Community Connector

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Close Date (11:59 p.m. Central)

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Appointment Type

Description

The Community Connector position partners with youth, families, and Human Services workers to serve as a guide, mediator, and mentor, and to assist youth in becoming capable of functioning within the community without further involvement in the justice system. Community Connectors are neighborhood leaders, experienced youth advocates, and individuals with relevant life experiences whose role is to help youth transform attitudes and behaviors around violence.

• Provide community outreach and one-on-one support to youth and their families using a trauma-informed and strength-based approach. Assists teachers, parents, and students in the communication of academic achievement status, truancy referrals, suspensions, and any other educational issues.
• Serve as a guide, mediator, and mentor, and assist youth in becoming capable of functioning within the Schools and Community without further involvement in the justice system.
• Assists in developing and presenting in-service courses for parents on the extracurricular programs, educational programs, and educational opportunities which exist for their students.
• Assists in developing and presenting in-service courses for parents on parenting skills and assisting their children with school work.
• Performs home visits with parents and students to address multiple issues including, but not limited to: explanation of the District educational structures and the importance of becoming partners in the education of their children; disciplinary matters; truancy matters; homeless; student services; and welcoming incoming freshman.
• Performs gang intervention and prevention activities including, but not limited to: facilitating and/or conducting intervention/prevention programming with student population; facilitating and/or conducting AODA/WAIT program/Successful Highways classes; and supervision of students during community service programs.
• Transports students and/or parents to position-specific activities.
• Works with administrators at middle school and high school campuses to identify at-risk students.
• Facilitates summer youth groups for at-risk students.
• Serve as a broker to connect system-involved youth to pro-social activities, positive peer groups, as well as formal and informal community supports. Supervises student empowerment groups/meetings.
• Assists students with, promotes, and directs career readiness activities including, but not limited to: exposing students to and explaining post-secondary education and employment opportunities; college admissions and financial aid/scholarship applications; coordination of college field trips/visits; and recruiting students for summer employment program initiatives.
• Supports school staff and administration by providing additional assistance with student issues including, but not limited to: discipline intervention and prevention; supervision of student activities both on and off-site; and expulsion hearing and court hearing attendance as needed.
• Performs student supervision duties related to morning, lunchtime, and after-school passing times; between-period passing times; and pre-and post-passing time locker-area access

OTHER PERFORMANCE RESPONSIBILITIES
Participates in community agencies that provide services for students including, but not limited to: gang task force meetings; Leading Ladies, AAMI, and National Night Out.
Serves on District position-specific committees.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

• Knowledge of community resources.
• Ability to respond to crisis and to make appropriate judgments as to resolutions.
• Ability to engage, build relationships, and demonstrate empathy with youth and adult individuals.
• Ability to deliver concise oral and written reports.
• Ability to work well with other agencies.
• Effective communication skills.
• Computer proficiency. Intermediate skills in the use of Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook). Skilled use of Google Drive applications (Docs, Sheets, Slides, Draw, Sites, Mail).
• Skilled use of a student information system (Infinite Campus).
• Ability and willingness to maintain a current Wisconsin driver's license needed in order to transport students and/or parents to position-specific activities.
• Ability to meet short deadlines with a fast turnaround time.
• Knowledge of and ability to uphold and execute all District safety procedures (knowledge to be attained within one year of employment with the District.
• Ability and willingness to maintain the confidentiality of any information gained within the course of executing position responsibilities.
• Ability to work successfully in a team environment.

QUALIFICATIONS:

• At least one (1) year prior experience working with justice-involved youth and/or adults.
• Demonstrated connection to at-risk communities.
• Preference is given to individuals with lived experience within the criminal legal system.

Years of Experience

Degree

Additional Requirements