YP3 Youth Violence Reduction Specialist Early Intervention Peer Specialist

About the Role

Join Northern Children’s Services (Northern) as a Violence Reduction Specialist Early Intervention Peer Specialist and help make a difference in the lives of children, youth, and families. At Northern, every role contributes to achieving our mission and vision: empowering every child and youth to transform themselves, regardless of background or life situation. We uphold organizational values of Excellence, Respect, Resilience, Cultural Humility & Justice, Healing, and Wellness.

Under the supervision of the Director of Youth Safety and Prevention Services, this role provides peer support to families receiving IBHS services, leveraging lived experience with the community behavioral health system in Philadelphia. The specialist will also manage Northern’s Youth Violence Reduction Project, collaborating with school and city staff. Direct or indirect life experience with gun violence is preferred.

Responsibilities

• Communication:
  • Support youth and families in engagement with IBHS, violence reduction projects, and related activities.
  • Provide empathetic listening, emotional support, and peer perspective to families.
  • Incorporate youth and family voices into treatment and violence reduction initiatives.
  • Educate families about child-serving systems (e.g., behavioral health) and community resources, including trauma support.
  • Empower families to participate actively in the treatment team.
  • Coach families during meetings, gatherings, and events.
• Implementation:
  • Coordinate with cross-discipline teams to ensure project requirements, deadlines, and schedules are met.
  • Facilitate caregiver engagement with service providers.
  • Model collaboration between families, communities, and systems.
  • Engage in safety and care planning, addressing barriers to follow-through.
  • Offer skill-building for caregivers to enhance resiliency, communication, and advocacy.
  • Encourage self-care activities.
• Documentation:
  • Complete case management services documentation weekly.
  • Ensure accurate documentation for continuity of service.
• Planning:
  • Assist families in navigating systems and arranging transportation for appointments.
  • Attend mandatory in-service training and performance improvement activities.
  • Develop and implement service coordination plans with the treatment team.
  • Plan community events (e.g., fairs) and ensure project goals and milestones are met.
  • Prepare status reports by gathering, analyzing, and summarizing relevant information.
• Monitoring:
  • Maintain coordination through interagency meetings as required by funding sources.
  • Work with families to assess and reassess service needs.
• Networking:
  • Connect community members to trauma support and resources for deeper care.
  • Identify and develop relationships with community resources (e.g., after-school programs, mentoring).
  • Attend inter-agency team meetings, IEP meetings, and represent the agency at conferences.
  • Coordinate appointments and offer transportation for families.
  • Assist in recruiting staff from IBHS communities when appropriate.

Requirements

• Education: Bachelor’s degree from an accredited university in a human services field preferred.
• Experience:
  • Lived experience with the community behavioral health system in Philadelphia and exposure to violence.
  • Two years of case management or counseling experience with children and families.
  • Proven experience in project management.
• Special Skills:
  • Familiarity with multiple child-serving systems (e.g., education, juvenile justice, child welfare, mental health).
  • Strong understanding of formal project management methodologies.
  • Excellent oral and written communication skills; ability to interact positively with diverse groups.
  • Ability to define problems, collect data, and draw valid conclusions.
  • Proficiency in computer software and ability to calculate basic percentages.
  • Knowledge of the Philadelphia Community Behavioral Health system and ability to navigate other systems.
  • Comfort speaking in front of others and leveraging resources.
  • Valid driver’s license; comfort driving a large mobile unit if needed.
• Physical Capabilities:
  • Ability to walk up and down steps and lift 20 lbs.
  • Ability to operate a calculator or computer.
  • Travel throughout the City of Philadelphia required; flexible schedule, including evenings and weekends.
• Trauma-Informed Approach:
  • Recognize the impact of past trauma on behavior and interactions.
  • Respond with empathy, emotional intelligence, and nonjudgmental communication.
  • Use person-first, strengths-based language (e.g., "a person experiencing homelessness").

Benefits

• Comprehensive health, dental, and vision insurance for full-time employees.
• Life Insurance/AD&D and LTD: $20,000 life insurance policy at no cost; LTD and AD&D coverage through Mutual of Omaha.
• Self-funded insurance plans, including accident, cancer, critical illness, and short-term disability insurance.
• 401(k) Retirement Plan with generous matching contribution after one year of employment.
• Generous paid time off or sick leave.
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP) offering confidential counseling for stress, legal/financial concerns, depression, and substance abuse.
• Self-funded legal services for various legal matters.