Violence Prevention Advocate

City of Roanoke, Virginia•Va 24012, VA

2d•Onsite

About The Position

The City of Roanoke is seeking Violence Prevention Advocates. The Violence Prevention Advocate will assist in the coordination of activities and programs for at-risk youth and young adults. The Violence Prevention Advocates are a key ingredient to the success of the initiative and are instrumental to supporting both community norm change and positive behavior change among high-risk individuals ages 14 - 34. Major responsibilities include creating and maintaining close contact with a caseload of individuals at high risk for violence, mediating conflicts, canvassing, responding to shootings, community outreach and mobilization, identifying resources and linking participants to support, and accurately documenting all activities in a timely manner. Individuals must be comfortable with traveling and working at the community level throughout the city during peak hours when conflicts and shootings are likely. This might involve working at the community level late evenings as well as over the weekends. This initiative strives to connect with individuals when the risk for gun violence is elevated.

Requirements

High school diploma or general education degree (GED) and a minimum of 2 years of professional experience working with adolescents, or an equivalent combination of training and related experience may substitute for the professional experience.
At least one-year experience working with at-risk youth and gang members and experience or training in crisis intervention.
Must have valid VA driver’s license, insurance, and a good driving record.
Must possess a valid State of Virginia driver’s license.
Must be able to possess and maintain acceptably clear background checks through Child Protective Services, FBI, and State NCIC and drug screening.
Must maintain a minimum of liability insurance on personal vehicle, as required by the State of Virginia.
Must be able to drive for long periods.
Must be able to work beyond normal work schedule - including nights, weekends, and holidays.

Nice To Haves

Associate’s degree preferred.

Responsibilities

Work individually and as a team to prevent shootings in the target neighborhoods.
Identify and create a caseload of high-risk individuals, providing frequent contact, support, and mentorship and link them to opportunities and assistance programs in the community.
When necessary, refer participants and/ or high-risk individuals to a range of services in a timely manner, follow up on progress and outcome, and collaborate with City of Roanoke staff and partners as needed.
Identify and diffuse “hot spots” for violence and prioritize individuals with the highest need for intervention, working closely with other City of Roanoke staff and partners to refer to other team members and resources when needed.
Distribute and track public education materials in the target areas.
Work to intervene in circumstances in which violence is likely.
Assist in mediating situations and preventing retaliation between individuals and groups.
Attend vigils for shooting victims in the assigned area to support victims and community members and increase program visibility.
Attend community meetings and events as needed.
Timely documentation of all activities and prevented violence using designated tracking software to maintain accountability, support data reporting requirements, and facilitate presentations and publications.
Provide accurate and detailed updates of the week's activities.
Other duties as assigned