As Needed Staff--Teen Shelter Services

Preble Street’s Teen Services programs work together to offer access to casework, shelter, housing, food, and other essential services 24/7, 365 days a year to youth experiencing homelessness. Teen Shelter Services, including the Teen Center and Joe Kreisler Teen Shelter, is a hub of services for homeless and runaway youth, offering 24/7 shelter and providing a warm, safe space, meals, basic necessities, and support in a low-barrier setting. 

An As Needed (per diem) Staff position is currently available to work with the Teen Shelter Services team, providing comprehensive services to vulnerable youth. Working alongside caseworkers and other support staff members, As Needed Staff responsibilities include engaging youth and building relationships, providing program coverage, maintaining client safety, monitoring security of the building; and providing critical crisis intervention and support to youth.

As Needed Staff have the ability to select available shifts and may work up to 28 hours per week. Shifts may vary in length and include evening, overnight (awake), and weekend hours.

Qualifications include education in social work or related field and experience working with youth experiencing homelessness, or a comparable combination of education and experience. Also required are:

• An understanding of and alignment with Preble Street’s mission.
• Positive regard for individuals accessing services for homelessness and poverty and commitment to providing low-barrier services.
• Strong de-escalation and crisis intervention skills.
• Capability to engage with and maintain professional boundaries with diverse populations.
• Ability to maintain a calm demeanor in challenging situations.
• Collaborative, cooperative, team-oriented work style.
• Reliability to work shifts as scheduled and ability to work overnight shifts.

Eligibility for employment with Teen Services also requires that staff be at least 21 years of age; hold certification or become certified in CPR and First Aid (on-site training opportunities offered); provide proof of education of at least high school completion (diploma or transcript); and have acceptable background check results. Teen Services staff also must attend recurrent, regularly-scheduled trainings, which are provided on-site.

Compensation & Benefits

The starting hourly rate of pay for As Needed Staff is $20.99, plus applicable shift differentials of $2.00 or $1.00 per hour when working in 24/7 programs: In addition to the base rate of pay, direct service staff in 24/7 programs earn an additional $2.00 per hour for hours worked between 10 pm and 7 am or $1.00 per hour for hours worked between the hours of 7 am and 10 pm.

As Needed Staff may work up to 28 hours per week, have flexible schedules, and earn PTO based on hours worked.

To Apply:  We encourage applicants to apply via Preble Street’s website employment page. Applications (resume and cover letter, preferred) may also be emailed to [email protected] or mailed via USPS mail to Preble Street Human Resources, 55 Portland Street, Portland, ME 04101. Please note that automatically generated confirmations of receipt will be sent in response to applications sent via email. Only those candidates selected for interviews will be otherwise contacted.

If you need assistance or accommodation in the application process, please contact us at [email protected].

Preble Street is an equal opportunity employer. We value diversity and are committed to equity and inclusion in our workplace. We encourage applications from all qualified individuals and consider applications for employment without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, military status, age, disability, genetic information, citizenship status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws.