing | Faculty of Applied Science

Compensation Range

$24.51 - $28.95 CAD Hourly

Posting End Date

August 30, 2023

Note: Applications will be accepted until 11:59 PM on the day prior to the Posting End Date above.

Job End Date

Aug 31, 2024

At UBC, we believe that attracting and sustaining a diverse workforce is key to the successful pursuit of excellence in research, innovation, and learning for all faculty, staff and students. Our commitment to employment equity helps achieve inclusion and fairness, brings rich diversity to UBC as a workplace, and creates the necessary conditions for a rewarding career.

Job Summary

This Public Health Agency of Canada funded research project, Promoting adolescent mental health through policy: Refining and testing a multi-level intervention to promote individual and population mental health through youth-engaged policymaking, employs a “mental health promotion” framework to understand the processes that engage young people in the development of new policies to promote young peoples’ mental health outcomes. We are seeking an individual to fill a short-term position (12 months). The successful applicant will work in collaboration with the research team and facilitate a community-based program for youth aged 12-25 to build capacity to engage in policymaking processes. The Youth Engagement Specialist (YES) will bring expertise in developing content to support mental health promotion program goals, working with youth, facilitation, and policy advocacy.

Organizational Status

The YES will report directly to the PI, Emily Jenkins, Associate Professor, School of Nursing. The YES will also work directly with the Project Manager and members of the project Advisory Group and other provincial and national partners that may be involved.

Work Performed

• Effectively run and maintain the program facilitation and evaluation functions of the project.
• Contribute to the development of reports and publications based on these data.
• Evaluation
• Program Delivery
• Generate ideas, engage youth and adult allies, and develop knowledge translation strategies and then complete project activities governed by broad objectives and collaborative approaches.
• Work with the PI and Project Manager to revise the project work plan as needed to achieve project deliverables.
• Maintain program fidelity during delivery in multiple sites.
• Communication Strategy
• Track site recommendations regarding development and revision to additional program content tailored to the needs and interests of the sites, where needed.
• Assist with the training of community-based facilitators to support program.
• Assist with the administration of intervention evaluation, including data entry and analysis of evaluation data .
• Assist with the preparation and presentation of project progress for internal and external stakeholders
• Provide recommendations and assistance in the facilitation of the mental health promotion program for youth and engage community-based adult mentors through co-delivery of the program in various sites.
• Contribute to the development, including drafting, of project plans to disseminate project findings to youth and other stakeholder audiences

Consequence of Error/Judgement

• Derailment of work plan
• Damage to the reputation of any or all of the investigators and collaborators and/or their affiliated organizations
• Budget overages
• Loss of collaborative relationships and partnerships
• Compromising the quality of the program and research findings
• Overall project deadlines not being met

Supervision Received

The YES receives supervision from the Project Manager who reports to the PI or designate and works collaboratively with the research team. Performance is assessed against project and research objectives and established research and ethical standards.

Supervision Given

The YES may be responsible for supervision of 12 or more youth and community-based facilitators. Responsibilities include:

• Audit work regularly
• In collaboration with project team, support and supervise youth and adult facilitators to deliver the program in a variety of sites

Minimum Qualifications

Completion of a relevant technical program or a university degree in a relevant discipline and a minimum three years of related experience or an equivalent combination of education and experience.

• Demonstrates a commitment to enhancing one’s own awareness, knowledge, and skills related to equity, diversity, and inclusion
• Willingness to respect diverse perspectives, including perspectives in conflict with one’s own

Preferred Qualifications

Demonstrated expertise in youth engagement and facilitation is essential.

Experience working with marginalized youth is an asset.

Undergraduate degree in Health or Social Sciences discipline or 5 years equivalent combination of education and experience.

Expertise in mental health promotion, community development, communications or knowledge translation for community and youth audiences is an asset.

Ability to communicate effectively verbally and in writing is required.

Computer skills, including some knowledge of digital platforms such as WordPress, and multimedia production would be an asset.

Self-directed with excellent people, organizational and time management skills.

Ability to explain, assign, and monitor work.

Demonstrated ability to provide supervision and solve problems.