Prevention Specialist

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 Pr ek – 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 Specialist (PS) will work in schools, and in out-of-school time programs with at-hope youth, some of whom have identified behavioral challenges. The (PS) works with youth during in school time to help support and assist with recess as well as the after school program to facilitate enrichment activities with tools to resist harmful behaviors and develop asset-based skills, such as critical thinking, informed decision-making, goal setting, and conflict resolution, as well as develop their educational and career potential. The Prevention Specialist will report to the Site Coordinator. 

Responsibilities/duties include but are not limited to:

• Work closely with school administration for referrals and recruitment
• Develop trusting relationships to identify issues and seek solutions through trauma-informed care
• Plan, prepare and deliver lesson plans and instructional materials that facilitate active learning during recess and after school. 
• Implement Social Emotional Learning practices to address behavior and establishing guidelines, expectations, mutual respect, and mutual accountability
• Encourage Restorative Justice methods as alternatives to traditional disciplinary consequences and encourage educational success
• Youth-driven and strengths-based approach to goal setting and service planning
• Record attendance into internal and external online databases on a weekly basis and record intakes and assessments into the system as needed
• Submit lesson plans, statistics, and reports to the Program Coordinator on a bi-weekly basis and/or as needed
• Collect baseline and year-end data on academic, interpersonal, and pro social behaviors
• Maintains File Compliance as required and compliance with internal Efforts to Outcomes (ETO)
• Maintain relationships with various partners including, but not limited to, schools, government agencies and community-based organizations
• Identifies positive adult/youth influences to create a stronger support network for the participant
• Models’ appropriate communication skills and tools matched to the needs of various audiences and purposes
• Represents the agency to various publics to broaden community awareness and support, interpreting the agency’s programs and services in a positive way
• Encourage family relationships and positive interaction through Family Nights, Family Fridays and other meetings and events at their respective school. 
• Participate in agency outreach and recruitment events, including evenings and weekends.
• Participate in civic engagement activities that advance the mission of BUILD, Inc.
• Maintains knowledge current to the field and agency’s theories, methodologies and best practices
• Attends departmental and agency-wide staff meetings, as scheduled and agency-wide events, as required
• Able to lift at least 15 pounds
• Able to physically interact with children and youths 
• Perform other duties as assigned

Requirements

• High School Diploma or GED required.
• Must have at least 12 credit hours in child development or related field experience preferred from an college or university.
• Three years of experience working with inner-city youth in a human service setting, social service setting, or related field is preferred.
• Ability to plan, implement, and document lesson and workshop plans.
• 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.
• Must be driven to succeed, proactive, innovative, responsible, assertive and possess integrity and the ability to motivate others.
• Ability to pass a CPS, criminal record and child abuse/neglect registry check.
• Must have access to reliable transportation and willingness to travel locally.