How to hire a youth worker

How to hire a youth worker, step by step

Here's a step-by-step youth worker hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a youth worker job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new youth worker
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a youth worker do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you start hiring a youth worker, identify what type of worker you actually need. Certain positions might call for a full-time employee, while others can be done by a part-time worker or contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   You should also consider the ideal background you'd like them a youth worker to have before you start to hire. For example, what industry or field would you like them to have experience in, what level of seniority or education does the job require, and how much it'll cost to hire a youth worker that fits the bill.

   Here's a comparison of youth worker salaries for various roles:

   Type of Youth Worker	Description	Hourly rate
   Youth Worker	Social workers help people solve and cope with problems in their everyday lives. One group of social workers—clinical social workers—also diagnose and treat mental, behavioral, and emotional issues.	$12-19
   Residential Counselor	A residential counselor is responsible for guiding and providing the residents with their basic needs and other resources to support them in their daily living. Residential counselors' duties include maintaining the safety of the community by enforcing safety guidelines and procedures for the residents' compliance, organizing productive and engaging community activities, updating the residents of any changes and policies in the community, and resolving conflicts by counseling and understanding each resident's differences... Show more	$12-20
   Child Care Counselor	Child care counselors monitor the progress of children who have behavioral, physical, and mental issues in between counseling appointments. These counselors create daily schedules for children that include field trips, play dates, and learning plans to ensure that children get the most out of their days... Show more	$13-22

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Direct Supervision
   • CPR
   • Crisis Intervention
   • at-Risk Youth
   • Youth Development
   • Role Model
   • Child Care
   • Mental Health
   • Support Services
   • Incident Reports
   • Youth Program
   • Substance Abuse
   • Community Services
   • Independent Living

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Assist in achieving and maintaining DoD certification and national accreditation or equivalent compliance.
   • Certify in CPR, and basic first aid.
   • Demonstrate patience, compassion, and understanding while helping with homework.
   • Stay current with require safety certifications including CPR, first aid, and fire protection.
   • Conduct research, create newsletters and PowerPoint presentations.
   • Provide supervision and supportive rehabilitation for detain youths in a maximum security prison.

   More youth worker duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your youth worker job description is one of the best ways to attract top talent. A youth worker can vary based on:

   • Location. For example, youth workers' average salary in mississippi is 46% less than in new jersey.
   • Seniority. Entry-level youth workers 38% less than senior-level youth workers.
   • Certifications. A youth worker with certifications usually earns a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for an established firm or a new start-up company can make a big difference in a youth worker's salary.

   Average youth worker salary

   $15.50hourly

   $32,242 yearly

   ---

   Entry-level youth worker salary

   $25,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 21, 2026

   Average youth worker salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	New Jersey	$38,798	$19
   2	Maine	$37,109	$18
   3	New York	$36,877	$18
   4	Illinois	$36,082	$17
   5	Massachusetts	$35,142	$17
   6	Minnesota	$34,750	$17
   7	Ohio	$34,229	$16
   8	Wisconsin	$32,880	$16
   9	Kansas	$32,645	$16
   10	California	$32,611	$16
   11	Iowa	$31,926	$15
   12	Indiana	$31,519	$15
   13	Maryland	$30,353	$15
   14	Colorado	$30,183	$15
   15	Virginia	$29,438	$14
   16	Tennessee	$28,723	$14
   17	Pennsylvania	$28,710	$14
   18	Utah	$28,507	$14
   19	Texas	$28,378	$14
   20	Georgia	$28,204	$14

   Average youth worker salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Salt Lake County	$35,893	$17.26	9
   2	Fort Bend County	$35,278	$16.96	2
   3	Albany Community Charter School	$34,362	$16.52
   4	BronxWorks	$32,329	$15.54	35
   5	Roseville Area Schools	$32,302	$15.53	4
   6	Council Bluffs Community School District	$32,292	$15.53
   7	FHI 360	$32,247	$15.50
   8	The Children's Village	$32,230	$15.50	42
   9	City of Worcester	$32,164	$15.46	1
   10	Department of Public Social Services	$31,960	$15.37
   11	Homes for the Homeless	$31,809	$15.29	15
   12	Reno, NV	$31,615	$15.20
   13	Children's Square USA	$31,509	$15.15
   14	Bauer Family Resources	$31,500	$15.14	9
   15	Methodist Children's Home Society	$31,494	$15.14
   16	City of Glendale, CA	$31,487	$15.14	2
   17	Depelchin Children's Center	$31,404	$15.10
   18	HANAC	$31,221	$15.01	19
   19	County Of Los Angeles Public Library	$31,164	$14.98
   20	Professional Services Group	$31,039	$14.92	3

