Youth Development Worker Jobs in California (NOW HIRING)

Salary : $87,520.32 - $117,941.52 Annually
Location : Los Angeles County, CA
Job Type: Full time
Job Number: YD8298D-EA
Department: YOUTH DEVELOPMENT
Opening Date: 08/19/2026
Closing Date: 8/26/2026 5:00 PM Pacific
Position/Program Information
TYPE OF RECRUITMENT: OPEN COMPETITIVE - EMERGENCY
Applications will be accepted from August 26, 2026 at 8:00 AM PST until August 26, 2026 at 5:00 PM PST
EXAM NUMBER: YD8298D-EA
The LA County Board of Supervisors recently declared a local state of emergency for homelessness, and the County is working to revise and expand our response to help all who are affected. We are looking for qualified and passionate individuals to help us in the mission of addressing issues like housing, mental health, and substance use. If you are looking for a new career that will directly benefit the population of LA County, this may be the opportunity for you.
The Department of Youth Development is seeking qualified candidates to fill emergency Youth Development Ambassador vacancies related to the homelessness crisis.
At this time, the Department seeks to fill the following vacancies:

1. Youth Development Ambassadors (Youth Development & Diversion): to support the development of strategies, priorities, and direction for regional Youth Diversion efforts. This role includes supporting a team of YD Specialists to coordinate referrals from the Probation Department and other law enforcement agency partners, including outreach to youth and families, and logistical and project management support; and

1. Youth Development Ambassadors (Facility-Based Programming):: to support the development, planning, implementation and ongoing capacity-building of youth development programming delivered by community-based providers and other county agencies for justice-involved youth in the County's juvenile hall, camps and Secure Youth Treatment Facilities operated by the Los Angeles County Probation Department; and
2. Youth Development Ambassadors (Coordination & Innovation): to support research and evaluation for youth development programs. This role includes learning data management, quality assurance, and data-related technical assistance to support youth development partners; as well as support for collaborative communication of data, evidence, and opportunities for program improvement and equity.

Under the emergency order, applicants who meet the requirements maybe hired for an initial period of up to 90 days, with an opportunity for permanent County employment.
Before the end of your initial work period, you will be assessed work performance. This assessment will be weighted 100%.
Those who successfully pass the assessment will be considered for permanent appointment to Youth Development Ambassador.
Essential Job Functions
Essential Job Functions
What does the Youth Development Ambassadors do?
The Ambassador assists in the coordination and collaborative project management of a wide range of youth development services, opportunities and support-from prevention and early intervention to engagement and support for youth and their families involved in the justice system-so that all youth in Los Angeles County have access to youth development. The individual supports youth participating in collaborative programs or policy planning and helps to inform work plans and priorities by sharing their valuable experience and perspective.
Some essential duties and responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

• Supports the development, implementation, and management of youth development services and policy initiatives with guidance from a Youth Development Supervisor and in collaboration with Youth Development Specialists and Ambassadors.
• Supports developing and designing programs, policies, and systems to ensure effective service delivery.
• Supportsprotocolsandimplementationplanstooperationalizeandimprove program and policy initiatives.
• Supports mixed-methods research, evaluation, and shared learning activities to improve equity and effectiveness across program and policy priorities.
• Communicates and builds trusting, effective relationships with community-based providers and program partners.
• Assists with developing culturally responsive and equity-centered spaces and relationships with youth, community groups, and- other stakeholders to receive and communicate information, including collaborative research, planning, and decision-making, as well as coordinate resources or services.
• Conducts outreach, engagement, and storytelling to increase awareness of departmental programs and priorities and to up lift youth narratives and successes to a wide range of audiences, including County partners, youth, and communities.
• Engages in reflection and analysis of gaps and opportunities, including receiving feedback from youth and families to inform active and ongoing improvement.

