The Department and Community and Human Service’s YouthSource employees have brought a new way of delivering great customer service to youth in South King County that’s making it easier for clients to access important resources and services.

YouthSource, a service of DCHS’ Community Services Division, is a youth one-stop center located at WorkSource Renton that offers a full array of programs for young adults, ages 16-21, who have dropped out of high school. YouthSource’s programs focus on education, employment and leadership development. It also provides connections to youth programs, community resources for life stabilization, job readiness and placement services, and comprehensive case management.

In order to deliver excellent customer service, YouthSource staff has set up an effort called “Staff of the Day.” As Staff of the Day, case managers rotate in half day increments as the point person to provide customer service to walk-ins, provide student support (troubleshoot barriers, etc.) and provide safety monitoring (being visible to help support students make good decisions).

Staff of the Day allows case managers the opportunity utilize their extensive knowledge of community resources and services to engage and improve the lives of  customers. It can be a rewarding experience by giving staff the space to grow and develop as professionals and leaders in the field.

YouthSource’s Staff of the Day effort improves every single month and they are constantly refining it to make it more effective. YouthSource Manager Michael Davie says that “this effort fosters team work at YouthSource Renton”.

(Excerpted from the Department of Community and Human Services’ Touching Base newsletter).