Community Education Specialist

Young People In Recovery - Totalsource; Denver (CO); Hybrid; USD 53,000 - 63,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid or remote work options

Health, dental, and vision insurance

Generous paid time off

Job summary

Young People in Recovery (YPR) seeks a Community Education Specialist in Denver, CO. This full-time role develops educational programming for overdose prevention and leads community and healthcare provider training.

The specialist creates bilingual curricula and resources, guiding youth and families through prevention and recovery supports. The position emphasizes collaboration with regional partners, content creation for campaigns, and ongoing training with DEI and MHFA certifications.

Qualifications

• Bachelors degree in education, public health, or health sciences.
• At least three years of experience in community health education or training delivery.
• Bilingual proficiency in English and Spanish preferred.

Responsibilities

• Develop and deliver educational programming for YPRs regional overdose prevention initiative.
• Lead community and healthcare provider training and education campaigns.
• Create bilingual prevention resources and curricula for adolescents, families, and partners.
• Collaborate with regional partners and project team to extend training capacity.

Skills

Community health education

Training delivery

Bilingual preferred

Education

Bachelors degree in education/public health/health sciences

Job description

If you are unable to complete this application due to a disability, contact this employer to ask for an accommodation or an alternative application process.

Community Education Specialist

Full Time Denver, CO, US

2 days ago Requisition ID: 1175

Salary: $57,500.00 Annually

Community Education Specialist

Organization Overview:

YPR is a national, peer-led organization that serves youth and young adults in recovery from substance use disorder. YPR aims to improve access to resources such as housing, education and employment that sustain long-term recovery.

Vision: Young People in Recovery envisions a world where all young people have the resources they need to thrive in recovery from addiction to drugs and alcohol.

Mission:

YPR’s mission is to provide the life skills and peer support to help people recover from substance use disorder and reach their full potential.

Community Education Specialist Overview:

The Community Education Specialist develops and delivers educational programming for YPR’s regional overdose prevention initiative. The Specialist leads community and healthcare provider training, develops family education curricula and bilingual prevention resources, and directs content development for a regional counterfeit pill awareness campaign.

The initiative primarily serves adolescents and young adults ages 14–26 and their families. The Specialist equips community members and professionals with practical knowledge to recognize and respond to overdose, administer opioid overdose reversal medications, understand counterfeit pill risks, and connect people to treatment and recovery resources.

Note: This position is a Full-Time position at 40 hours per week.

General Responsibilities

Respond to work-related communications from YPR employees within a reasonable timeframe during scheduled working hours, generally within one (1) business day, unless alternative arrangements have been approved in advance by the supervisor

(Communications may include email, phone, internal messaging platforms, or similar tools.)

Celebrate both large and small victories while identifying and addressing bottlenecks or barriers the team may be experiencing

Comply with all YPR reporting procedures, including ADP time tracking, Concur expense reporting, Salesforce/Community updates, and census reports

Obtain and maintain all required training and certifications as directed by the organization or supervisor, including but not limited to Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI) and Mental Health First Aid (MHFA), Sexual Abuse, and Cyber Security

Represent the organization professionally in all interactions

Handle sensitive and confidential matters with professionalism and discretion

Supports special projects and organizational initiatives

Community Education Activities

Develop standardized curricula and educational toolkits. Use SAMHSA’s Overdose Prevention and Response Toolkit to create consistent, evidence-informed materials adapted for schools, healthcare providers, faith communities, and community organizations.

Deliver community overdose prevention education. Teach overdose recognition, response, and administration of opioid overdose reversal medications through community events, partner organizations, and the regional Collaborative.

Lead healthcare provider training. Develop and deliver training for physicians, nurses, pharmacists, behavioral health clinicians, school nurses, and emergency department staff. Cover opioid and controlled substance overprescribing risks, overdose response, counterfeit pill identification, and referrals to treatment and recovery services.

Implement Training-of-Trainers activities. Prepare staff within healthcare partner organizations to deliver prevention education and sustain training capacity beyond the grant period.

Develop youth and family education. Create age-appropriate prevention curricula and counterfeit pill awareness resources that engage young people, parents, and families.

Develop bilingual prevention resources. Coordinate English- and Spanish-language materials and training delivery with bilingual staff and community partners.

Lead campaign content development. Work with the Youth Advisory Council and digital team to develop youth- and family-focused messaging for the regional counterfeit pill awareness campaign across social media, digital advertising, radio, and community outreach.

Collaborate with regional partners. Coordinate training opportunities with the Community Outreach & Partnerships Manager and incorporate Collaborative and Youth Advisory Council feedback into educational programming.

Support evaluation and improvement. Work with the Program Coordinator/Data Lead to document training activities, participant reach, and campaign performance, and use findings to improve educational delivery.

Team Collaboration. Work closely with the Community Outreach & Partnerships Manager, Program Implementers, Program Coordinator/Data Lead, Project Director, Youth Advisory Council, and digital team to deliver coordinated, accessible, community-informed prevention education.

Key Education Goals

Lead educational programming that supports these shared project targets:

Train at least 1,500 community members annually in overdose recognition, response, and overdose reversal medication administration.