Requirements
REQUIREMENTS TO QUALIFY
One year of experience working to support youth development through mentorship, community organizing, care coordination, or case management, including in the following settings: Community-Based Organizations (CBOs), schools, healing centers, public agencies, secure placement facilities or locked institutions, and philanthropic or academic centers with a focus on youth or community investment.
Additional Information
Available Shift: Any - applicants may be required to days, weekends, and holidays.
EXAM CONTENT:
Before the end of your initial work assignment, the appointing department will evaluate your performance. Those who achieve a passing score on this evaluation will be considered for permanent appointment.
BACKGROUND PROCESS:
Appointment to this position is contingent upon successful clearance of all pre-employment screening and onboarding requirements. This position requires livescan clearance.
APPLICATION AND FILING INFORMATION:
Applications must be filed online only. You MUST include a copy of your resume as part of your application.
APPLICATIONS WITHOUT A RESUME ATTACHED WILL BE DEEMED INCOMPLETE AND WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED. Many important notifications will be sent electronically to the email address provided on the application, so it is important that you provide a valid email address. Please add hr@dyd.lacounty.gov, as well as and to your email contact list and list of approved senders to prevent email notifications from being filtered as spam/junk/clutter mail.
You can opt out of emails from LA County. If you unsubscribe, you will not receive any email notification for any examination for which you apply with Los Angeles County. Regardless of whether you choose to unsubscribe, can always check for notifications by logging into governmentjobs.com and viewing your profile inbox, which saves a copy of all emailed notices.
Plan to submit your online application on Wednesday, August 26th, 2026, before the 5:00 p.m. deadline, as you may be required to verify your email address. This only needs to be done once per email address, and if you already have a job seeker account on you can verify at any time by logging in and following the prompts. This is to enhance the security of your online application and to ensure you do not enter an incorrect email address.
SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER: Please include your Social Security Number for record control purposes. Federal law requires that all employed persons have a Social Security Number.
NO SHARING OF USER ID AND PASSWORD: All applicants must file their application online using their own user ID and password. Using a family member's or friend's user ID and password may erase a candidate's original application record.
COMPUTER AND INTERNET ACCESS AT PUBLIC LIBRARIES: For applicants who may not have regular access to a computer or the internet, you may borrow laptops and Wi-Fi hotspots from some public libraries throughout Los Angeles County to complete job applications.
The County of Los Angeles is a Fair Chance employer. Except for a very limited number of positions, you will not be asked to provide information about a conviction history unless you receive a contingent offer of employment. The County will make an individualized assessment of whether your conviction history has a direct or adverse relationship with the specific duties of the job, and consider potential mitigating factors, including, but not limited to, evidence and extent of rehabilitation, recency of the offense(s), and age at the time of the offense(s).If asked to provide information about a conviction history, any convictions or court records which are exempted by a valid court order do not have to be disclosed.
Anti-Racism, Diversity, and Inclusion (ARDI) The County of Los Angeles recognizes and affirms that all people are created equal and are entitled to all rights afforded by the Constitution of the United States. The Department of Human Resources is committed to promoting Anti-racism, Diversity, and Inclusion efforts to address the inequalities and disparities amongst race. We support the ARDI Strategic Plan and its goals by improving equality, diversity, and inclusion in recruitment, selection, and employment practices.
Department ContactEmail:
COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES
Employment Information
Any language contained in the job posting supersedes any language contained below.
This document is intended to provide general information about the recruitment process of the County of Los Angeles. Applicants with questions about a specific job posting should contact the exam analyst listed on the posting.
Equal Employment Opportunity/Non-Discrimination Statement:
The County of Los Angeles is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer and is committed to non-discrimination in the County workforce, regardless of age (40 and over); ancestry; color; ethnicity; religious creed; protected family or medical leave status; disability; marital status; medical condition; genetic information; military and veteran status; national origin; race ; sex; gender; sexual orientation; or any other characteristic protected by State or federal law. For more information, please visit:
Testing Accommodations for Applicants:
The County of Los Angeles complies with all federal and state disability laws and makes reasonable accommodations for qualified applicants and employees with disabilities. If a reasonable accommodation is needed to participate in the job application process, please contact the testing accommodation coordinator listed on the job posting. Hearing impaired applicants with telephone teletype equipment may leave messages by calling the teletype phone number on the job posting. For more information on accommodations, please visit:
Fair Chance:
The County of Los Angeles is a Fair Chance employer. Except as otherwise permissible under applicable laws, you will not be asked to provide information about conviction history unless you receive a conditional offer of employment. The County will make an individualized assessment of whether your conviction history has a direct and adverse relationship with the specific duties of the job, and will also consider potential mitigating factors, which may include, but is not limited to, evidence and extent of rehabilitation, recency of the offense(s), and age at the time of the offense(s). If asked to provide information about conviction history, any convictions or court records which are exempted by a valid court order do not have to be disclosed. Qualified applicants with arrest or conviction records will be considered for employment in accordance with County Fair Chance Policies and the Fair Chance Act (Gov. Code Section 12952).
Employment Eligibility:
Final appointment is contingent upon verification of U.S. citizenship or the right to work in the United States.
Career PathFinder:
Resources to help current and prospective employees plan a career with Los Angeles County are available. To explore career paths to and from nearly all job titles, please visit our interactive Career PathFinder application at
Veteran's Credit:
Pursuant to the County Charter and County policy, in all open competitive examinations (i.e., examinations open to everyone), the County of Los Angeles will add a credit of 10 percent of the total credits specified for such examination to the final passing score of an honorably discharged veteran, as well as the spouse of a deceased or disabled veteran, who served in the Armed Forces of the United States under specific conditions.
For more information on veteran's credit, please visit:
Revised September 2025
For detailed information, please click
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The information you provide on this supplemental questionnaire will be evaluated and used to determine your eligibility to participate in the next phase of the examination process. CHECK YOUR ANSWER CAREFULLY. Any mistakes you make and/or any incomplete responses you provide in completing these questions will be used to disqualify your application even if you possess the qualifying experience. Be specific as possible and include all information requested. Comments such as "see resume or application" will not be considered as a response. All information is subject to verification at any time in the examination and hiring process. Falsification of any information may result in disqualification or dismissal.

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You MUST include a recent resume as part of your application submission. Applications without a resume attached will be deemed incomplete and will not be considered.

• I understand the above instructions and have attached a copy of my resume