Community Education Specialist

YOUNG PEOPLE IN RECOVERY - TOTALSOURCE•Denver, CO

7d•$0 - $57,500•Hybrid

About The Position

The Community Education Specialist develops and delivers educational programming for YPR’s regional overdose prevention initiative. The Specialist leads community and healthcare provider training, develops family education curricula and bilingual prevention resources, and directs content development for a regional counterfeit pill awareness campaign. The initiative primarily serves adolescents and young adults ages 14–26 and their families. The Specialist equips community members and professionals with practical knowledge to recognize and respond to overdose, administer opioid overdose reversal medications, understand counterfeit pill risks, and connect people to treatment and recovery resources.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in education, public health, or health sciences
At least three years of experience in community health education or training delivery
Understanding of substance use prevention and recovery
Positive and supportive attitude toward all pathways of recovery
Sensitivity and awareness of the unique needs and stigmas associated with underserved populations
Technology/computer/virtual meeting experience required
Excellent organizational, communication, and leadership skills

Nice To Haves

Bilingual proficiency in English and Spanish preferred
Personal experience in recovery
Experience working successfully with diverse communities
Previous training and certification in trauma-informed response, cultural competency, and peer education
Bilingual (Spanish/English)
Google Suite experience preferred

Responsibilities

Respond to work-related communications from YPR employees within a reasonable timeframe during scheduled working hours, generally within one (1) business day, unless alternative arrangements have been approved in advance by the supervisor
Celebrate both large and small victories while identifying and addressing bottlenecks or barriers the team may be experiencing
Comply with all YPR reporting procedures, including ADP time tracking, Concur expense reporting, Salesforce/Community updates, and census reports
Obtain and maintain all required training and certifications as directed by the organization or supervisor, including but not limited to Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI) and Mental Health First Aid (MHFA), Sexual Abuse, and Cyber Security
Represent the organization professionally in all interactions
Handle sensitive and confidential matters with professionalism and discretion
Supports special projects and organizational initiatives
Develop standardized curricula and educational toolkits. Use SAMHSA’s Overdose Prevention and Response Toolkit to create consistent, evidence-informed materials adapted for schools, healthcare providers, faith communities, and community organizations.
Deliver community overdose prevention education. Teach overdose recognition, response, and administration of opioid overdose reversal medications through community events, partner organizations, and the regional Collaborative.
Lead healthcare provider training. Develop and deliver training for physicians, nurses, pharmacists, behavioral health clinicians, school nurses, and emergency department staff. Cover opioid and controlled substance overprescribing risks, overdose response, counterfeit pill identification, and referrals to treatment and recovery services.
Implement Training-of-Trainers activities. Prepare staff within healthcare partner organizations to deliver prevention education and sustain training capacity beyond the grant period.
Develop youth and family education. Create age-appropriate prevention curricula and counterfeit pill awareness resources that engage young people, parents, and families.
Develop bilingual prevention resources. Coordinate English- and Spanish-language materials and training delivery with bilingual staff and community partners.
Lead campaign content development. Work with the Youth Advisory Council and digital team to develop youth- and family-focused messaging for the regional counterfeit pill awareness campaign across social media, digital advertising, radio, and community outreach.
Collaborate with regional partners. Coordinate training opportunities with the Community Outreach & Partnerships Manager and incorporate Collaborative and Youth Advisory Council feedback into educational programming.
Support evaluation and improvement. Work with the Program Coordinator/Data Lead to document training activities, participant reach, and campaign performance, and use findings to improve educational delivery.
Team Collaboration. Work closely with the Community Outreach & Partnerships Manager, Program Implementers, Program Coordinator/Data Lead, Project Director, Youth Advisory Council, and digital team to deliver coordinated, accessible, community-informed prevention education.
Collaborate to support and implement YPR’s strategic plan while promoting and encouraging the many pathways of recovery
Actively champion diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA) initiatives
Continuously strive to improve personal performance and contribute to organizational excellence
Use data to inform decision-making, enhance outcomes, and guide organizational development
Perform other related duties and marginal functions as assigned