Community Prevention and Education Specialist

Midwest Youth Services•Jacksonville, IL

7d•Onsite

About The Position

Midwest Youth Services is seeking a creative, community-minded professional to develop, coordinate, and deliver prevention and educational programming that increases awareness, promotes positive youth development, and connects youth and families with resources and opportunities. The Specialist represents the agency across its service region and engages youth, families, schools, community organizations, and other stakeholders to build relationships, strengthen partnerships, and increase awareness of agency programs and services. The role involves identifying youth-centered topics and community needs; planning and facilitating age-appropriate presentations, workshops, activities, and awareness initiatives; developing educational materials; and evaluating programming. The Specialist also supports outreach and community-based youth engagement, agency events, collaborative programming, documentation, outcome reporting, and program planning. The position combines office-based planning with community engagement, educational programming, and outreach, with regular travel throughout the agency’s eight-county service region. Occasional evening, weekend, and other nontraditional hours may be required.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in social work, human services, education, psychology, sociology, public health, communications, or a related field.
Strong verbal and written communication skills, including the ability to engage youth, families, professionals, and community audiences.
Ability to work effectively as part of a team while independently managing assigned responsibilities.
Strong organizational, time-management, and problem-solving skills.
Creativity, initiative, and enthusiasm for developing engaging educational activities and community programming.
Passion for working with youth, families, and community partners.
Ability to build and maintain positive professional relationships with diverse populations.
Ability to represent the agency professionally and communicate its mission and services effectively.
Basic computer proficiency, including electronic documentation and presentation tools.
Valid driver’s license and ability to travel throughout the agency’s service region.
Ability to work occasional evenings, weekends, and nontraditional hours to accommodate community events and programming.

Nice To Haves

Experience in prevention education, youth development, community outreach, or public education.
Experience facilitating workshops, group activities, or community presentations.
Familiarity with trauma-informed practices, positive youth development, and strengths-based approaches.
Experience planning community events, awareness campaigns, or educational initiatives.
Knowledge of community resources and issues affecting youth and families.

Responsibilities

Develop, coordinate, and deliver age-appropriate prevention and educational programming for youth, families, and community groups.
Identify youth-centered topics, emerging trends, risk factors, and community needs to guide educational activities and awareness initiatives.
Plan and facilitate presentations, workshops, interactive activities, and other prevention-based learning opportunities.
Develop educational materials and activities about healthy decision-making, personal safety, positive relationships, life skills, risk reduction, youth development, and community resources.
Coordinate programming and awareness activities related to national awareness months, community initiatives, and youth- and family-centered topics.
Evaluate programming and identify opportunities to improve participation, relevance, and effectiveness.
Represent Midwest Youth Services professionally throughout its service region and at community events, resource fairs, school activities, collaborative meetings, and other engagement opportunities.
Engage youth, families, schools, community organizations, and other stakeholders to increase awareness of agency services and resources.
Develop and maintain positive relationships with community partners and identify opportunities to expand community presence, partnerships, and access to programming.
Communicate agency programs, resources, and services accurately while promoting the agency’s mission and values.
Collaborate with the Street Outreach & Community Youth Programming Specialist on outreach activities and community-based youth engagement.
Assist with street outreach, resource sharing, direct community engagement, agency-sponsored events, youth activities, and community initiatives as needed.
Work with other agency programs to promote coordinated services and connections to available resources.
Maintain accurate records of educational activities, outreach efforts, attendance, community contacts, and program outcomes.
Assist with collecting and reporting information needed to meet agency goals and contractual requirements.
Monitor assigned programming objectives and communicate progress, challenges, and opportunities for improvement to supervisory staff.
Participate in program planning, staff meetings, training, and professional development.
Follow agency policies and procedures, including confidentiality, professional boundaries, and ethical standards.
Perform additional duties as assigned to support agency programming and operational needs.