Prevention Educator

Sarah’s Inn is a community-based non-profit organization whose mission is to improve the lives of those affected by domestic violence and to break the cycle of violence for future generations. Our services and initiatives focus on ending relationship violence through domestic violence crisis intervention, community education, and violence prevention programs for youth.

Job Title: Prevention
Educator                                      

Department: Prevention           

Reports To: Prevention Program Supervisor                   

FLSA status: Exempt/Full-time

Position Summary: Implement and evaluate Sarah’s Inn’s Together Strong Project prevention curricula for elementary, middle and high schools, providing workshops for youth, parents, school faculty and community partners. The Together Strong Project is on the cutting-edge of prevention efforts in the state of Illinois.  This position will work collaboratively with Sarah’s Inn’s Prevention team members and the agency Directors, and will provide opportunities to advance the agency’s prevention initiatives and programming to ensure adolescents develop healthy attitudes about themselves and their relationships.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities: Other duties may be assigned.

Implement violence prevention programming:

• In accordance with the prevention program plan, facilitate the agency’s Together Strong Project prevention programming at elementary, middle and high schools throughout the school year. The goal of this program is to educate and engage youth so that they will pursue non-violence and cultivate healthy relationships throughout their lives. All of our prevention programming aligns with the Illinois Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) standards, and promotes anti-bullying and healthy relationship development.
• Assist Prevention Program Supervisor with the evaluation of programming annually to report achievements and amend the program plans, as necessary, to ensure fidelity.
• Update data tracking database for prevention programming; collect and maintain evaluation records, and track student demographics.
• Assist Prevention Program Supervisor to develop and revise prevention curricula and corresponding outreach and social media; incorporate new research findings and current events, as appropriate, and utilize program data and feedback to inform ongoing implementation of program goals and objectives.
• Maintain positive and cooperative relationships with existing partners, and assist with ongoing outreach to new community and school partners in order to expand the reach of programming.
• Coordinate Youth Committee; maintain communication and organization of 8 – 12 adolescent volunteers; prepare for and facilitate evening meetings twice a month; recruit and interview new student participants, as necessary.
• Provide basic support and resource referrals, as appropriate, to youth, families and school and community professionals.
• Meet regularly with the Prevention team to plan and collaborate to ensure effective and efficient development and implementation of the agency’s prevention programming.
• Utilize staff and volunteer resources in the successful execution of program plans.
• Collaborate with Prevention Program Supervisor and Associate Director to ensure program plans effectively utilize financial and human resources and reflect the mission and vision of agency.

Build and enhance community relationships.

• Represent the organization with professionalism at community meetings and events, and demonstrate diplomacy and tact in all interactions with various system representatives and community partners.
• Participate and provide leadership on various external committees, task forces, and councils as assigned.
• Collaborate with other community and county agencies on behalf of the clients we serve.
• Develop and maintain partnerships with community programs that are in line with the mission of Sarah’s Inn.
• Provide coverage on the 24-hour crisis line during business hours (will be assigned shifts) and assistance with on-call (see below).

Educate community members and professionals about domestic violence and Sarah’s Inn services.

• Provide community education presentations and professional trainings.
• Participate in community awareness events.
• Provide internal training to staff, volunteers, and interns, including assisting the Prevention Program Supervisor in training prevention program interns.

Participate in the on-call rotation for crisis line in order to support crisis line volunteers and clients (if exempt/full-time).

• Provide back-up support using the on-call phone for the crisis line off hours (evenings, nights, and weekends) for a week-long shift. Position could have up to 4 week-long shifts a year.
• Ensure support of volunteers who are on the line. Providing coverage if needed, answering questions, providing guidance, and taking over when clients are in need of support only staff can approve (hotel stays, transportation, food, etc.).
• Texting shift reminders to the volunteers who are scheduled.
• When on-call, responsible for responding to text line requests. The text line is directly linked to the on-call phone.
• Provide prompt feedback about concerns or successes during the on-call shift to the Volunteer and In-Kind Coordinator.
• Responsible for understanding and implementing the on-call and financial assistance procedures including awareness of technology used and troubleshooting as needed.

Supervisor Responsibilities:

This position has no staff supervisory responsibilities. 

Qualifications:

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Location and Schedule:

The schedule for this role aligns with the local school calendar during the academic year, and the position requires the ability to work across multiple school locations on a rotating or as-needed basis.

Overall, this position is Monday through Friday during normal business hours, however there will be exceptions requiring evening and weekend hours (i.e. for Client or Sarah’s Inn Events, outreach events, on-call duties, and if clients are experiencing an emergency).

Education and/or Experience:                                                

• BA degree and/or equivalent experience required.
• Minimum of 2 years of experience.

• Demonstrated ability to develop training and presentation materials.
• Experience working with youth, facilitating youth groups, and/or classroom management/teaching experience preferred.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite preferred: Canva, Word, Excel and Publisher.
• Completion of Domestic Violence Advocacy training preferred; 40-hour training is required within one year of employment.

Knowledge and Skills:

• An organized self-starter who has the enthusiasm, drive, and willingness to be innovative. 
• Strong organizational, planning, and project management skills; ability to prioritize and handle a variety of tasks.
• Bilingual in Spanish, preferred but not required.
• High degree of flexibility and the ability to problem solve and make decisions individually and /or within a team, in order to achieve organizational objectives.
• Excellent judgment, an ability to exercise discretion and tact in difficult or confidential situations and an ability to project a positive, professional image to the public.
• Ability to communicate articulately and interact comfortably and effectively with staff and community partners.
• Excellent communication and presentation skills; ability to work with both youth and adults in a variety of settings with a commitment to and experience in working with people from diverse cultural, ethnic, and socio-economic backgrounds and lifestyles.
• Knowledge of domestic violence landscape, including issues related to women and youth preferred.

Success Factors/Job Competencies:

• Integrity & Ethics – models Organization’s Vision, Mission & Values
• Collaboration & Teamwork – embraces an inclusive workplace
• Innovation/Continuous Improvement – finds innovative ways of executing work
• Job Knowledge/Technical Expertise – demonstrates a clear understanding of and executes roles and responsibilities
• Time Management/Productivity/Accountability – manages time and resources effectively
• Problem Solving/Decision Making – demonstrates proper judgment, problem solving and decision making
• Communication – effectively communicates
• Colleague Development - provides guidance, encouragement and feedback to subordinates for professional growth

Physical demands and work environment:

The physical demands and work environment characteristics 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.

            Physical demands: While performing duties of job, incumbent is occasionally required to stand; walk; sit; use hands to finger, handle, or feel objects; reach with hands and arms; talk and hear. Employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds.

Performance Standards:

• Annual performance evaluation
• Attainment of annual goals established between supervisor and incumbent