Job Description: School-Based Gang Prevention and Intervention Specialist

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Location: Anaheim Union High School District (AUHSD) and Santa Ana Unified School District (SAUSD), Orange County, California

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Position Overview:

Neutral Ground is seeking a dedicated and experienced individual to join our team as a School-Based Gang Prevention and Intervention Specialist. This role will be pivotal in implementing our comprehensive initiative aimed at preventing and intervening in gang involvement among students in both the Anaheim Union High School District and the Santa Ana Unified School District. The Specialist will tailor services to focus on Restorative Practice within SAUSD and gang prevention and intervention within AUHSD. All services fall under the Youth Violence Prevention (YVP) strategy that encompasses Neutral Ground's youth services.

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Key Responsibilities:

- Engagement and Collaboration:

Actively engage with school communities in AUHSD and SAUSD, including students, school administration, staff, and parents.

Collaborate with key stakeholders such as School Administrators, School Retention staff, AUHSD Police, SAUSD officials, and the Orange County Probation Department to create a seamless support system within the school environment.

- Tailored Case Management Services:

 Provide highly specialized gang prevention and intervention case management services, crafting personalized strategies for each participant.

Develop and implement individualized support plans, addressing social-emotional and basic needs to ensure holistic student support.

- Restorative Practices (SAUSD):

Implement restorative practices within SAUSD schools, emphasizing healing, understanding, and relationship-building over punitive measures.

Conduct regular circles and group sessions to foster a sense of community and address risk factors.

- Gang Prevention and Intervention (AUHSD):

Design and promote initiatives in AUHSD that resonate with youth, encouraging personal growth, skill development, and community involvement.

Support alternative activities beyond traditional classroom settings.

- Seamless Referral System:

Establish and maintain a robust referral system with AUHSD Police, ensuring continuous and sustained flow of referrals for prevention and intervention efforts.

Extend outreach to include siblings of victims of violence or other criminal/deviant victimization.

- Staff Recruitment and Training:

Contribute to ongoing recruitment efforts, prioritizing individuals with a deep understanding of the school community and bilingual Spanish speakers.

Provide training in crisis response, safety, de-escalation techniques, and case management for the team.

- Comprehensive School-Based Services:

Integrate NG's services seamlessly into AUHSD and SAUSD's Tier 1-3 Intervention Support Services, mentoring, parent conferencing, gang prevention/diversion, and intervention/reentry.

- Prevention and Intervention Efforts:

Focus on youth aged 10-18, implementing initiatives that strengthen community connections and provide alternatives to at-risk youth.

Connect students and their families to vital community services, educational resources, and employment opportunities.

- Participant Surveys and Assessments:

Administer the Adverse Childhood Experience (ACE) Survey at enrollment.

Conduct rigorous program evaluations, including process/implementation evaluations, outcome/effectiveness evaluations, and impact evaluations.

- Circles as a Catalyst:

Lead weekly circles as a platform for preventing and redirecting at-risk youth, addressing family and sibling risk factors.

Use circles as a catalyst for mitigation, healing, and encouraging positive pathways.

- Linkages to School Support Services:

Establish linkages to community mental health support and basic needs support, ensuring consistent engagement with practitioners and addressing broader issues.

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Qualifications:

- High School Diploma required.

- Previous experience in school-based gang prevention and intervention programs.

- