1860_Violence Prevention Project Coordinator_FT

$55,000 - $55,000/Yr

World YWCA - Springfield, MA

Full-time - Mid Level

Springfield, MA

Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations

About the position

The Violence Prevention Project Coordinator at the YWCA of Western Massachusetts is a pivotal role dedicated to leading community-level violence prevention and education initiatives aimed at youth aged 12-18 in Springfield, particularly within public schools. This position is integral to the YWCA's mission of eliminating racism and empowering survivors, providing a safe environment for individuals affected by domestic violence, sexual assault, and human trafficking. The coordinator will oversee the development and implementation of violence prevention programs, collaborating with various agencies that serve high-risk populations, including the Department of Children and Families and the Department of Youth Services. In this role, the coordinator will be responsible for supervising two Prevention Instructors who will facilitate violence prevention curricula in schools. The coordinator will also engage in strategic planning, policy development, and program evaluation to ensure the effectiveness of the violence prevention initiatives. Building and maintaining relationships with community stakeholders, such as school systems and youth-serving organizations, is essential for the success of the program. The coordinator will act as the primary point of contact for the violence prevention project, coordinating schedules and gathering data to assess the program's impact. The position requires a commitment to trauma-informed practices and a dedication to fostering a positive working environment. The coordinator will also be involved in conducting focus groups with young people to inform the program's design and champion youth leadership opportunities, such as establishing a Violence Prevention Youth Advisory Board. Regular participation in supervision and project meetings with the Director of Youth, HIV, and Court Support Programs is expected, along with attendance at agency meetings and trainings. This role is crucial in shaping a collaborative approach to addressing violence and promoting healthy relationship norms among youth in the community.

Responsibilities

• Lead the YWCA of Western MA's new violence prevention initiative by acting as a thought leader and strategic planner in the creation of the program's design, policies, and procedures.
• Supervise two Prevention Instructors who facilitate violence prevention curricula in the schools and co-facilitate sessions as needed to increase the program's capacity.
• Integrate tenants of violence prevention into the YWCA's existing policies, procedures, and services toward the goal of bringing a collaborative approach to addressing violence and creating healthy relationship norms.
• Build and maintain relationships with community stakeholders, such as school systems (public and private) and other youth-serving agencies, to partner in bringing violence prevention programming to at-risk youth.
• Serve as the primary point of contact for the violence prevention project, including coordination and scheduling of programs and groups.
• Gather effective data with project evaluators that highlights the project's success and areas for improvement, conducting continuous quality improvement.
• Guide the development and implementation of assessment tools to determine the quality and pace of participant violence prevention learning in collaboration with the project's evaluation partner.
• Conduct focus groups with young people in the community to shape the project's design based on their feedback.
• Oversee the adoption and adaptation of the project's central curricula; conduct on-site work at local public schools and other agencies to advance the planning, design, and evaluation of violence prevention learning projects.
• Champion youth leadership opportunities such as a Violence Prevention Youth Advisory Board or a youth leadership summit based on findings from focus groups.
• Ensure the completion of project status reports and/or other documentation for grantors, internal teams, evaluators, and community stakeholders in accordance with timelines and requirements.
• Participate in regular supervision and project meetings with the Director of Youth, HIV, and Court Support Programs and evaluators.
• Attend required agency meetings, external meetings, and trainings; perform other duties as necessary.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent education with 3 years of experience in human services and/or public health, or another related field.
• Experience in collaborating with nonprofit organizations, public schools, and colleges.
• Experience working with survivors of teen dating violence, IPV, sexual assault, and/or trafficking.
• Experience working with at-risk youth, including those involved in gangs.
• Understanding of both interpersonal and structural racism and bias.
• Experience in public speaking and/or group facilitation.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Access to reliable transportation and a valid driver's license required.

Nice-to-haves

• Experience in program evaluation and data analysis.
• Knowledge of trauma-informed care practices.
• Familiarity with community resources and support services for youth.