Community Educator

Position: Community Educator

Department: Community Engagement Program

Location(s): Upper Manhattan, with frequent travel to Queens and the Bronx

Reports To: Program Manager

Classification: Fulltime, Non-Exempt

Work Model: Hybrid

Compensation: $24.73/hour

# of Positions: 1

The Violence Intervention Program (VIP) is the only culturally specific nonprofit organization in New York City serving Latinx survivors of domestic and sexual violence, the vast majority of whom are immigrants. Created as a grassroots response to intimate partner violence and sexual assault, VIP has always centered survivors in its leadership and has worked to create a community of staff that reflects the rich national, ethnic and racial diversity of the communities it serves. VIP operates three community-based social service programs, two residential shelter and housing programs, a 24/7 hotline, innovative economic justice and sexual violence programs, and a robust community engagement team.

The Community Engagement Program connects survivors to services, works to shift cultural norms and attitudes, and advances VIP’s survivor-led approach to ending gender-based violence. Working in deep collaboration with one another, this team leads VIP’s grassroots outreach, digital outreach and community education work. The three strategic objectives underpinning this team’s work are:

• Build Strategic Partnerships
• Establish and Lead Awareness/Educational Campaigns
• Promote Survivor Leadership to Reach and Engage Their Communities

The Community Educator plays an important role in the organization’s community engagement strategy by deepening local communities’ understanding of the root causes and impacts of domestic and sexual violence. The Community Educator develops prevention education curriculum, updates and facilitates engaging bilingual workshops for adults, youth and service providers that address the way individual, relationship, community, and societal factors impact interpersonal violence and aim to prevent violence before it occurs. They develop and sustain thriving partnerships with community-based organizations and educational institutions, particularly those with high numbers of Latinx immigrant youth, to maximize VIP’s reach within our target community. The Community Educator works closely with the other members of the Community Engagement Team and other VIP program teams to ensure that all educational materials reflect VIP values, are informed by our in-house counseling practices, and align with our external messaging strategy. Additionally, they partner with Data Team to implement pre- and post-surveys and track the impact of trainings and workshops. The Community Educator is part of VIP’s dynamic Community Engagement Program and reports to the Program Manager.

Essential Functions

• Design, develop and update VIP’s bilingual trainings, workshops and informational presentations;
• Conduct preventive education workshops on domestic and sexual violence in both English and Spanish for youth and adult community members, social service providers, and other stakeholders;
• Collaborate with Community Engagement Program colleagues to align all content and materials for consistent, powerful messaging;
• Collaborate with Community Organizer and Promotoras team to support their leadership and promote their community-based events and campaigns;
• Establish and maintain linkages with educational and community-based partners to maximize our impact and to deepen and expand partnerships;
• Coordinate VIP participation at coalitions and in collaborative partnerships with other city and social service organizations and agencies to track communities where we have presence and strategically identify locations for increased engagement
• Ensure all presentation, training and workshop materials are regularly updated for consistent, aligned and accurate messaging and accessible to all VIP staff;
• Collaborate with Promotoras on workshops and other community engagement opportunities;
• Collaborate with Data Team to develop tools, collect and analyze data, and participate in ongoing program evaluation;
• Prepare internal quarterly performance reports to share with team, VIP leadership, and other stakeholders;
• Represent VIP at external meetings and events, as needed;
• Participate in supervision, staff meetings and program meetings;
• Perform other tasks as required, including any related supervisory and administrative duties, as needed.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in education, public speaking, communications, critical race and/or gender studies, or 3+ years of relevant community engagement experience and/or training and presentation experience;
• Must be Bilingual in English and Spanish, both verbal and written fluency;
• Must have excellent communication skills with the ability to engage community members;
• Strong public speaking and facilitation skills;
• Knowledge of the systems that impact immigrants, and familiarity with intimate partner and sexual violence movement work, including partners in the work to end gender-based violence;
• Sustains positive and open lines of communication with internal and external stakeholders;
• Must approach this work with curiosity and willingness to openly model the process of learning and growth;
• Detail oriented, organized, with excellent project management and prioritization skills
• Must bring a collaborative approach to engaging colleagues, survivors, external partners;
• Comfortable working in diverse communities, particularly with Latinx, people of color, and low income populations;
• Well organized, outgoing, able to work independently and collaboratively;
• Ability to work evenings and weekends;
• Must exercise good judgment and demonstrate trauma-informed approach at all times;
• Must ensure agency, program and client confidentiality;
• Ability to lift 30 lbs. (Outreach material) and travel via public transportation (bus, train, etc.);
• Must have the ability to operate office equipment such as computers, copy machine, fax machine, phone systems, etc. with strong internet and software skills; incl. Microsoft Office and client database;

Compensation & Benefits

• Full-time, non-exempt position, working 35 hours per week with annual wages of $55,000/year.
• We cover 90% of the cost of medical (United Healthcare/Oxford), dental (Aetna) and vision (VSP) coverage for employee and spouse/children/family. Flexible Spending Accounts & Health Savings Accounts available.
• Paid Time Off program, 12 paid holidays, a mid-year and end-of-year office closure.
• Summer Friday schedule (optional)
• Commuter benefits (Mass Transit & Parking)
• 403b retirement plan
• Employee Assistance Program
• Disability & Life Insurance
• Monthly health & wellness activities
• Team appreciation days

Compensation & Benefits

• Full-time, non-exempt position, working 35 hours per week with annual wages of $55,000/year.
• We cover 90% of the cost of medical (United Healthcare/Oxford), dental (Aetna) and vision (VSP) coverage for employee and spouse/children/family. Flexible Spending Accounts & Health Savings Accounts available.
• Paid Time Off program, 12 paid holidays, a mid-year and end-of-year office closure.
• Summer Friday schedule (optional)
• Commuter benefits (Mass Transit & Parking)
• 403b retirement plan
• Employee Assistance Program
• Disability & Life Insurance
• Monthly health & wellness activities
• Team appreciation days

Must be Bilingual in English and Spanish, both verbal and written fluency.