Senior Trainer, Open Doors

The California Alliance of Child and Family Services is the unifying force in charge of leading change and providing support for the state’s children, youth, and families. For those dedicated to improving the lives of these at-risk populations, the California Alliance stands apart as the champion and leading voice for organizations that advocate for children and families, and for advancing policy and services on their behalf.

The Catalyst Center leverages connections between research, policy, and practice to inform and lead capacity-building efforts amongst service providers across the state of California who work in the fields of child and family services.

The California Alliance of Child and Family Services and the Catalyst Center serve a statewide network of professionals and collaborate with advocates, community-based service programs, national and state organizations, legal, health, and mental health professionals, researchers, and advocates from social justice organizations working to support the health and wellbeing of children and families. The California Alliance of Child and Family Services and Catalyst Center offers a rich working environment that includes connecting with inspiring activists and frontline providers, an opportunity to understand the experiences of children, youth, and families, and how all these forces contribute to sociopolitical change and systems transformation. Both the CA Alliance and its Catalyst Center are committed to ensuring that our work is centered on equity and social justice, working to ensure that the voices of those most impacted are part of any decision-making processes.

The Center and the Alliance are dedicated to maintaining an environment that prioritizes diversity, equity, and inclusion. We denounce white supremacy, homophobia, sexism, and all forms of prejudice and intolerance. The only thing that will not be tolerated in our organization is intolerance itself.

The Senior Trainer for Open Doors, under the supervision of the Director of Community Restoration and Consultation, plays a key role in the Catalyst Center’s Open Doors project, a statewide training initiative funded by the California Department of Health Care Access and Information (HCAI). This position facilitates training for non-clinical professionals, with a focus on centering youth voices and equipping adults across diverse communities to effectively engage young people around substance use and other behavioral health concerns. The Senior Trainer provides consultation, training, and technical assistance to communities and youth-serving organizations statewide, while also strengthening local capacity through the design and facilitation of a collaborative train-the-trainer program.

· Deliver Open Doors Training

o Collaborate in the delivery of training to prepare non-behavioral health professionals to recognize and respond to youth substance use and other behavioral health concerns, with an emphasis on engaging youth experiencing or at risk of housing insecurity, involvement with the juvenile justice system, and/or child welfare system involvement.

o Ensure that youth voice is centered throughout training delivery.

o Facilitate engaging and interactive training sessions for staff, volunteers, and partner organizations.

• Prioritize listening to and honoring the wisdom of people with lived expertise and practice-based experience.

o Adapt training methods (in-person, virtual, hybrid) to meet diverse learning needs and accessibility standards.

o Integrate best practices in harm reduction, restorative justice, and cultural humility into all training content.

· Facilitate the Open Doors Train-the-Trainer Program

o Collaborate in the design and delivery of train-the-trainer curricula to equip staff, peer leaders, and community partners to independently facilitate Open Doors trainings.

o Model effective facilitation techniques and create opportunities for peer learning.

o Provide coaching, mentorship, and feedback to new trainers to strengthen skills, confidence, and subject-matter expertise.

o Evaluate trainer performance, identify areas for growth, and design targeted skill-building opportunities.

o Foster a community of practice among trainers and trainees to encourage knowledge-sharing, innovation, and continuous improvement.

· Youth Engagement and Mentorship

• Engage directly with youth participants by facilitating interactive learning opportunities, building trust, and fostering supportive environments for growth.
• Support the Facilitator-in-Training Youth Program by mentoring youth facilitators, providing structured coaching and feedback, and guiding their development of skills and confidence to lead sessions effectively.

· Resource Development and Curriculum Enhancement

• Contribute to the creation and distribution of written and digital training materials, resources, and toolkits.
• Participate in ongoing updates of training curriculum to incorporate new research, evidence-based practices, and community feedback.

· Partnerships and Representation

• Develop and maintain strong, collaborative relationships with providers, contractors, consultants, partners, and other stakeholders.
• Represent Open Doors at professional networks, conferences, and community events.

· Documentation and Reporting

• Maintain organized records and reports on successes, barriers, and challenges encountered in training activities.
• Draft written reports and presentation materials summarizing training activities, outcomes, and lessons learned.

· Organizational Engagement

• Actively contribute to advancing diversity, equity, inclusion, justice, and belonging within the organization.
• Represent the mission and values of the Catalyst Center at professional networks, conferences, and community events.

· Other duties as assigned.

JOB REQUIREMENTS

• Must have reliable means of transportation.
• Must have secure internet accessibility and connection.
• Must be willing and available to travel to various organizations and member locations around the State of California to deliver training programs (approximately 2x per month)

EDUCATION AND/OR EXPERIENCE

• Bachelor’s degree in behavioral sciences, public health, social work or related field or equivalent work experience;
• Minimum of 3–5 years of experience facilitating training sessions, workshops, or community education programs for adult learners.
• Demonstrated experience engaging directly with youth and/or youth-serving organizations.
• Experience working with diverse communities, including those impacted by housing insecurity, juvenile justice, or child welfare systems.
• Demonstrated commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, justice and belonging.
• Familiarity with train-the-trainer models or capacity-building initiatives.
• Background in trauma-informed care, youth development, and culturally responsive practices

Preferred Qualifications

• Clinical graduate degree (e.g., MSW, Counseling, Public Health) strongly preferred.
• 5+ years of experience providing consultation, training, and technical assistance at the community or statewide level.
• Experience engaging youth leaders in the development and/or provision of youth-focused initiatives.
• Knowledge and experience in substance use prevention, programming, and training, including harm reduction practices.
• Knowledge and experience with Restorative Justice approaches to youth and/or community services.
• Experience coaching, mentoring, or supervising emerging facilitators, including youth or peer leaders.

PLEASE SUBMIT A RESUME AND COVER LETTER.

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $95,000.00 - $115,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• 401(k)
• Dental insurance
• Employee assistance program
• Flexible spending account
• Health insurance
• Life insurance
• Paid time off
• Retirement plan
• Vision insurance

Work Location: Remote