Train at least 500 healthcare professionals annually.

Launch a bilingual regional counterfeit pill awareness campaign by the end of Year 1, reaching at least 10,000 community members annually.

Sustain education and campaign activities throughout the three-year project while building partners’ capacity to continue training.

Organizational Commitments

Collaborate to support and implement YPR’s strategic plan while promoting and encouraging the many pathways of recovery

Actively champion diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA) initiatives

Continuously strive to improve personal performance and contribute to organizational excellence

Use data to inform decision-making, enhance outcomes, and guide organizational development

Perform other related duties and marginal functions as assigned

Job Type: Full-Time (40 hours/week)

Schedule: M-F exempt, salary position

Compensation: $57,500 annual salary

PERKS AND MORE

Benefits eligibility varies by employment classification and plan documents. Some benefits listed apply only to full-time roles.

Mission-driven work with meaningful community impact

Collaborative, supportive team environment

Values-aligned leadership with transparent communication

Inclusive, people-first organizational culture

Flexibility & Work-Life Balance

Flexible work schedules where operationally feasible

Hybrid or remote work options (role-dependent)

Emphasis on sustainable workloads and boundaries

Growth & Development

Opportunities for professional development and training

Exposure to cross-functional projects and leadership

Clear role expectations with room for growth

Support for certifications, conferences, or continuing education (when available)

High level of autonomy and ownership over responsibilities

Opportunity to influence systems, processes, or strategy

Direct impact on organizational efficiency and success

Competitive compensation aligned with nonprofit/industry standards

Health, dental, and vision insurance options

Life insurance and disability insurance options

Generous paid time off and paid holidays

48-hours of paid sick leave annually

Retirement plan options with employer match

Wellness resources and employee assistance programs

Annual wellness reimbursement

Opportunity to work alongside passionate, purpose-driven professionals

Meaningful relationships with stakeholders and community partners

Pride in contributing to an organization making real change

YPR CORE VALUES

Community:

YPR values the community by creating welcoming spaces for people in or seeking recovery and their allies.

Caring:

YPR values caring by meeting all people where they are in their recovery journeys, and by supporting all pathways of recovery.

Respect:

YPR values respect by listening to others to understand and by operating with a spirit of intellectual curiosity.

Inclusion:

YPR values inclusion by building diverse teams of employees and by leveraging data to better support underserved populations.

Commitment:

YPR values commitment by showing up every day and holding ourselves accountable to our processes for each other, our clients, our stakeholders, and our communities.

EXPERIENCE AND BACKGROUND

Experience and Required Minimum Qualifications

Bachelor’s degree in education, public health, or health sciences

At least three years of experience in community health education or training delivery

Bilingual proficiency in English and Spanish preferred

Understanding of substance use prevention and recovery

Positive and supportive attitude toward all pathways of recovery

Sensitivity and awareness of the unique needs and stigmas associated with underserved populations

Technology/computer/virtual meeting experience required

Excellent organizational, communication, and leadership skills

Preferred qualifications:

Personal experience in recovery

Experience working successfully with diverse communities

Previous training and certification in trauma-informed response, cultural competency, and peer education

Physical demands and work environment :

Occasionally required to stand

Occasionally required to walk

Frequently required to sit

Frequently required to utilize hand and finger dexterity

Continually required to talk or hear

The employee must occasionally lift and /or move more than 10 pounds

Background Check Statement: Young People in Recovery is dedicated to ensuring a safe and secure environment for our clients, employees, volunteers, and members. To assist in achieving that goal, we conduct background investigations. If your position requires additional pre-employment criteria, such as a driver’s examination, a background investigation, and/ or a pre-employment drug test, and if you have been offered employment before any such investigation or test is completed, your employment is contingent upon a satisfactory result on all required tests. Pre-employment background investigations: Shall be required for all staff, interns, and volunteers who have direct contact with individuals receiving services. YPR considers criminal history information on an individualized basis , considering the nature of the offense, time elapsed, and relevance to the position. Criminal history does not automatically disqualify an applicant. Any background information will be evaluated in accordance with applicable law and based on job-relatedness and business necessity.

ADA Statement: Young People in Recovery will provide reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities throughout the employment application process. To request an accommodation pursuant to the Americans with Disabilities Act, please contact Human Resources at [e-mail] .

YPR is an equal-opportunity employer. We will not discriminate, and we will take affirmative action

to ensure against discrimination in employment, recruitment, and advertisements for

employment, compensation, termination, upgrading, promotions, and other conditions of

employment against any employee or job applicant based on race, color, gender, nation or

origin, age, religion, creed, disability, recovery status, veteran’s status, sexual orientation,

gender identity or gender expression.

YPR is deeply committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion and embeds those principles into the practices of its work and organizational culture. YPR is committed to being an employer of choice and believes that the best organizational performance will result from a safe, diverse, and inclusive work environment. People of color, people with disabilities, women, and LGBTQ+ candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.

People in recovery, YPR chapter members/leaders, and those with lived experience of the criminal justice system are encouraged to apply.