Closing Date:
11/22/2023 Salary Range: $32.19-$40.94/hour

• Starting salary is dependent upon qualifications, but in most cases is no higher than the midpoint for range.

NATURE OF WORK:
Under the direction of the Senior Outreach Worker, this position provides an array of street and community outreach services to an at-risk population of youth and young adults in the City of Evanston. Actively engages youth and young adults in the community through outreach, education, other social services agencies, including recreation and providing advocacy in a variety of areas, including job training and placement. Assists in coordinating and developing a community wide program targeted for Youth and Young Adults and their families that includes job training and placement services, placement and support within supplemental educational programs, acquisition of health and mental health and substance abuse treatment services, and engaging in mediation, violence interruption, and violence reduction initiatives. Also, collaborates with schools, recreation, law enforcement and other social services agencies.
ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS (Specific assignment will include some or all of the following):

• Builds rapport with all youth and young adults and their families.
• Case manages program participants and inputs data from written records, participant goals that enhance participant and family well-being.
• Recognizes the warning signs of criminal or violent tendencies in youth and young adults and develops and implements mediation, violence interruption, and violence reduction strategies.
• Works closely with schools, local social service agencies, health and recreation agencies and the District Courts in developing services plans for youth and young adults.
• Monitors community service activities and identifies potential placements.
• Assists in providing supervision to volunteers, program participants and providing assistance with seasonal employees working in the Mayor’s Summer Youth Employment Program.
• Assists in identifying counseling needs for youth and young adults.
• Provides minor crisis intervention services as needed and may refer youth and young adults and their families to a variety of service related community agencies and services.
• Assists in emergency relocation of individuals or families threatened with imminent harm or violence.
• Assists in the selection of participants for the Youth and Young Adult Job Training and Employment Program.
• Assists in resolving conflicts and/or mediating situations involving youth and young adults, their families, other youth, and/or agencies.
• Acts as a liaison between youth and young adults and service providers/schools to facilitate access to services.
• Provides information on available services for participants’ family members.
• Maintains relationships with community service supervisors.
• Assists in assessing current strategies and practices for dealing with youth behavioral issues
• Collaborates with the Moran Center, District Courts, Juvenile Bureau and Juvenile Probation office and other local social service agencies.
• Collaborates with hospitals, clinics and community service providers to engage families in community events.
• Engages in home visits with program participants and families to develop and enhance relationships.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS OF WORK:

• Must possess a high school diploma, GED or higher and must possess two (2) or more years of progressively responsible work experience working with at-risk youth or young adults. Possession of 45 or more hours of college credit or a bachelor’s degree is preferred.
• Must possess a valid driver’s license and a safe driving record.
• Knowledge, skills, and abilities in the following areas:
• Working knowledge of workforce development instruction techniques for youth and young adults.
• Ability to communicate bilingually in Spanish is preferred.

• Skill in planning, implementing and evaluating programs, including workforce development programs.
• Skill in case management and client intakes.
• Ability to deal positively and effectively with the general public and other staff and individual agencies or persons.
• Strong customer service skills and teamwork orientation.
• Ability to demonstrate competency and general operating knowledge of a personal computer, software, typewriter, telephone equipment, fax machine, adding and credit card machines, calculator, copiers, entry books, file cabinets, and pens and pencils.
• Ability to read manuals (safety, instructional, etc.), professional and technical journals, legal documents, newspapers, and encyclopedia’s including the ability to understand read materials, and apply instruction and narrative if required.
• Ability to apply common sense understanding to carry out instructions furnished in written, oral, or diagrammatic form; to deal with problems involving several concrete variables in or from standardized situations.
• Ability to prepare work assignments, research issues summaries, letters and memorandum and reports using prescribed format and conforming to all rules of punctuation, grammar, dictation and style.
• Ability to give verbal direction to program participants, communicate effectively with co-workers and supervisors and to speak extemporaneously on a variety of subjects.
• Ability to interact and relate to Youth and Young Adults.
• Ability to work a flexible schedule, including evenings, holidays, and weekends.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS OF WORK:
Employee is subject to inside and outside environmental conditions including office work, community meetings, neighborhood walks. Majority of work is performed outdoors. The employee performs tasks outdoors related to programs, weather can be hot in the summer, etc., while in the fall and spring can be cool/cold.
Employee should have the ability to exert up to 50 pounds of force occasionally, and/or up to 20 pounds of force frequently, and/or a negligible amount of force consistently to lift, carry, push, pull, or otherwise move objects, including the human body.
SUPERVISION:
The Senior Outreach Worker will outline work assignments, and review work in progress and completed work with the Outreach Worker. Under the guidance of the Senior Outreach Worker, works closely with all relevant departments to assist and inform in the incorporation of youth development best practices as appropriate. Employee is expected to provide leadership to all City departments in achieving coordination in Evanston youth and young adult development. Guidance is provided via the strategic plan goals, City Code, City policies and procedures, applicable state and federal laws and regulations, as well as a wide variety of information relating to positive youth development, ensuring that initiatives are met. Work is evaluated monthly with respect to progress toward achieving goals, leadership, communication skills, customer service, ability to work productively and effectively with employees at all levels in the organization as well as elected and appointed officials, community groups and the general public, specifically youth and youth oriented organizations.
PUBLIC CONTACT:
The employee has regular and frequent contact with department and division employees and other City employees; regular contact with individual youth and young adults in the community, including ETHS Student Council members, the Youth Council, community organizations such as Y.O.U., Y.M.C.A., etc. and elected officials.
Chosen candidates will be required to provide proof of licenses, certifications, and education required for this position. Candidates will also be subject to qualifying pre-employment processes, including medical examination, drug/alcohol screen, employment verification, and criminal background check.
The City of Evanston is an equal opportunity employer and ensures against discrimination in employment on the basis of a person’s race, color, sex, age, religion, disability, national origin, ancestry, sexual orientation, marital status, parental status, military discharge status, source of income, housing status, or gender identity. The City of Evanston is also committed to accessibility for persons with disabilities. Any person needing mobility or communications access assistance should contact Human Resources at 847-448-8204 (voice) or 847-448-8052 (TTY).