Climate Careers - Youth Development Specialist (Stockton)

Job Opening: Youth Development Specialist (YDS) - Stockton

Ready to Apply?

Fill out the online application here: https://risingsun.tfaforms.net/43

About Us

We’re deeply rooted at the intersection of equity, climate, and good, sustainable careers.

In 1994, Rising Sun Center for Opportunity began as Rising Sun Energy Center in Santa Cruz, California. Much has changed as we’ve adapted and innovated to respond to the needs of our participants and communities, but today, we remain rooted in our origins, preparing people throughout the Bay Area and Central California who have been locked out of prosperity for good jobs and green pathways that offer economic equity and mobility while building a climate-resilient future for all.

Learn more about who we are

The Climate Careers Program

Our Climate Careers program offers a no-cost service, the Green House Call, to local households. Green House Calls consist of an energy and water audit and installations of energy- and water-saving devices. Climate Careers employs youth Energy Specialists, ages 15-24 from low-income households, to perform these audits and installations. Our innovative mission combines residential energy efficiency services with youth employment, development, and pathways to success.

Job Summary

The Youth Development Specialist (YDS) is responsible for supporting the Workforce Initiatives Manager with externship host recruitment, management of partner and industry relationships, securing hosts, and facilitating host orientations. In addition, the YDS directly supervises and supports a cohort of 9 youth, ages 15-24. The goal of the YDS is to help youth identify and overcome barriers to employment for the purpose of full program retention and participation. Additionally, the YDS will be responsible for the programmatic enrichment of participants through various forms of professional skills development, career planning, and externship placement.

The Youth Development Specialist reports directly to the Workforce Initiatives Manager and collaborates with the Regional Manager and Climate Careers team. YDS is expected to transition between different sets of responsibilities throughout the term of employment. Details are outlined in the Job Responsibilities section.

This position calls for someone who is organized and enthusiastic about case management and curriculum development. A successful Youth Development Specialist enjoys closely working and mentoring youth program participants and alumni.

Program Details (Pay, Office Locations & Schedule)

Youth Development Specialist pay: $24.50/hour, 40 hours/week (must be able to work some weekends)

• Monthly internet and phone reimbursements*: Phone-$30 dollars, Internet- $20 dollars
• Vehicle use reimbursement when traveling from the site office to clients’ homes or any other Rising Sun event location. Rising Sun reimburses mileage at the 2025 federal mileage rate determined by the IRS.
• Approximate site office location (for Summer In-Person GHC): South Stockton

1. Benefits Package Included: 5.23 bi-weekly accrued PTO, 4 Rest Days, 5 paid holidays, 2 floating holidays, 100% coverage of Medical, Dental, Vision insurance for employees, 50% coverage for dependents, Spring Health (mental health & coaching)

• Monthly phone reimbursements apply throughout your time with Rising Sun. Monthly internet reimbursements only apply for Fall work.
• Mileage reimbursements will only be offered for driving done solely for work-related purposes. For example, driving out from your assigned place of work (your assigned site office in the Summertime, home in the Fall time) to outreach events. Note that in the Summer, commuting between your home and your assigned site office does not qualify for reimbursement. Toll fees incurred as part of work travel are reimbursed.

Position Timeline

This position is from April 21, 2025 to November 21, 2025. Below outlines the job responsibilities within the duration of the position. There are different responsibilities, but we ask that all Youth Development Specialists commit to the entire duration of the program.

Job Responsibilities

Program Dates & Schedule (Green House Call Program): April 21st - August 8th, 2025

• Support the Regional Manager with late stages of pre-program youth hiring (paperwork completion, document verification, information relay, etc.)
• Assist the Workforce Initiatives Manager in securing meaningful and impactful externship placements for Central Valley region youth, which includes host recruitment, management of partner and industry relationships, securing hosts, and facilitating host orientations. The Central Valley region that Climate Careers focuses on includes Madera, Merced, and San Joaquin counties.
• Support the Regional Managers and co-Youth Development Specialists in the identification, planning, and implementation of career exploration workshops for the youth. Some examples include field trips, skill-building workshops, and/or speaker presentations.
• Collaborate with other YDS and Workforce Initiatives Manager to prepare for the delivery of Professional Development Workshops in the summer. Lead and facilitate weekly Youth Professional Development Workshops in assigned summer sites.
• Monitor the completion of professional portfolio deliverables (e.g. resume, cover letter, LinkedIn profile)and program evaluation surveys for each of the youth participants, in collaboration with Site Program Managers
• Develop trusting relationships and be a mentor to the youth program participants. Hold regular 1-1 meetings with each youth participant, focusing on empowering to overcome employment barriers and maintain program participation. Mobilize community, school, and family referrals to help youth access services and resources. Provide job search support and tailor individual career goals.
• Support the development of facilitation and presentation skills for youth in the LIFT (Leader in Field Training) program
• Maintain detailed and organized administrative reports of 1-1 meetings and services provided using Salesforce and other tools. Provide verbal reports of youth progress to supervisors.
• Support Workforce Initiatives Manager and Regional Manager in the externship application process, mock interview day, communication with hosts, extern’s barrier removal, and relevant tasks as needed.