4. Writing a youth worker job description

   A job description for a youth worker role includes a summary of the job's main responsibilities, required skills, and preferred background experience. Including a salary range can also go a long way in attracting more candidates to apply, and showing the first name of the hiring manager can also make applicants more comfortable. As an example, here's a youth worker job description:

   Youth worker job description example

   Our transitional family housing center seeks dedicated and creative Youth Workers for our afterschool programs serving children from Kindergarten through High School. The Youth Worker assists the Group Leader with a classroom of 15-20 students in a range of enrichment activities both academic and recreational. This is an excellent position for a college student or professional interested in working with kids outside of the traditional classroom setting.

   ABOUT HOMES FOR THE HOMELESS, INC.

   Homes for the Homeless, Inc. (HFH) is a non-profit social services organization operating family shelters throughout NYC that serve as a hub of opportunity for families both residing in shelter as well as those in the neighboring community. On-site programs range from childcare, early childhood education centers, afterschool clubs and programs, and youth recreation activities, such as sports teams, to housing assistance, case management, parenting workshops, career and job vocational training, support groups and substance abuse assistance, and family engagement and recreation events for the whole family.

   ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

   • Ensure the safety of all children in the classroom and on field trips.

   • Engage children in art projects, games, staged plays, sports, and enrichment activities.

   • Tutor students on homework assignments.

   • Help Group Leader develop lessons, events, fairs, holiday parties and plays

   • Attend trainings and staff meetings.

   • Serve as a positive role model and work on a team.

   • Shifts are part-time and occur between Mondays through Fridays, from 2:30/3:00pm to 6:00pm (17.5 hours a week).

   QUALIFICATIONS

   • High school diploma or equivalent required; some college preferred

   • Experience working with children, especially in a group context.

   • Openness to diverse backgrounds, especially among a high-risk population.

   • Ability to communicate respectfully and cooperate effectively with your team.

   • Some schedule flexibility for coverage.

   COMPENSATION/EEO:
   In order to attract and retain a high-performance workforce, Homes for the Homeless offers a dynamic and rewarding work environment, with a focus on ensuring an appropriate work-life balance. In addition to a competitive salary, we provide excellent benefits including comprehensive health insurance (including medical, dental, and vision), an employer-funded 403(b) retirement plan, commuter benefits, life insurance, Work/Life Assistance Program, 3 weeks paid vacation, and ample personal and sick leave.

   Homes for the Homeless is committed to promoting an inclusive organizational environment of dignity and respect. We are an Equal Opportunity Employer (EEO) committed to equal treatment, and prohibit any form of discrimination or harassment based on age, race, religion, creed, color, national origin, sexual orientation, veteran or military status, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth and related medical conditions), gender (including gender identity and gender expression), disability, predisposing genetic characteristics, marital status, arrest or conviction, domestic violence victim status, familial status, or any other basis that would be in violation of any applicable federal, state, or local law.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find youth workers for your business, try out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important talent pools for any company is its current employees.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and your current work to ask if they know any youth workers they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit entry-level youth workers with the right educational background.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter have more than 3.5 billion users, and they're a great place for company branding and reaching potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your youth worker job on Zippia to find and recruit youth worker candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   To successfully recruit youth workers, your first interview needs to engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. You can go into more detail about the company, the role, and the responsibilities during follow-up interviews.

   You should also ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match the ideal candidate profile you developed earlier. Candidates good enough for the next step can complete the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new youth worker

   Once you've found the youth worker candidate you'd like to hire, it's time to write an offer letter. This should include an explicit job offer that includes the salary and the details of any other perks. Qualified candidates might be looking at multiple positions, so your offer must be competitive if you like the candidate. Also, be prepared for a negotiation stage, as candidates may way want to tweak the details of your initial offer. Once you've settled on these details, you can draft a contract to formalize your agreement.

   You should also follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that you've filled the position.

   To prepare for the new youth worker first day, you should share an onboarding schedule with them that covers their first period on the job. You should also quickly complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Finally, Human Resources must ensure a new employee file is created for internal record keeping.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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How much does it cost to hire a youth worker?