Neighborhood Change Agent

Neighborhood Change Agent

Milwaukee Christian Center – Advance Peace

Interested candidates should email resume to the email address shown after clicking on the “Learn How to Apply” button below.

Position is open until filled. Interested candidates should apply immediately.

Reports to: Strategy Manager

Schedule: 40 hours/week–mixture of days, evenings and weekends

Pay Rate: $57,000 – $65,000 annually

Benefits: Health, vision and dental insurance, life insurance, pre-tax flexible spending account, 403(b) defined contribution retirement plan with up to 3% match, generous paid time off package, phone/technology stipend for eligible positions, and expansive employee assistance program.

Summary

Qualified applicants will work directly with the Strategy Manager in partnership with the Milwaukee Christian Center’s (MCC) Violence Free Zone and Credible Messengers Programs and in partnership with the Milwaukee County Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Violence Prevention (MHD/OVP), community residents, businesses, and the Credible Messenger network.

This position will be instrumental in facilitating positive change among high risk individuals, with a focus on the age group of 14-24.

Scope: To work directly with the Credible Messenger network, the Violence Free Zone, the Milwaukee County Juvenile Court system and the community at large to prevent gun and gang violence. To establish and maintain a “Credible” reputation in the community focusing on “High-Risk” individuals who are at the center of gun violence and building a rapport of trust with these individuals. Maintaining and working closely with a caseload of participants to assist them with improving their quality of life and empowering them through valuable resource connection.

Neighborhood Change Agents are consistent and caring adults who have similar life experiences to the persons within the program’s targeted age group. Their life experiences coupled with specialized training, qualifies them to provide mentorship in a variety of circles to positively impact the community as a whole. Neighborhood Change Agents provide case management and maintain constant community presence by conducting daily outreach to individuals involved in gun-related conflict, their friends, associates, and families.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities Include:

1. Identifying and detecting potential instances of gun violence, perpetrators of gun violence and/or groups at highest risk of involvement in a shooting or killing.
2. Formulating action plans to resolve neighborhood conflict.
3. Building and maintaining working relationships with community influencers and meeting with those people regularly to gather information on unresolved conflicts.
4. Manage a caseload of young adults identified as “High Risk” targets by community partners and community stakeholders.
5. In partnership with participants, develop life maps (case plans) with a goal of creating positive change in their lives.
6. Meet individually with participants to:
   • Assess basic needs for shelter, food, clothing, physical and mental health
   • Identify appropriate resources and advocate for services
   • Assist participants to secure identified resources
   • Support participants in accessing longer-term care supports
   • Provide crisis intervention services as needed
   • Assist youth in developing life skills and positive coping skills
7. Lead collaborative service planning and have a thorough understanding of the stages of change
8. Ensure support and targeted intervention activities for identified youth.
9. Assisting individuals to deal with “in the moment” stressful events or situations without resorting to gun violence.
10. Mediating conflicts between individuals and/or groups.
11. Preventing larger scale events or retaliatory events before they occur.
12. Informing and training individuals and/or groups on specific strategies to bring about behavior change.
13. Using data to inform ALL efforts.
14. Documentation of all conflict mediations and daily logs…all to subsequently be input into database.
15. Attending weekly team meetings and daily briefings or debriefings.
16. Assist target population to cultivate positive alternatives to anti-social lifestyles, gang activity, or any activity that is counter-productive to achieving positive social outcomes.
17. Comply with confidentiality, licensing, and legal requirements.
18. Comply with all program monitoring/reporting criteria.
19. All other duties as assigned

Qualifications Desired Include:

1. Candidate MAY NOT have pending criminal cases or prior convictions for sexual assault, child abuse or domestic violence.
2. Ideal candidates will have excellent communication skills, experience and/or training in crisis intervention and a superior knowledge of Milwaukee neighborhoods/communities.
3. Candidates should demonstrate and understanding of violence prevention
4. Candidates must have a valid driver’s license and maintain auto insurance throughout employment. A “good” driving record is preferred.
5. Applicant must possess the ability to write reports and business correspondence. Applicant must also be able to effectively present information and respond to questions from a variety of groups.
6. Ability to apply common sense understanding to carry out instructions furnished in written, oral, or diagram form. Applicant must also understand basic components of recognized conflict resolution strategies so as to effectively deal with conflicts/problems that involve several concrete variables.
7. High school diploma or equivalent required.
8. Ideal candidates will also have two years of work experience in communities with high-risk individuals and/or intensive youth development related programs

Work Environment

The Milwaukee Christian Center is a multi-service organization that works to build strong neighborhoods full of opportunity. We approach that work through four core areas: housing, youth development, older adults, and food security – serving over 7,500 people each year. What began with American Baptist roots providing outreach to immigrants on Milwaukee’s south side in 1921, MCC now serves youth, families, and older adults of all races, ethnicities, religions, and ages throughout the city of Milwaukee.

The Advance Peace program operates within neighborhoods throughout Milwaukee and also within Milwaukee Public Schools when working in conjunction with the Violence Free Zone program. While performing the duties of this job, the employee will be standing or walking for most of the day. Candidates must also be prepared to intervene, de-escalate and mediate verbal, and sometimes, physical altercations (using their best judgment) while engaging the target population.

Equal Opportunity Employer

The Milwaukee Christian Center does not discriminate against any employee, applicant for

employment, or client because of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, disability, veteran status, or other applicable legally protected characteristics. The Milwaukee Christian Center is an equal opportunity employer.