VPI Outreach Worker

The Puerto Rican Cultural Center; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 40,000 - 50,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Equal Opportunity Employment

Inclusive workplace policies

Job summary

The Puerto Rican Cultural Center is seeking a candidate to engage with at-risk youth in Chicago. The role involves conflict resolution, community outreach, and daily interactions with high-risk individuals to prevent violence. Candidates should have experience working with at-risk populations and must possess strong communication and organizational skills.

This position offers the opportunity to contribute to the safety and well-being of the community, with flexible hours including evenings and weekends.

Qualifications

• Ability to effectively communicate, connect with youth.
• Experience with at-risk youth required.
• Must have drivers license and reliable transportation.

Responsibilities

• Monitor potential conflicts in communities.
• Formulate action plans to resolve conflicts.
• Engage with high-risk individuals daily.
• Document all contacts and interventions.

Skills

Effective communication

Calm in emergencies

Experience with at-risk youth

Knowledge of urban youth issues

Teamwork

Organizational skills

Cultural competency

Flexibility and initiative

Punctuality

Computer literacy

Education

High School Diploma or GED

Job description

Founded in 1973, The Puerto Rican Cultural Center (PRCC) is a non-profit, community-based umbrella institution that seeks to serve the socio-cultural needs of Chicago’s Puerto Rican and Latino community. It is built on the following principles: a philosophy of self-determination, a methodology of self-actualization and critical thought, and an ethics of self-reliance best expressed in the motto, “To live and help to live.”

Qualifications

• Ability to effectively communicate, connect with, and motivate youth and/or young adults away from impulsive behavior that will lead to violence.
• Ability to stay calm in response to emergencies.
• Experience working with at-risk, gang-involved, or impacted youth and/or adults is required.
• Applicants with personal experience in overcoming violence/incarceration/violence-related injuries/gang involvement/the criminal justice system are especially encouraged to apply. However, candidates should have been released from incarceration for at least 24 months.
• Knowledge of urban youth issues, specifically youth violence and juvenile justice;
• Demonstrated ability to work independently and as part of a team;
• Must have strong communication and organizational skills, and possess the ability to communicate effectively with staff members, clients, vendors, and the public;
• Ability to work well with diverse populations;
• Proactive, and demonstrates initiative, flexibility, and willingness to try new approaches
• Punctual and extremely reliable;
• Highly organized and detail-oriented;
• Candidate must be computer literate;
• Must be able to present oneself and program in a professional manner;
• Flexibility to work evenings & weekends;
• Ability to work in stressful situations;
• High School Diploma or GED preferred; applicants working toward completion of GED/diploma will be accepted.
• Must have a driver's license, reliable car, valid insurance, and DMV clearance throughout your time of employment;
• A Minimum of 2 years of experience working with at-risk gang-involved or impacted youth is required. A minimum of 1 year of case management or violence interruption experience is strongly preferred.

Responsibilities

• Gain information on potential conflicts in hotspot communities.
• Formulate action plans to help resolve conflicts.
• Attend outreach worker/violence interrupter meetings.
• Meet with high-risk individuals and groups on a daily basis to discuss issues.
• Work to prevent acts of violence and help to prevent all potential retaliatory shootings. ? Develop relationships with influential individuals and groups in the community.
• Refer potential clients/participants to case managers in the program for wrap-around services. ? Document conflicts resolved on conflict mediation forms.
• Participate and engage participants in program activities.
• Attend community responses as needed.
• Get to know all the highest risk persons and the people who know them. Work to intervene in circumstances where violence is likely, including potential retaliation.
• Document all contacts with high-risk individuals daily.
• Identify and diffuse “hot spots” for shootings and violence.
• Research causes of shootings/killings to assist in mediating situations and preventing retaliation between individuals and groups (working with the community, outreach programs, and local law enforcement to gain information that may be helpful in preventing additional killings) and provide documentation.
• Outreach to the community (individually and as a team member) to build relationships with individuals, residents, businesses, and community groups.
• Provide strong, effective communication with clients
• Engage restorative practices in the de-escalation and resolution of conflict.
• Work closely and collaboratively with Street Outreach and the Chicago Crisis Response Support Network.
• Work as a member of a team – work together to ensure that shootings are reduced.
• Document consistently and accurately in records all contacts with clients;
• Attend staff meetings;
• Represent Puerto Rican Cultural Center to the media, public officials, community leaders, etc. on strategies to prevent gun violence and improve services to youth;
• Participate in violence prevention efforts with other providers as assigned;
• Other responsibilities as assigned by the Program Coordinator.

The Puerto Rican Cultural Center (PRCC) is an equal opportunity employer committed to creating an inclusive and diverse workplace. PRCC provides equal employment opportunities to all applicants and does not discriminate in recruiting, hiring, or promotion based on race, color, sex, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, genetic information, pregnancy, or any other basis or characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law. PRCC is also committed to providing reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities.