Youth Development Specialist

Special benefits

• Extensive language, technical, and intercultural training
• Hands-on, valuable international work experience
• Travel to and from country, housing and monthly living allowance, and full coverage of medical and dental needs during service

• Competitive advantage for federal hiring and opportunities to save on graduate degrees and other education programs
• Monthly accrued Volunteer service award (readjustment allowance) totaling $10,800 before taxes, with option to access for ongoing financial obligations

Key dates

Apply by
January 15, 2027

Know by
March 1, 2027

Depart on
August 15, 2027

Duration
2 years, plus 3 months training

About the project

Youth in El Salvador are motivated to step forward as leaders to engage with community members and strengthen their communities. You, too, can be part of the movement!

In El Salvador, youth make up more than a quarter of the population, making them one of the country's greatest assets for the future. Yet, many young people face social and economic challenges that limit their access to positive learning opportunities and impact their overall well-being. Economic hardship, low school completion rates, limited life skills development opportunities, and barriers to active community engagement can make it difficult for young people to reach their full potential. National data show that only half of youth complete lower secondary school and even fewer complete upper secondary school. These low levels of school completion have significant implications for individuals and the country as a whole.

As a Youth Development Specialist, you will collaborate with school staff to equip youth with essential life skills, such as communication, empathy, creative problem-solving, and goal setting. Working alongside community leaders, you will create supportive environments that encourage youth participation in community projects and civic engagement. Over time, this work strengthens families, schools, and community networks, contributing to more supportive environments for youth and advancing El Salvador's national priorities.

Learn more about what Volunteers do in country by visiting our El Salvador project page .

Requirements

Behavioral competencies

These competencies are essential for all service assignments and are assessed in the application and interview process:

1. Motivation for and commitment to service
2. Adaptability and open-mindedness
3. Problem solving and resourcefulness
4. Behavioral maturity and professionalism

Education/experience

Qualified candidates will have one or more of the following criteria:

Associate degree in any field and at least two years of full-time, post-high school work experience (from any combination of roles).
OR
Bachelor's degree in any field.
OR
High school diploma or GED and four years of full-time, post-high school work (from any combination of roles).
Spanish language

Qualified candidates will meet one of the following criteria:

1. High school: Completed 4 years of Spanish coursework within the past 8 years
2. College: Completed Spanish Elementary II (e.g., 102, 1002) in the semester system (Elementary III in quarter system) within the past 6 years
3. College Level Examination Program (CLEP): Score 50-62 on the Spanish exam in the past 6 years
4. American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL): Score of Novice-High or Intermediate-Low on official Oral Proficiency Interview (OPI) in Spanish within the past 6 years
5. Native Spanish speaker