Youth Empowerment Program Opportunities

Full-Time & Part-Time Opportunities
Onsite: Albion & Battle Creek, Michigan

At Starr Commonwealth, we like to say "there is no such thing as a bad child" because we believe every young person has strengths, potential, and the capacity for growth.

We are seeking people who are passionate about building meaningful relationships with young people and fostering their growth.

Rather than recruiting for one specific position, we are building a pool of candidates for multiple current and upcoming opportunities across Starr's youth-serving programs in Calhoun County. Depending on your experience, strengths, interests, availability, and program needs, opportunities may involve recreation and group-based programming, individual coaching and case support, school and community engagement, or new youth programs currently in development.

While the day-to-day work may look different across programs, one thing is consistent: relationships come first!
Our team members don't simply supervise young people or stand on the sidelines. They get involved. They start conversations. They learn what young people care about. They play the game, facilitate the activity, ask questions, listen, encourage, challenge, and create opportunities for young people to recognize their strengths and imagine new possibilities for themselves.

The ideal candidate is a mentor, facilitator, coach, and positive adult presence who genuinely enjoys connecting with adolescents and young adults and can remain grounded, flexible, and relationship-focused when working with youth experiencing adversity, disengagement, challenging behaviors, or complex circumstances.

Responsibilities

Depending on the program and position, responsibilities may include:

Youth Engagement & Relationship Building:

• Build authentic, supportive relationships with adolescents and young adults.
• Serve as a mentor, role model, and consistent positive adult presence.
• Actively engage young people who may initially be hesitant, guarded, disengaged, or unsure about participating.
• Learn about each young person's strengths, interests, goals, experiences, and motivations.
• Support youth in developing confidence, resilience, communication skills, healthy decision-making, and a stronger sense of belonging.
• Maintain appropriate professional boundaries while balancing empathy, encouragement, and accountability.

Activities & Group Facilitation

• Plan, lead, and participate in engaging recreational, educational, relationship-building, and youth-development activities.
• Facilitate games, group discussions, workshops, skill-building activities, and other structured programming.
• Adapt activities and approaches based on the interests, abilities, energy, and needs of the youth participating.
• Create an environment where young people feel welcomed, included, supported, and encouraged to participate.
• Help manage group dynamics while modeling respectful communication, emotional regulation, and problem-solving.

Coaching & Individual Support:
Some opportunities may include more individualized work with a smaller caseload of youth or young adults, including:

• Build ongoing coaching relationships with assigned participants.
• Help youth identify goals, strengths, barriers, resources, and next steps.
• Facilitate individual and group coaching sessions.
• Support youth in navigating school, employment, community resources, and other systems.
• Coordinate and communicate with schools, families, community partners, and other youth-serving professionals as appropriate.
• Maintain required program documentation and follow-up.

Team & Program Support

• Work collaboratively as part of an interconnected team while independently managing assigned responsibilities.
• Communicate effectively with colleagues and program leadership about youth needs, program activities, concerns, and opportunities.
• Remain flexible as programming, schedules, participant needs, and organizational priorities evolve.
• Contribute ideas and take initiative rather than waiting to be directed through every interaction or activity.
• Participate in training, meetings, events, and other program responsibilities as assigned.

Requirements

Required Qualifications

• High school diploma or GED.
• Experience working with adolescents and/or young adults through employment, education, recreation, coaching, mentoring, residential care, behavioral support, community programs, volunteer work, or another relevant setting.
• Demonstrated ability and genuine desire to build relationships with young people.
• Ability to actively initiate conversations, activities, and engagement rather than relying on youth to make the first move.
• Ability to remain calm and manage your own emotions when a young person is frustrated, disengaged, challenging, or having a difficult day.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to work effectively as part of a team while also being self-directed and taking initiative.
• Dependable, adaptable, creative, and comfortable working in a dynamic program environment.
• Valid driver's license and ability to meet applicable driving requirements.
• Ability to work onsite in Albion and/or Battle Creek based on program assignment.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience facilitating recreational activities, games, groups, workshops, classes, practices, or other structured activities for youth.
• Experience supporting youth experiencing adversity, behavioral challenges, disengagement, crisis, or other complex circumstances.
• Experience in youth development, education, recreation, mentoring, coaching, social services, residential programming, behavioral health, or community-based programming.
• Experience working within or navigating school systems and community resources.
• Experience providing individual coaching, case support, goal planning, or resource navigation.
• Associate's or bachelor's degree in education, social work, psychology, human services, recreation, or a related field.

A bachelor's degree is not required. Starr recognizes that meaningful experience with young people can come from many different settings and career paths.

Benefits

Onsite Programming: These are onsite, youth-facing positions supporting programs in Calhoun County. Depending on program assignment, employees may work primarily in Albion, Battle Creek, or between both communities.

Some programs operate across both locations at different times of the year, so the ability to travel between Albion and Battle Creek may be required.

Work Environment: This position involves active, in-person work with youth and may require standing and walking for extended periods; bending, stooping, crouching, and reaching; participating in recreational and group activities; lifting or carrying program materials weighing up to 25 pounds; and navigating indoor and outdoor environments.

Schedule:

• Opportunities may be full-time or part-time and may be hourly or salaried, depending on the specific position and program.
• Schedules vary by program. Some opportunities primarily operate during daytime or traditional weekday hours, while others may require regular evening and/or weekend availability.

Candidates will have an opportunity during the application and interview process to identify their availability, preferred schedule, and the types of youth programming that most interest them.

Application Process
You do not need to know which Starr program or position is the right fit before applying!
Tell us about your experience, strengths, interests, and availability, and together we'll explore where you may be able to make the greatest impact.

Our full application is located on our company website here: https://starrcommonwealth.careers.hibob.com/jobs

The full application will provide us with the most information to make an informed decision about whether to proceed with your candidacy.

Thank you for your interest in Starr Commonwealth!