Uplift Solutions Hiring for Community Outreach Specialist at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Full Time

The Community Outreach Specialist works directly with Uplift Solutions Violence Reduction Program and is responsible for creating successful outcomes for justice-involved individuals. This is accomplished through outreach, engagement, workforce training, and case management services. The Community Outreach Specialist will support program participants as they complete life skills training, receive trauma-informed behavioral health services and case management supports. The Community Outreach Specialist ensures participants develop improved conflict resolution skills, increase their capacity to , avoiding harmful influences and risky environments, and develop improved coping skills so they are better able to avoid detrimental activities like group/gun violence as they pursue a successful future.

In addition, the Community Outreach Specialist will create high impact recruitment strategies, execute strategies for strengthening relationships with existing partners, developing relationships with new partners, representing Uplift at community events, and increasing awareness of Uplift’s services. The Community Outreach Specialist will also develop and train a corps of volunteers who can assist with recruiting, and organize/manage street teams of stipend-based workers and volunteers to recruit participants in their communities.

The Community Outreach Specialist focuses Philadelphia neighborhoods with high rates of street violence. The Community Outreach Specialist will prioritize the following neighborhoods due to the high rates of violent crime in these neighborhoods, as well as the high numbers of returning citizens living in these neighborhoods:

• Nicetown-Tioga
• Hunting Park
• Strawberry Mansion
• Fairhill/Kensington
• Allegany West
• Frankford

The Community Outreach Specialist will collaborate with Uplift’s Workforce Development Staff. Specifically, they will coordinate with Case Managers to ensure regular and complete data collection throughout program participation and Instructors to ensure success in life skills and technical training.

Duties:

Recruitment

Recruit participants at high-risk for gun or group violence from targeted neighborhoods

Develop messaging for written and verbal communications, including state focused action alerts and online engagement opportunities

Disseminate communication materials that raise awareness about Uplift’s programs through multiple channels

Plan and execute meetings, town halls, forums, round tables, and recruitment and resource events, including but not limited to preparing agendas, recruitment, materials, identifying and coordinating speakers/panelist, and other communications

Develop and conduct advocacy workshops to increase awareness of Uplift’s programming

Craft engaging social media posts, cultivate community within Facebook groups, and explore how new social media platforms and features (FB messenger, Instagram, etc) can be used for recruitment

Create monthly community calendar and newsletters

Outreach

• Build and manage grassroots volunteer teams, and provide personalized training
• Provide advocacy training and leadership development that will engagement of “Street Crews” in discussions at coalition meetings, events and with community leaders
• Take direction from directly impacted people and to contribute expertise in support of community-based initiatives
• Identify individuals in need of transitional employment and refer to relevant programs
• Partners and Referral Network Development
• Create referral and support networks to ensure participants avoid rearrest/recidivism over the 3 years of follow-up
• Develop relationships with partners in targeted high-violence neighborhoods in Philadelphia
• Build and develop relationships with community-based organizations who provide direct services, developing a ladder of engagement for them to play an active role in our coalitions and advocacy campaigns
• Design community-centered advocacy efforts and campaigns to accomplish Uplift’s strategic priorities and systemic change goals.
• Supervise, train, and support community advocates (Street Teams) to develop and execute projects, including but not limited to: outreach, direct engagement with impacted community members, community education, developing relationships with grassroots partners, coalition building, campaigns and referral networks.
• Work with community leaders to support events in targeted communities to meet the needs of returning citizens at risk for exposure to violence
• Represent Uplift at community and government events; facilitate workshops, trainings and other special events

Direct Service to Participants

• Plan, manage and execute community events to raise awareness about Uplift’s programming, engage potential applicants and collect their contact information
• Support the intake function of Case Managers and the use of Uplift’s Intake Form and Uplift Assessment of Needs Form during the intake and assessment interview.
• Regular administration of non-standardized academic and psycho-social assessments
• Develop new and strengthen existing relationships to increase participation and engagement
• Provide trauma-informed life skills and job readiness training
• Provide 3 years of follow-up support
• Service Coordination
• Support engagement in technical training and behavioral health support
• Support engagement in case management and connection to services
• Support placement of participants in employment
• Collaborate the communications team to develop relevant messages and narratives that promote awareness and recognition of the VIP program
• Assist in development activities such as grant proposals, reporting, funder meetings, and fundraising events
• Support the data gathering, entry, analysis, and reporting needs for program activities, including entering data into databases, developing data collection tools and producing reports that inform program design and service delivery

Other

• Adhere to professional standards as outlined by protocols, rules and regulations
• Participate in staff meetings and other events as needed
• Attend and participate in regularly scheduled supervisions sessions
• Promote within the agency and with the general public the philosophy and practice of social rehabilitation
• Perform other related duties, responsibilities and special projects as assigned
• Success Criteria
• Number of recruitment events, total number of recruitments
• Presence/visibility in neighborhoods with high rates of street violence
• Number and quality of strategic partnerships and strength/quality of referral network

Qualifications

• Community engagement
• Public Speaking
• Lived experience (preferred or a plus)
• Event planning
• Strong Communications Background (written and oral)
• Education – HS Diploma; advanced degree preferred
• Proficient in Microsoft Office (Word, Power Point, Excel)
• Community organizing
• Volunteer management
• Project management