at Arrowleaf in Cairo, Illinois, United States
Job Description
Job Title: Community Advocate Work site: Johnson County Office - Vine (JCOV) Area of Focus: Community Collaboration - Prevention & Advocacy Services Program(s): STOP School Violence - Focuses on preventing and reducing school violence through education, crisis intervention, and community collaboration. Community Advocate Minimum Qualifications: Bachelor’s Degree in Human Services or related field. Qualifies as a Mental Health Professional (MHP). Community Advocate Immediate Supervisor: Prevention Programs Coordinator - Morgan Nickles Community Advocate Hours of Work: Full-time 40 hours per week. Afterhours on-call rotation required. Community Advocate Experience & Credential Requirements: Previous experience in youth prevention, conflict resolution, or related fields is a plus. Special Requirements: Travels to off-site/community-based locations for direct service delivery; participates in after-hours crisis response rotation; ability to schedule evening appointments; maintain and provide proof of a valid driver's license; maintain and provide proof of personal vehicle liability insurance; at least 21 years of age; must complete required registry clearances and criminal fingerprint background checks; maintain First Aid and CPR Certification. Community Advocate Skills & Knowledge: Strong interpersonal and communication skills; ability to teach and engage with youth in a classroom or small group setting; proficient in crisis intervention techniques and resource coordination; excellent communication, organizational, and problem-solving skills; ability to work independently and as part of a team in a fast-paced environment; experience in community advocacy, social services, or violence prevention programs. Must have knowledge of case management processes, area resources/service systems, crisis intervention/conflict resolution, and basic computer skills. General knowledge of the juvenile justice system, child welfare system, and education system with an emphasis on an understanding of Johnson County cultures, trends, strengths, and risk-factors. Community Advocate job duties include, but are not limited to:- Teach students interpersonal, communication, conflict resolution, and healthy coping skills using evidence-based youth prevention education curricula, completes pre- and post-data collection, grading, and data recording for reporting needs.
- Assist in the development, maintenance, and distribution of a comprehensive resource guide for violence prevention and intervention.
- Regularly and professionally communicates with school personnel within designated service area, as assigned, to ensure completion of STOP programming schedule and maintain communication with Programs Coordinator of adjustments in scheduling.
- Provide immediate crisis response and short-term intervention services, including conflict resolution techniques to foster a safer and healthier school environment.
- Connects students and families with appropriate health and human service resources to reduce and prevent violence through the use of brief screening interventions. Assists the Agency’s Intake Triage Team to assist with connecting school-aged youth and families to appropriate services.
- Forms a Youth Advisory Council for assigned schools within Johnson County; utilizes the Youth Advisory Council(s) to assist with planning for the Family Resource Night and Violence Prevention Tour; utilizes the Youth Advisory Council to participate in the Key Informant Interviews and Environmental Scans to provide input to the School Behavioral Threat Assessment Team and community’s progress towards improving violence prevention outcomes.
- Assists in planning and implementation of two food drive events in collaboration with the assigned Youth Advisory Council(s) to engage youth leadership in addressing food insecurity and its connection to violence prevention.
- Assists with updating and implementing School Safety Plans for participating schools annually; actively engages in discussion and solution planning for best practices to support youth and families experiencing or at-risk of school or community-based violence.
- Completes regular outreach with community stakeholders (law enforcement, probation, State’s Attorney, school administration, etc.) to increase community awareness of juvenile deflection strategies to link youth and families with mental and social services.
