SCOutreach Worker

SC2 Outreach Worker

Austin

Job Type: Full Time

Workspace:
In-office

About the SC2 Collaborative Scaling Community Violence Intervention for a Safer Chicago (SC2) is an innovative public-private initiative uniting practitioners, philanthropy, business and government to implement and test new approaches to addressing violence in seven Chicago communities experiencing high levels of violence. Through collaborative coalitions, SC2 strengthens access to five integrated and evidence-based services in full-implementation communities:
Street Outreach, Case Management, Behavioral Health, Education and Employment. The Institute is serving as the hub for the SC2 initiative in the Austin community. The SC2 Austin Collaborative came together under SC2's hypothesis that if at least 75% of individuals in the Austin community at highest risk of violence are reached, then there will be fewer shootings and homicides and, through spill-over effects, the overall environment of physical safety will change.

This unprecedented level of coordination, alignment, and investment in direct service provision to the highest risk individuals in Austin is a five-year initiative which started in 2024.

POSITION OVERVIEW:

A street outreach worker responds directly to active conflicts and shootings in our target areas and works to defuse tension, engage in mediations between impacted parties and prevent retaliatory shooting/violence. This position requires developing relationships with high-risk individuals who are most likely to be shot or be a shooter themselves with a goal of guiding them in their journey away from violence.

Supported by training in the national best practices for street outreach as well as Dr. King's principles of nonviolence, a street outreach worker carries a caseload of participants, engages with them regularly and completes all necessary data/reporting requirements. This position is part of the SC2 Austin initiative, and the outreach worker will be asked to serve a specific underserved area of the Austin community.

Comprehensive Violence Reduction Strategy

• Create and maintain relationships to reduce shootings and violence in the neighborhood(s) assigned, including:
• Develop relationships with high-risk persons and the people they know to support the practice of nonviolence and reduce shootings and homicides
• Seek to obtain advanced warning for when shootings and violence may occur in the communities assigned and work to prevent the violence from escalating
• Safely intervene in conflicts in which violence is likely, including retaliations
• Seek to address the root causes of violence in a conflict
• Work assigned neighborhood to build strong community partnerships based on trust and transparency, with the understanding that community members should know the nonviolence approach and become ambassadors
• Make sure to maintain strong communication among staff
• Participate in staff trainings
• Document community events and activities related to violence
• Document daily efforts and activities as well as those of your participants, including but not limited to case notes, daily logs and mediations
• Outreach Crisis Response:
• Support 24-hour incident response coverage in assigned neighborhoods
• Respond to shootings and homicides within our target neighborhoods
• Defuse violent incidents and prevent retaliatory shooting/violence
• Work in partnership with the multidisciplinary team to support the well-being of community members impacted by violence
• Identify youth who are street-involved and prepare/transition them to case management to receive needed wraparound services and support their service plan
• Work with Institute staff to formulate action plans to resolve conflicts, support victims and build relationships with the involved groups
• Support the mediation process to end existing and newly created conflicts
• Identify, develop and implement strategies to engage in-risk street-involved youth
• Document strategies and progress towards goals
• Community Engagement:
• Engage community members, families, community organizations, community youth and other stakeholders who have been impacted by violence to build strong relationships
• Participate in passing out public education material in the community, ie. canvass
• Cultivate relationships with community residents
• Facilitate/participate in community events relating to nonviolence and/or supporting efforts
• Collaborate with parks, schools, community-based organizations events to foster strong…