Youthlink Activity Specialist - Life Skills (Edward Byrne Center)

Who we are: The Police Athletic League (PAL) of New York City is an independent youth development nonprofit organization and has been a vibrant and vital institution, serving as an effective, critical bridge between police and communities across all five boroughs of the City since 1914. PAL operates diverse programs for children as young as 2 years old to young adults, including Head Start, after-school programs, summer day camps, evening teen centers, college readiness programs, youth employment, and juvenile justice programs. A cornerstone of our youth development strategy includes offering competitive and recreational sports for children of all ages.

About the role

We are looking for Part Time Life Skills Activity Specialists who are responsible for facilitating high-quality social-emotional learning and wellness programming that supports the personal growth, resilience, and overall well-being of high school youth. Specialists will deliver stress management and wellness workshops using NYC Department of Health designed curriculum and create supportive spaces where teens can develop coping strategies, strengthen self-awareness, and build healthy relationships. They will provide mentorship and follow-up support to youth experiencing challenges related to stress, anxiety, depression, or other social-emotional concerns, while working closely with program leadership and appropriate support systems.

The Youthlink Activity Specialist will report to the Teen Supervisor and be supported by the Youthlink Director.

Responsibilities

• Foster social and emotional competencies and mental and physical well-being in a safe, welcoming, inclusive, and nurturing environment.
• Facilitate stress management, wellness, and life skills workshops using NYC Department of Health-designed curriculum and other approved social-emotional learning resources to support youth resilience, coping skills, and overall well-being.
• Collaborate with program staff, school personnel, mental health professionals, and community partners to support youth wellness, maintain appropriate documentation, and ensure programming reflects the needs of participating teens.
• Be aware of students with IEPs and medical conditions in your groups and follow support plans to help the student with special needs to thrive.
• Respond appropriately when time-sensitive mental health services are needed such as suicide prevention, grief, and loss due to death or incarceration of a family member.
• Provide referrals to appropriate mental health services as needed.
• Work cooperatively with Group Leaders, professional staff, teachers, and other Program and school staff.
• Build positive relationships with youth and caretakers and serve as a role model with respect to demeanor, communication, and behavior.
• Attend meetings with staff, caretakers, volunteers, and community residents as needed.
• Interact with caretakers and keep open lines of communication.

Schedule

• Able to work 15 hours per week (Tuesday to Saturday, 3 hours a day).
• Able to attend 15 hours of orientation prior to the beginning of programming and complete 30 hours of Building Resiliency in Youth training.
• Able to attend scheduled staff meetings, DOH coaching meetings, and professional development throughout the year.

Start Date: September 7th, 2026

Requirements

• High school diploma or equivalent required; candidates must be currently enrolled in college coursework in Psychology, Social Work, Counseling, Human Services, Education, Public Health, or a related field.
• Minimum of two years of experience working with high school-aged youth in after-school, mentoring, educational, community-based, or youth development settings preferred.
• Knowledge of adolescent development, social-emotional learning, mental health awareness, and youth wellness practices.
• Experience facilitating workshops, group discussions, or activities focused on stress management, coping skills, wellness, or personal development preferred.
• Good communication skills and ability to work collaboratively.
• Bi-lingual in Spanish, French, or Chinese preferred.
• Open to learning and growing. All staff will be learning mental health, SEL, and special needs inclusion skills and expected to integrate them into programming.

Pay

The range for this role is $20-25.75 an hour.

Benefits

PAL offers a comprehensive benefits package which includes:

• Health insurance
• Flexible spending account options
• Employee assistance program
• Tuition reimbursement
• Pet insurance
• Life insurance
• Retirement savings options
• Generous paid time off policy
• Training and more