SUBSTANCE USE PREVENTION EDUCATOR
Description of the Organization
The Winooski Partnership for Prevention’s mission is to prevent substance use by educating and empowering Winooski. The organization started in 2003.
Job Description
- Hourly position, $32 – $37/hour, or equivalent hourly rate and benefits, depending on experience and qualifications
- Flexible, part-time hours – generally about and up to 25-30 hours per week (must be available as needed for programs and events)
- Yearly position, with potential for renewal
- Reports to Executive Director
Introduction: There are many levels–entry up to experienced professionals–at which the work of this position can be accomplished, and the WPP remains open to someone with the energy and vision to continue to bring these and other programs and opportunities to life in Winooski.
Goals of Position: Partner with youth and families to increase awareness and understanding of public-health approach to substance use prevention for underage , which includes a variety of strategies and activities that touch all levels of life in a community. This position involves coordinating the organization’s during-school outreach and programs and after-school program, working with diverse youth and the local school district to build leadership skills among youth and their families. Finally, this position works closely with the WPP team to assess local conditions, assist with ongoing program evaluation, and inform future work and partnerships of the organization.
Characteristics of a Successful Applicant
- Interest in preventing addiction (substance use disorders)
- Committed to utilizing science-based, public health prevention strategies
- Committed to ongoing diversity, equity, and inclusion and desire to learn from and work with students with diverse languages, abilities, and cultures
- Flexibility and resiliency
- Able to quickly form relationships and build excitement
- Able to manage middle school aged youth behavior positively & proactively
- Preferred: Familiarity with Winooski School District and/or previous teaching/youth-counseling experience
Opportunities this position offers
- Experience working with youth in an classroom and public school
- Connection to education, social work field, and public health
- Ongoing learning and professional development opportunities
- Strategic planning and coalition-building
Day-to-Day
- Help the organization develop, maintain and expand positive relationships with youth in high school and raise awareness of benefits and opportunities of being involved with the WPP’s leadership and advocacy. Visit school on a regular basis and meet with staff and faculty.
- Develop lessons and community-based activities for each program carried out with youth. For example, programs have generally taken place once a week for the afterschool group. The Educator will ultimately lead the work with school staff and youth as needs and opportunities arise. The WPP has extensive existing curricula resources and experience to draw from for this purpose.
- Maintain and or acquire a working knowledge of the health impacts and marketing practices of the most commonly used substances by under 21-year olds. Develop personalized professional learning plans with support and guidance from prevention experts. Keep updated on local events and programs and meetings. Selectively attend relevant ones to this effort.
- Develop positive relationships with parents and guardians in the community and engage them in our work.
- Proactively learn about the needs of parents in the Winooski community.
- Work with school partners to carry out ongoing data collection.
- Frequently and thoroughly communicate with other staff and executive director.
- Occasional local travel. Potential for additional national travel.
Administrative Functions and Skills
This position will require some administrative support of the organization, including tracking attendance, demographics, and collecting participant stories.
Work Environment
The Winooski Partnership for Prevention is housed in a small office within the centrally-located O’Brien Community Center in Winooski, Vermont. Staff have a desk, access to a shared office phone, a dedicated computer, and toaster/microwave/refrigerator.
To apply: Send a cover letter and resume to the Executive Director, Kate Nugent, via email at katenugent@winooskiprevention.org. Please note that references will be expected for candidates who are considered for the position. Background checks are required. Position open until filled.
Winooski Partnership for Prevention's (WPP) work is focused on a systems-approach to dismantling racism, classism, and inequitable targeting of marginalized communities by industries involved in age-restricted addictive substances, such as alcohol, nicotine, tobacco, and cannabis. Public health inequities related to these substances are inextricably linked to racial segregation and disenfranchisement of working class peoples. WPP works to expose inequities in the built environment that perpetuate substance use disorders and prevent successful recovery. We are actively working towards having our board and staff represent the communities with which we work and we are eager to speak with applicants with ties to Winooski who gravitate towards community-based work. Our flexible schedules, high levels of autonomy, and high levels of trust are part of our organizational commitment to respecting the individuality of each of our staff and their work lives.