Prevention Advocate VPV

Prevention Advocate (VPV) 

BUILD, Inc. (Broader Urban Involvement and Leadership Development) is presently seeking a committed, self-motivated, and innovative individual to join our team. BUILD is a nationally respected gang intervention, violence prevention, and youth development organization based on Chicago’s West Side. Since 1969, BUILD has worked to save lives and mentor young people who live in the city’s most challenged neighborhoods. When you work at BUILD you make an important difference to the thousands of youth and families we serve.     

Our Core Values: Empathy, Passion, Persistence and Innovation.   

This position will be dedicated to the Violence Prevention Villages (VPV) project that aims to provide positive, proactive and preventive upstream supports and services to youth Pre k – 8 and their households.  BUILD partners with schools to improve behavioral, social/emotional and school outcomes for students, and we engage the nonprofit ecosystem to support household wellbeing and stability.  We follow and support youth and households as long as they are willing, and aim to improve long term well-being, educational attainment and economic stability across generations. 

The Prevention Advocate  (PA), will serve youth who have behavioral challenges, street or gang-involved, and those involved in the juvenile justice system. The (PA) is responsible for providing support, advocacy, opportunities, and community resources that will prevent entry or return to the Cook County Juvenile Temporary Detention Center (CCJTDC). The (PA) will work closely with other program departments and support staff to ensure youth are integrated into various programs that will dissuade them from entering, recidivating, and/or returning to gangs or other destructive activities. The Prevention Advocate, reports directly to the Manager. 

Responsibilities/duties are but not limited to:

• Provides advocacy programs and services in and out of schools for the designated community
• Works collaboratively with school administration and other partners
• Informs appropriate BUILD team of program progress and challenges, making recommendations and seeking advice as necessary
• Meets with team weekly to discuss youth engagement and case management service
• Meets with Manager/Coordinator weekly to discuss the youth in case management service
• Interacts with participants by establishing a professional relationship
• Ensures that youth who are off track in school receive the support necessary to improve and maintain academic requirements
• Ensures that youth receive ongoing home and/or school visits upon participant's enrollment and/or release from the CCJTDC and maintains regular ongoing contacts (individual and group) with participants in his/her caseload for a minimum of one year
• Ensures that youth are involved/encouraged to participate in leadership development opportunities
• Facilitates and provides learning spaces for participants such as peace/talking circles
• Provides informal individual and group counseling
• Ensures completion of needs assessments and refers participants to appropriate services within BUILD and their communities
• Maintain a positive adult mentor/ mentee relationship while reinforcing positive behavior
• Recruits and maintains a required caseload of youth
• Record case notes into internal and external online databases on a weekly basis and record intakes and assessments into the system as needed
• Update caseloads monthly and submit information on a monthly report
• Collect baseline and year-end data on academic, interpersonal, and pro-social behaviors
• Submits statistics and reports monthly and/or as needed
• Maintains File Compliance as required and compliance with internal and external data collection
• Represents the agency to various publics to broaden community awareness and support, interpreting the agency’s programs and services in a positive way
• Participate in agency outreach and recruitment events, including evenings and weekends
• Able to lift at least 15 pounds
• Able to physically interact with children and youths 
• Perform other duties as assigned

Requirements

• At least two years of college experience in education, social services or related field. 
• High School Diploma or GED required
• Experience working with inner-city youth in a human service setting, social service setting, or related field
• Must demonstrate excellent interpersonal, verbal, and written communication skills
• Proficiency with technology integration into daily program operations and evaluation systems
• Highly organized to set priorities, develop a work schedule, and monitor progress towards goals
• Ability to build positive working relationships with others, both internally and externally to achieve the goals of the organization
• Able to do the required number of home visits per month
• Ability to pass a criminal and CPS background check and child abuse/neglect registry check
• Must have a valid Driver’s License, access to reliable transportation and willingness to travel locally
• Must be able to provide proof of COVID-19 vaccine