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Form of workPOSITION TITLE: Program Specialist – Project Safe Place
DEPARTMENT: Family Intervention Services – Safe Place
RESPONSIBLE TO: Executive Director
FLSA STATUS: Non-exempt, Full-time 40 Regular
DATE: Jan 2024
General Statement: The Salvation Army is a branch of the Christian Church, and the ultimate goal of all programs is a spiritual regeneration of all people.
MISSION STATEMENT: The Salvation Army, an international movement, is an evangelical part of the universal Christian Church. Its message is based on the Bible. Its ministry is motivated by love for God. Its mission is to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ and meet human needs in His name without discrimination.
Unit Mission Statement:
"To provide youth with skills for a healthy life, and instill purpose, hope and vision to youth and their families."
JOB SUMMARY: The Program Specialist (PS) for the Project Safe Place is a non-exempt full-time regular position responsible to the Executive Director. The PS will lead the start-up of the Safe Space initiative by implementing the National Safe Place model within the County of Hawaii on behalf of the Salvation Army’s Family Intervention Services (FIS). The Safe Place program is a national outreach and prevention program for youth in crisis. More than 22,000 locations across the U.S. display the yellow and black Safe Place sign, the universal symbol of help and safety for all young people. Businesses and community organizations will be able to connect youth in crisis with FIS to receive its services and resources. As a designated Safe Place agency in Hawaii, FIS will serve youth ages 12 to 17 years old.
A. Essential Qualifications:
- BA/BS degree with at least one-year proven experience engaging with and building community partnerships and/or organizing groups and/or volunteers within the community or relevant work experience; or AA/AS degree with at least two-years proven experience engaging with and building community partnerships and/or organizing groups and/or volunteers within the community or relevant work experience; or High School Diploma with four years required relevant work experience; and/or a combination equivalency of some college and relevant work experiences.
- Proficiency with Microsoft office application including Microsoft Word, Access, PowerPoint, and Excel.
- Must be self-motivated, conscientious, resourceful, creative, self-directed and able to work independently.
- Strong written, verbal, interpersonal, communication and presentation skills
- Valid Hawaii driver’s license.
- Valid TB clearance and physical exam
- DHS FBI/Criminal History & CAN, and Salvation Army background clearances
- MVR records check, must meet Authorized Driving standards of the Salvation Army
B. Preferred Qualifications:
- Extensive experience working with organizations within the County of Hawaii including but not limited to business and public entities.
- Experience and knowledge working with at-risk and vulnerable youth.
- Experience providing volunteer management and training.
- Strategic planning experience
- Familiarity with Salvation Army-Family Intervention Services programs
- Experience working within a non-profit organization.
- Background in marketing utilizing social media is a plus.
- CPR/FA certified.
C. Essential Functions:
- Identifies and recruits potential Safe Place sites in Hawaii County.
- Assist the Executive Director to facilitate and to secure agreements with prospective Safe place sites.
- Promote and build community awareness of FIS and its services, by disseminating Safe Place outreach and educational materials that may include print, social media, and video.
- Introduces and trains FIS personnel, volunteers, and Safe Place locations on the National Place model.
- Licenses and relicenses Safe Place sites, and monitors and updates those sites as needed.
- Conduct outreach to youth, families, community members, faith-based organizations, and government and nonprofit service providers about Safe Place services and how to access them.
- Works with Executive Director to implement the Safe Spaces system and develop policies and procedures (P&Ps) within FIS services, which will respond to youth and families that contact a local Safe Place site or through the Safe Place Text4Help system. Response will include:
- Crisis outreach (24 hours, 7 days a week response)
- Assessment of youth and family needs
- Addressing urgent and immediate needs for medical or other services
- Providing emergency shelter admission if needed
- Conducting follow-up to help youth and family resolve issues and access needed
8. Collaborates with internal FIS programs such as the Emergency shelter, Big Island Juvenile Intake Assessment Center (BIJIAC), and Community Based Outreach (CBO) programs in establishing internal systems and P&Ps for youths identified through the Safe Place sites.
9. Establish and maintain data systems to track usage and outcome of Safe Place services. Report data to Hawaii Youth Services Network and the National Safe Place Network
10. Serve as liaison contact between FIS and the National Safe Place organization.
11. Supports other FIS initiatives and campaigns that help improve and promote the well-being of runaway & homeless youth, and youth at risk of out of home placement.
12. Perform other related duties as assigned by the Executive Director.
C. OTHER FUNCTIONS:
- Performs other duties as assigned FIS administration.
D. Skills and Personal Qualities:
- Ability and skill in communicating with people of different cultures/ethnicity.
- Ability to write and speak comprehensively.
- Ability and skill in relating to a wide range of people and situations: youth; parents; agency workers; school personnel; law enforcement personnel; businesses; civic groups, supervisors, and other similar personnel.
- Ability to train/orientate volunteer and lower classified personnel.
- Ability and skill to work within an interdisciplinary team concept and participate in staff training.
- Personal attributes: good, sound judgment; dependability; understanding firmness; caring; organizational skills; ability to work under conditions of constant change and stress; and ability to perform responsibilities with minimal supervision.
- Willingness to accept and implement The Salvation Army philosophy.
MENTAL DEMANDS:
- Work under stressful conditions
- Interact with others with courtesy and tact
- Relate to wide range of people and situations including youth, parents, agency workers, police, school personnel, etc.
- Work within an interdisciplinary team concept; participate in staff training and growth group
- Manage and prioritize multiple projects in an organized and efficient manner
- Respond to crisis situations in a calm and effective manner
- Complete projects on schedule
- Maintain confidentiality
- Maintain regular and punctual work attendance; may require flexible schedule, including evenings and weekends
PHYSICAL DEMANDS:
The position requires sitting; climbing and/or balancing; stooping, kneeling, bending, stretching, crouching and/or crawling; standing; walking; manual dexterity and eye-hand coordination; use of vision; driving a vehicle; pushing/pulling/lifting/carrying 25-50 pounds and occasionally more than 50 pounds; traveling by airplane.
COMMUNICATION DEMANDS:
The position requires talking to co-workers, clients, vendors; requires written communication to and from co-workers, clients, vendor; talking on the telephones; requires responding to written or verbal requests of co-workers, clients, and vendors; requires training/giving verbal and written instructions; requires receiving verbal and written instructions; requires writing/composing written language; requires reading; requires visiting/working at other worksites; requires communication via the latest technologies
SKILLS/TECHNICAL KNOWLEDGE:
Prioritize multiple work tasks to meet tight deadlines.
EQUIPMENT NEEDS:
Use office equipment such as computers, photocopiers, scanners, calculators, etc.
DESCRIPTION OF WORK ENVIRONMENT:
Most work will be indoors at Family Intervention Services. Attendance at trainings, both in Hawaii and on the mainland, may be required
