About the Job
Youth Collaborators bring expertise and insight to our various projects. You are the experts in your experiences and know how to best support yourselves and your peers.
Youth Collaborators will assist in helping ensure our work provides youth with the tools, resources, and information they need to best navigate public health and healthcare within Minnesota.
Rooted in a youth participatory action research framework, we work to center youth voice in every part of what we do and have an amazing youth action board we love working with. Our Youth Collaborators play a key role in our team's work, and ongoing guidance from our Youth Action Board is a critical component of our team structure.
Responsibilities
Assist with academic and community dissemination of project results, including presentations, conferences, and publications (10%)
Attend monthly YAB meetings as well as monthly multi sector team meetings, and meetings with project partners as needed (20%)
Collaborate with other YHHL and YAB team members working on projects to (70%):
Qualifications
Required:
Highschool diploma or equivalent.
Have experienced homelessness. This could include running away, being thrown out, staying in shelters, staying on the street or in encampments, or couch-surfing.
Have the ability to work virtually (by phone or video).
Currently live in Minnesota or have lived within Minnesota within the last year.
Be interested in helping improving public health and healthcare for young people in Minnesota.
Other:
Please note - any person to fill this role must be 16 to 26 years old
About the Department
The Youth Health and Housing Lab (YHHL) leads community-engaged, cross-sector work at the intersection of housing, healthcare and public health to optimize health and bolster resilience among youth experiencing homelessness. Our interdisciplinary team, led by Dr. Janna Gewirtz O'Brien, is housed within the Division of General Pediatrics and Adolescent Health at the University of Minnesota School of Medicine. We partner with Hennepin County, youth-serving agencies in Minnesota, healthcare institutions in Minnesota, and the Minnesota Department of Health.
Our team is committed to a strengths-based, anti-oppressive and trauma-informed approach rooted in Positive Youth Development.
We hope to uplift youth voice, and center equity in every aspect of the work.
Pay and Benefits
Pay Range: $20.00 per hour depending on education/qualifications/experience.
Retirement plan options are available for Civil Service, Faculty, Labor-Represented, Professional & Administrative, and Temp Casual classifications. Learn more about retirement plans.
How To Apply
Applications must be submitted online. To be considered for this position, please click the Apply button and follow the instructions. You will be given the opportunity to complete an online application for the position and attach a cover letter and resume.
Additional documents may be attached after application by accessing your "My Job Applications" page and uploading documents in the "My Cover Letters and Attachments" section.
To request an accommodation during the application process, please e-mail employ@umn.edu or call (612) 624-8647.
Diversity
The University recognizes and values the importance of diversity and inclusion in enriching the employment experience of its employees and in supporting the academic mission. The University is committed to attracting and retaining employees with varying identities and backgrounds.
The University of Minnesota provides equal access to and opportunity in its programs, facilities, and employment without regard to race, color, creed, religion, national origin, gender, age, marital status, disability, public assistance status, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression. To learn more about diversity at the U: http://diversity.umn.edu
Employment Requirements
Any offer of employment is contingent upon the successful completion of a background check. Our presumption is that prospective employees are eligible to work here. Criminal convictions do not automatically disqualify finalists from employment.
About University of Minnesota
The University of Minnesota, Twin Cities (UMTC)
The University of Minnesota, Twin Cities (UMTC), is among the largest public research universities in the country, offering undergraduate, graduate, and professional students a multitude of opportunities for study and research. Located at the heart of one of the nations most vibrant, diverse metropolitan communities, students on the campuses in Minneapolis and St. Paul benefit from extensive partnerships with world-renowned health centers, international corporations, government agencies, and arts, nonprofit, and public service organizations.
At the University of Minnesota, we are proud to be recognized by Forbes as a Best Employer for Company Culture (2026), Best Employer for Women (2023), and Best Employer by State (2022-2026). In 2026, we also received Culture Excellence & Industry Awards recognition for employee appreciation and work-life flexibility.
The University of Minnesota, Twin Cities (UMTC), is among the largest public research universities in the country, offering undergraduate, graduate, and professional students a multitude of opportunities for study and research. Located at the heart of one of the nation's most vibrant, diverse metropolitan communities, students on the campuses in Minneapolis and St. Paul benefit from extensive partnerships with world-renowned health centers, international corporations, government agencies, and arts, nonprofit, and public service organizations.
Our institution is dedicated to changing lives through research, education, and outreach. The Office of Information Technology (OIT) - the University’s central IT department - works to support and advance this mission and to support overall academic advancement. Our dedicated IT professionals connect students, faculty, and staff with innovative services to meet their teaching, learning, research, and administrative needs. The Office of Information Technology offers an environment of trust, collaboration, and mission-focused work. Join us and support innovation and engagement through technology!