BACKGROUND
REST exists to expand pathways to freedom, safety and hope in order to end sex trafficking. REST offers programs that are centered on the strengths, needs and individual choices of each survivor we serve. We offer a continuum of care that includes outreach, a 24/7 hotline, community advocates, a drop-in center, an economic empowerment program, emergency shelter, residential program, and housing services. We are inspired by our faith as a Christian organization, are dedicated to serving people of all faith backgrounds, and do not require faith engagement. Our culture is influenced by our values of belonging, honor, trustworthiness, and tenacity.
All applicants will be considered for employment without attention to race, color, sexual orientation, national origin, veteran or disability status. This position is open to cisgender and transgender females as the primary work location is for women only. As a Christian organization, this position must work in harmony with the organization’s statement of faith and support the spiritual health of the organization.
ROLE SUMMARY
The Youth Prevention Outreach & Community Engagement Specialist is a community-based prevention and early-intervention role focused on reaching young people who may be experiencing, or are at increased risk of, commercial sexual exploitation (CSE). The Specialist conducts intentional outreach in schools, middle and high schools, alternative education settings, youth programs, community spaces, and geographic areas where youth may face increased vulnerability to exploitation. Through consistent presence and relationship-building, the Specialist creates opportunities for youth to access trusted adults, practical resources, safety information, and support before or during experiences of exploitation.
Using a trauma-informed, youth-centered, culturally responsive, and harm-reduction approach, the Specialist provide age-appropriate prevention education and resources related to commercial sexual exploitation, grooming and recruitment tactics, healthy relationships, online and social media safety, boundaries, consent, personal safety, and how to seek help for themselves or a peer. The Specialist also provides education, resources, and consultation to schools, community partners, and youth-serving professionals to strengthen their ability to recognize potential indicators of exploitation, safely engage youth, and connect young people to appropriate services.
The Specialist serves as a key bridge between community outreach and direct intervention services. Working closely with REST’s Outreach Team, Crisis Team, and Youth Intervention Advocate, the Specialist identifies youth who may benefit from additional support, builds trust and engagement, and facilitates a warm handoff to the Youth Intervention Advocate when individualized advocacy or case management is needed. This is an outreach, prevention, education, and engagement position, not an intensive case management role. The Specialist also develops and maintains strong partnerships with schools and youth-serving organizations to expand REST’s presence, strengthen referral pathways, identify emerging community needs, and increase access to CSE prevention and intervention services.
RESPONSIBILITIES
YOUTH OUTREACH & ENGAGEMENT
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Maintain a consistent, visible, and trusted presence in priority outreach areas throughout Seattle, including the Aurora corridor, middle and high schools, alternative education settings, youth programs, community spaces, and other locations where youth may be experiencing or at increased risk of commercial sexual exploitation (CSE).
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Conduct scheduled and responsive field-based outreach in coordination with REST’s Outreach Team and community partners.
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Engage youth using trauma-informed, relationship-based, trust-first, culturally responsive, and harm-reduction approaches that respect youth voice, choice, and autonomy.
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Build ongoing relationships with youth through consistent presence and follow-up rather than relying solely on one-time outreach encounters.
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Identify youth who may be experiencing exploitation, grooming, unsafe relationships, housing instability, or other circumstances that increase vulnerability to CSE and create opportunities for further support.
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Provide youth with immediate prevention resources, harm-reduction tools, safety information, basic-needs resources, and information about available services.
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Help youth identify trusted adults, supportive resources, and strategies they can use to increase their safety.
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Participate in community events, school activities, youth programs, and other engagement opportunities that increase REST’s accessibility and visibility among young people.
PREVENTION EDUCATION & COMMUNITY AWARENESS
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Develop and deliver engaging, developmentally appropriate prevention education for youth on topics including commercial sexual exploitation, grooming and recruitment tactics, healthy and unhealthy relationships, boundaries, consent, online and social media safety, personal safety, and how to seek help for themselves or a peer.
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Assist Outreach Supervisor in creating workshops, small groups, classroom presentations, and informal educational activities to facilitate in schools, youth programs, community organizations, and other youth-centered environments.
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Provide education and resources to parents, caregivers, educators, youth-serving professionals, and community partners to strengthen their ability to recognize potential indicators of exploitation and respond appropriately.
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Promote responses to exploitation that prioritize youth safety, dignity, support, and connection to services rather than punitive or stigmatizing approaches.
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Adapt prevention messaging and engagement strategies based on youth age, developmental needs, cultural context, community trends, and emerging methods of recruitment or exploitation.
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Support the development and distribution of youth-friendly prevention materials, resource guides, outreach materials, and other tools that make safety information accessible and relevant to young people.
EARLY IDENTIFICATION & REFERRALS
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Recognize indicators that a young person may be experiencing or at increased risk of commercial sexual exploitation and determine when additional assessment or intervention is appropriate.
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Introduce youth to available REST services in a transparent, non-coercive manner and support young people in making informed decisions about accepting additional assistance.
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Complete referrals to the Youth Intervention Advocate when a youth needs individualized advocacy, safety planning, case management, or ongoing stabilization support.
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Remain engaged during the transition to the Youth Intervention Advocate when appropriate so youth experience continuity of relationship and are not simply referred to an unfamiliar provider.
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Coordinate with REST’s Crisis Team when a young person presents with immediate or escalating safety concerns requiring crisis assessment or intervention.
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Follow up on referrals as appropriate to help reduce barriers to successful service connection.
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Understand and fulfill mandated reporting responsibilities in accordance with Washington State law
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and REST policy while using a trauma-informed approach to communicate reporting obligations and next steps to youth.
COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP & OUTREACH
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Develop and maintain an ongoing community outreach map identifying youth-serving resources, schools, high-risk locations, service gaps, referral sources, and emerging areas of concern across priority Seattle communities.
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Use outreach observations, referral trends, partner information, and community feedback to help determine where targeted outreach and prevention activities are most needed.
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Build and maintain collaborative relationships with schools, youth-serving organizations, violence prevention and intervention programs, healthcare and behavioral health providers, housing programs, culturally specific organizations, child welfare, juvenile justice, law enforcement and first responders, and other community partners.
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Introduce community partners to REST’s Youth CSE Initiative and establish clear, accessible pathways for consultation, referrals, and warm handoffs.
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Conduct regular partner outreach and relationship-building to strengthen REST’s presence within the broader youth-serving system.
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Represent REST at relevant community meetings, school meetings, coalitions, task forces, neighborhood events, and collaborative initiatives.
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Identify gaps and barriers affecting youth access to services and elevate emerging needs and partnership opportunities to the Outreach Supervisor.
DOCUMENTATION
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Maintain timely and accurate documentation of outreach contacts, youth engagement, prevention activities, referrals, warm handoffs, and other required program activities.
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Track school and community outreach activities, partner engagement, workshops, presentations, and other program outputs required for grant and organizational reporting.
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Document referral sources and outcomes to help REST understand how youth are entering and moving through the CSE Initiative.
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Identify and communicate emerging outreach patterns, geographic hot spots, recruitment or exploitation trends, service gaps, and safety concerns to the Outreach Supervisor and appropriate program leadership.
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Participate in supervision, team meetings, case consultation, training, program evaluation, and continuous quality-improvement activities.
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Maintain youth confidentiality and ensure documentation and information sharing comply with REST policies, grant requirements, mandated reporting obligations, and applicable laws.
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Maintain professional boundaries and uphold REST’s commitment to survivor-centered, trauma-informed, and equitable services.
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Participate in required training related to commercial sexual exploitation, trauma, adolescent development, crisis intervention, mandated reporting, safety planning, and other relevant topics.
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Follow all organizational policies related to youth safety, confidentiality, mandated reporting, documentation, and professional conduct.
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Perform other duties related to the Youth CSE Initiative as assigned.
QUALIFICATIONS
The successful candidate must believe in the core values of REST and be driven by the mission. Beyond that, we are seeking a candidate with proven experience in working with vulnerable populations.
Required
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Comfort conducting outreach in unstructured and community-based environments, including schools, community spaces, neighborhood settings, and locations where youth may be experiencing increased vulnerability.
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Ability to communicate complex or sensitive topics in an engaging, developmentally appropriate, and nonjudgmental manner with middle and high school-aged youth.
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Advanced interpersonal and communication skills with the ability to effectively engage youth, families, school personnel, community partners, service providers, and multidisciplinary professionals.
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Ability to recognize potential safety concerns, maintain appropriate professional boundaries, and exercise sound judgment regarding when additional intervention, consultation, or crisis support is needed.
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Integrity, professionalism, reliability, and sound independent judgment while working in the community and away from direct onsite supervision.
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Ability to work collaboratively as part of a multidisciplinary team while understanding the distinction between outreach/prevention, crisis response, and ongoing case management.
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Must be willing and able to successfully complete a pre-employment drug screening and national background check, in accordance with applicable laws and REST’s employment policies.
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Commitment to culturally responsive and inclusive services and the ability to work effectively with youth from diverse racial, cultural, socioeconomic, gender, and lived-experience backgrounds.
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Willingness and ability to fulfill mandated reporting responsibilities and other youth safety requirements in accordance with Washington State law and organizational policy.
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Alignment with REST’s mission and organizational values, and willingness to work in harmony with the organization’s Statement of Faith.
Preferred
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Demonstrated experience engaging and building trusting relationships with youth, particularly youth who may be experiencing housing instability, violence, exploitation, system involvement, or other barriers to safety and stability.
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Demonstrated relationship-building and community-networking ability, with a track record of establishing trust across diverse settings, communities, and populations.
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Experience in or familiarity with youth outreach, youth development, violence prevention, community engagement, school-based services, social services, behavioral health, homelessness services, or a related field.
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Ability to engage youth using relationship-based, trust-first, trauma-informed, strengths-based, and harm-reduction approaches.
CORE COMPETENCIES
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Youth engagement and developmentally appropriate practice
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Cultural responsiveness and cultural humility
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Relationship building and partner management
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Follow-through and personal accountability
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Safety awareness and situational judgment in the field
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Community collaboration and representation
SCHEDULE
40 hours/week. This position typically works Monday through Friday. Occasional on call and outside hours may be required. Some holidays may be required, and some seasons may require more than 40 hours/week.
LOCATION
This position is based out of REST’s office is located in South Seattle but must be able to meet clients throughout King County and the region.
COMPENSATION
The pay rate for this position is $28.00/hour.
BENEFITS
This position is eligible for all benefits offered to full-time non-exempt employees. This currently starts at up to 15 days (120 hours) of accrued vacation, 10 days of accrued sick time, 12 holidays, 100% employer-paid medical/dental/vision premiums for the employee, one paid mental health hour each week, and a 403b retirement plan.
JOB CONDITIONS
This position encounters a variety of daily work situations, including complex situations that require immediate attention and decision making. There may be both routine and complex interpersonal interactions to navigate with care and thoughtfulness. Processes may change based on changing needs of the organization, new technology, or new ideas for efficiency. Position operates as part of a team and engages in on-site work that may require time spent sitting, standing, walking up and down stairs, driving, transporting items. Position works under occasional time constraints to meet objectives, and performs computer work, including using a keyboard, looking at a screen, using the internet, email, phone, and video conference.