Program Dates & Schedule (Green House Call Program): April 21st -August 8th, 40 hours a week

Paid Training & Mandated Reporter Training (Pre-Summer)

April 21st - April 25th

Monday-Friday

8:30am-5pm

Paid Summer Training

June 4th - June 13th

Monday-Friday

8:30am-5pm

Youth Paid Training

June 16th - June 20th

Monday-Friday

9am-4:30pm

Delivery of Professional Development Workshops to Youth

Mondays 8:30am-5pm And Fridays 10am-12pm

In-Person Green House Calls

June 17th - July 26th Tuesdays- Fridays 8:30am-5pm

(late days) July 16th & July 31st & August 1st 11:30am-8pm

Interview Day (in preparation for Externship)

Saturday, July 12th

YDS Training Retreat & Transition to Externship

August 5th - August 8th

Tuesday-Friday

9am-5:30pm

Program Dates & Schedule (Fall Externship & Taskforce Support): August 11th - November 21st, 2025

• Support transition and placement of youth to externship partners by working with Regional Manager and Workforce Initiatives Manager
• Communicate between all externship stakeholders (Youth participants, Hosts, Workforce Initiatives Manager) to gather feedback and trouble shoot any challenges
• Co-facilitate onboarding externship presentation for externs and facilitate the meet and greet meetings between the externs and host supervisors.
• Co-design and deliver professional development, eco-literacy, financial literacy workshops and monitor professional portfolio completion for each youth including externship program evaluation surveys
• Supervise and conduct 1-1 meetings with youth throughout the program to address any barriers to employment and support development of goals
• Other responsibilities as assigned by Workforce Initiatives Manager

Program Dates & Schedule (Fall Externship): August 11th - November 21st, 2025, 40 hours per week

Externship Placement Announcements

July 22nd

Transition Programs for Youth & Hosts (Orientation, meet & greet)

August 5th-August 8th

Taskforce Support

Oct 1st-Nov 8th

Youth’s Externship Placement Period with Host Partner

August 11th-November 21st

Youth Development Specialist Last Day

November 21st

As a Youth Development Specialist, you must:

• Adhere to all Rising Sun policies, including the Mandatory COVID-19 Vaccine Policy for Employees and Board of Directors
• Provide proof of COVID-19 primary series vaccinations by the start date of your employment, please refer to the CDC website if you are unsure of your status
  • Rising Sun will consider accommodations for disability, medical and/or religious reasons only. For more information on COVID-19 vaccinations, visit the CDC website.
• Adhere to public health safety regulations and/or best practices, including (but not limited to) wearing a mask in client homes
• Have a car, valid driver’s license, and motor vehicle insurance
• Be able to pass a motor vehicle record check with a safe driving record
• Be able to pass a criminal background check
• Stable phone access to make phone calls
• Be able to travel to and from assigned site offices and surrounding areas as needed for recruitment/outreach and in-person Youth Professional Development workshops.
• Be able to lift 25 pounds and walk up to half a mile at a time
• Be able to complete the virtual Mandated Reporter and Sexual Harassment Training within the first week of hire
• Maintain confidentiality of all program participants and all files and records pertaining to youth participants and clients

As a Youth Development Specialist, you are:

• An effective verbal and written communicator with strong customer service skills
• Comfortable engaging with the public and adapting a message for diverse audiences
• Passionate about youth development and/or education, with the compassion and empathy to work with youth from various backgrounds
• Comfortable training and teaching others in a virtual and in-person setting
• Able to foster a fun, energetic, and goal-oriented environment
• Able to seamlessly transition between the different stages of the program throughout the year
• Able to mentor, support, and supervise (during Externship) youth program participants, remove barriers, and address performance issues when appropriate
• Competent with the Google Suite and comfortable with database and information management
• Highly motivated to develop case management, managerial, and professional skills

As a Youth Development Specialist, it would be great if you:

• Have experience in youth development, education, management, sustainability, and/or community engagement and outreach
• Are bilingual in Spanish, Hmong, Punjabi, Mandarin, Cantonese, Tagalog, Vietnamese, and/or other languages

Ready to Apply?

Fill out the online application here: https://risingsun.tfaforms.net/43

We are accepting applications on a rolling basis until all positions have been filled. If you have any questions, please contact us at ccjobs@risingsunopp.org

Rising Sun is an Equal Opportunity Employer

Rising Sun is committed to diversity and considers all applicants for all positions without regard to color, ethnic background, religion, sex, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, age, and disability status. Equal Opportunity Employer/Affirmative Action; women and individuals who are Black, indigenous, and/or people of color are encouraged to apply.