Youth ERA is an Oregon-based non-profit that creates lasting positive change in the lives of young people and the systems that serve them. By uniting a diverse collective of young adults and organizations around innovative solutions, Youth Era impacts thousands each year. The work we do is fueled by a deep sense of dedication to our staff, the young people we serve, and the system partners we collaborate with, who give their time and voices to empower young lives and improve our communities.

Every day, our team creates positive change in countless ways. Whether we're providing one-on-one support to a young person in need, developing programs and resources that help young people thrive, or working with system partners to create change at a broader level, we're driven by our mission to empower and uplift the next generation. Join us and be part of the change!

Our Benefits

* We offer 100% employer-paid comprehensive medical, dental, and vision group health insurance.

* Enjoy 12 paid holidays, including your birthday!

* Take advantage of our 403b retirement plan.

* Access our employee assistance program.

* Generous paid time off plan.

* Professional development assistance.

Are you passionate about helping your peers overcome their mental health and life challenges? Do you have firsthand experience with mental health, addiction/recovery, incarceration/juvenile justice, Oregon Youth Authority, foster care, education, or LGBTQ+ communities? If so, we want YOU to join our team at Youth Era!

We strongly encourage applicants to provide a cover letter as it allows them to showcase their personality, passion, and specific qualifications for the position they are applying for.

Research shows that women and BIPOC individuals are often hesitant to apply for positions unless they feel confident they can fulfill every task outlined in the job description. At our organization, our priority is to find the most qualified candidate for the job. We recognize the value of diverse experiences and perspectives, and we're committed to considering any equivalent combination of knowledge, skills, education, and experience.

RURAL OUTREACH & TRAINING CONSULTANT

Are you passionate about the role of peer support specialists? Do you have firsthand experience living, working, or building community in rural Oregon, or a deep understanding of the unique barriers rural communities face in accessing behavioral health and workforce supports? If so, we would love for you to join our team at Youth Era!

Reporting to the Learning & Development Director, the Rural Outreach &  Training Consultant will help lead Youth Era’s rural peer workforce development project from the ground up. This is a relationship-driven role: you'll connect candidates and organizations to the right supports, help rural employers understand what peer support looks like, and work directly with organizations to get ready to bring on peer staff and keep them.

This role also recruits and supports rural and frontier candidates into Youth Era's Youth Support Specialist (YSS) certification training, while working with rural organizations to identify barriers that may affect their ability to employ, supervise, and retain Peer Support Specialists (PSS) and Youth Support Specialists.

This is a hybrid remote position with regular travel across rural and frontier Oregon, including community meetings, partner visits, outreach events, host-site support, and training support. Some overnight stays are expected.

We strongly encourage applicants to provide a cover letter as it allows them to showcase their personality, passion, and specific qualifications for the position they are applying for.

Research shows that women and BIPOC individuals are often hesitant to apply for positions unless they feel confident they can fulfill every task outlined in the job description. At our organization, our priority is to find the most qualified candidate for the job. We recognize the value of diverse experiences and perspectives, and we're committed to considering any equivalent combination of knowledge, skills, education, and experience.

Position Summary: 

• Position Title: Rural Outreach & Training Consultant
• Compensation: $25-26 / Hourly - Depending on experience 
• Offered Benefits: Medical, Vision, Dental, Sick-time, and Vacation-time
• Work Schedule: 40 hrs/wk (hours vary) 
• Position Type: Full-time 1.0 FTE
• Location: Hybrid Remote - Oregon; Main Office located in Eugene, OR
• Travel Required: Yes (mileage reimbursed) 
• Supervisor: Learning & Development Director

Please review our full job description below and if you’re ready to make a meaningful impact in the lives of young people and contribute to a compassionate, youth-centered organization, we’d love to hear from you. Apply today and join us in empowering youth in our community.

CORE RESPONSIBILITIES: 

Training Participant Outreach & Support

• Lead outreach and recruitment of rural and frontier training participants into Youth Era’s YSS certification training
• Serve as an ongoing point of contact for training participants throughout enrollment, training, and certification
• Maintain training participant data in Fidelity EHR

Rural Partner Engagement & Barrier Assessment

• Represent Youth Era at community tabling events, conferences, and outreach events across the region
• Deliver presentations and information sessions when necessary
• Help rural communities and employers understand the peer support model 
• Build and maintain relationships with rural and frontier organizations
• Map and prioritize rural organizations for outreach
• Identify organizational barriers and document patterns accordingly
• Stay in regular contact with partners to support engagement and shared goals

Technical Assistance & Retention Support

• Provide hands-on technical assistance and peer-specific consultation to rural organizations
• Assess organizational readiness for peer workforce development
• Facilitate quarterly virtual communities of practice
• Conduct retention check-ins with peers post-certification

Documentation & Project Coordination

• Manage outreach timelines and follow-up tasks across multiple organizations at once
• Maintain organized records of outreach, partners, and engagement
• Track and communicate progress toward recruitment and development goals
• Participate in outcome reviews, planning meetings, and reporting as needed

General Expectations

• Attend weekly staff meetings
• Communicate regularly with your supervisor
• Track expenses and mileage using Youth Era-approved systems
• Record hours worked using Youth Era-approved systems
• Comply with current policies in the Youth Era Employee Handbook
• Take on other duties as needed

MUST HAVES: 

• Lived, work, or community experience with rural or frontier communities
• Strong understanding of rural community strengths, needs, and barriers
• Ability to build trust and maintain positive working relationships with rural partners, candidates, supervisors, providers, and community organizations
• Understanding of peer support, youth peer support, behavioral health, youth advocacy, workforce development, or community-based support
• Traditional Health Worker Certification as a Youth Support Specialist or Peer Support Specialist, or willingness to become certified
• Ability and willingness to travel regularly across rural and frontier Oregon, and to work evenings and weekends when needed
• Valid driver's license, reliable vehicle, and car insurance
• Strong project management skills, including the ability to manage timelines, deliverables, and multiple moving parts at once
• Ability to document work clearly and follow through on tasks
• Strong written, verbal, and listening communication skills
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively while staying connected to team goals, timelines, and documentation needs
• Openness to ongoing learning through training, feedback, networking, job shadowing, and other professional development opportunities
• Commitment to trauma-informed, strengths-based, culturally responsive, youth-centered, and peer-centered work

PROFESSIONAL COMPETENCIES: 

• Strong problem-solving skills, with the ability to identify barriers and share clear information with the team
• Ability to support organizations in understanding peer supervision, onboarding, role clarity, and retention needs
• Respect for rural communities and local knowledge
• Willingness to notice and work on personal bias
• Strong advocacy and public speaking skills
• Ability to manage time, meet deadlines, and balance multiple priorities
• Ability to learn and explain Youth Era's mission, programs, history, and training pathways
• Comfort using computers, Google Workspace, virtual meeting tools, shared documents, and basic tracking tools

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS: 

• At least 2 years of experience as a Youth Support Specialist
• Existing relationships with rural or frontier organizations, community partners, behavioral health providers, youth-serving programs, or peer-run organizations
• Experience with rural outreach, recruitment, community engagement, partner engagement, workforce development, or candidate navigation
• Experience supporting people through training, certification, employment, or workforce entry processes
• Experience providing technical assistance, consultation, coaching, training support, or community education
• Experience coordinating multiple partners, timelines, and deliverables at once