Youth Prevention Specialist in Stuart, Florida at SAFESPACE INC

Days / Shift: Monday through Friday; 8:30am – 5:00pm (with flexibility between 7am–7pm dependent on school schedule/events)

Position Type/Classification: Full-time, 40 hours per week; Non-Exempt

Location/Travel: Martin County (Occasional travel to St. Lucie and Indian River County is required)

Position Summary:

The Youth Prevention Specialist utilizes an empowerment-based, trauma-informed, survivor-centered service model to provide prevention programming, awareness, and education to young people, adults, community partners, professionals, and community members. The Youth Prevention Specialist promotes healthy, safe, and equitable relationships in our community by facilitating evidence-based curricula to prevent domestic violence, dating violence, and teen dating violence.

Prevention programming is facilitated at various locations throughout Martin County in partnership with the school district, afterschool programs, and parenting youth serving centers. The Youth Prevention Specialist represents the agency’s mission and values by actively engaging in community fairs and resource events, awareness events, professional training sessions, community meetings, workshops and presentations throughout the tri-county service area.

Job Responsibilities:

Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain an all-inclusive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job.

• Facilitate weekly group sessions to young people attending Martin County schools and other youth serving organizations throughout the service area.

1. Y.O.U.R. (Youth Outreach Understanding Relationships)
2. Healthy Relationships
3. Youth Peer Support
4. The Y.O.U.R. Leaders Program

• Facilitate and attend awareness events and educational presentations on domestic violence/teen dating violence that focus on prevention strategies that promote healthy relationships.
• Mentor and empower youth to build upon their peer leadership skills to develop awareness projects, positive messaging, and/or youth-led events.
• Remain current on research, policy, and best practices relating to teen dating violence and youth education. Serve as SafeSpace's public representative and expert on the issue of teen dating violence and teen healthy relationships (as directed).
• Work with the Director of Outreach Programs to develop, produce, update, distribute, and evaluate prevention education materials, including curricula, videos, public education campaigns, policies, and toolkits.
• Deliver approved prevention programming and administer evaluation tools to obtain outcomes and project deliverables. Evaluate and report outcomes to measure change and program effectiveness.
• Attend community meetings and work collaboratively with MOU partners, school systems, youth serving agencies, community organizations, local stakeholders, and other community partners to represent the agency and implement prevention strategies throughout the service area.
• Build and maintain professional relationships with school administrators and youth serving organizations to recruit students and access programming opportunities.
• Work collaboratively with SafeSpace Advocates to inform, design, and provide educational sessions to program participants on the topics of healthy relationships, healthy parenting, and teen dating violence.
• Provide age-appropriate safety planning and supportive advocacy services when needed for young people who have experienced or witnessed domestic violence or teen dating violence.
• Maintain an organized and accurate filing system for the documentation of sign-in sheets, evaluations, process notes, agendas and program activities.
• Compile and submit monthly, quarterly, mid-year and annual reports to funders, community supporters, and collaborative partners in accordance with grants, DCF, and SafeSpace standards.
• Enter, update and maintain current and appropriate statistical data and service notes regarding all program activities and events attended in the agency’s client management database system in accordance with SafeSpace and DCF standards.
• Participate in other projects and assist with additional duties as requested by the Supervisor, including supporting the emergency disaster team in the event of a national disaster or weather emergency.

Qualifications and Skills:

• Bachelor’s degree in social work, education, social science, or related field and one year of experience serving youth and families, child advocacy, youth mentorship, youth education, youth intervention and/or prevention initiatives education. May substitute for High School diploma/ GED and 3 years of equivalent experience.
• Must be able to work flexible hours, including nights, weekends, and holidays.
• Experience providing supportive services, referrals and information, intervention services and/or advocacy to young people who have experienced Domestic Violence, Teen Dating Violence or life changing events.
• Ability to engage, promote, and peer model healthy, equitable, and safe relationships.
• Ability to safely de-escalate a crisis, conflict, and critical event utilizing a trauma-informed de-escalation approach.
• Ability to engage and motivate young people and adults to prevent domestic violence, dating violence, and teen dating violence.
• Ability to work independently with strong organizational skills, accountability methods, and effective time management.
• Experience with data collection and working knowledge of computers and programs such as PowerPoint, Microsoft, and Outlook.
• Excellent public speaking skills to present to large groups adults and/or youth.
• Ability to communicate efficiently utilizing verbal, written, and interpersonal communication skills.
• Must maintain and protect the confidentiality of the program participants and shelter locations within agency guidelines and state statutes.
• Must adhere to SafeSpace ethics, policies, procedures, and contractual standards.
• Bilingual language skills are preferred.
• Must be willing to support the emergency disaster team in the event of a national disaster or weather emergency.
• Must be able to pass a level two background screen.
• Must maintain a valid driver’s license with reliable transportation to work at various locations including both emergency shelters and outreach locations.
• Ability to be flexible and provide coverage when needed to meet SafeSpace Outreach needs, including nights, weekends and holidays, as needed.
• Must be organized and detail-oriented to report and collect accurate data and information.
• Must be able to handle and prioritize emergencies and unexpected needs of program participants.
• Ability to be self-motivated and work as part of a collaborative team.

Core Competencies

• Professionalism and compassion
• Attention to detail
• Reliability and accountability
• Cultural humility and inclusivity
• Problem-solving and initiative
• Team collaboration

Training Requirements:

Required onboarding training will be conducted at the Administrative office or designated location during the hours of 8:30 am – 5:00 pm Monday through Friday regardless of shift schedule. Must successfully complete CORE Competency training provided by the agency within 90 days of employment and participate in ongoing mandatory education and skills training on relevant topics as required by statutory funding, certification of the agency or personnel, or as identified to improve employee performance. Must maintain annual training requirements outlined in the employee manual. Must have or gain knowledge in Florida Domestic Violence Statutes, Injunctions for Protection, court procedures, victim rights, Office of the Attorney General Victim Compensation / Relocation and Address Confidentiality Program (ACP), and the Florida Department of Corrections VINE (Victim Information Notification Everyday).

Work Environment:

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. This job operates in multiple community-based office locations. Daily driving throughout the service area is expected. This role routinely involves standard office equipment such as computers, phones, photocopiers, filing cabinets and fax machines. Will be a noisy environment that is fast paced with high stimulation. Working with survivors of intimate partner domestic violence may increase exposure to secondary trauma.

Physical Demands:

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk and hear. This position is active and may require standing, walking, bending, kneeling, stooping, crouching, crawling, and climbing. The employee must frequently lift and/or move items up to 25 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, peripheral vision, depth perception and ability to adjust focus. Work will be performed in both inside and outside environments.

Notice to Applicants: All finalists for employment with SafeSpace, Inc. are required to undergo screening through the Florida Care Provider Background Screening Clearinghouse. For more information, please visit https://info.flclearinghouse.com/

SafeSpace is an Equal Opportunity Employer.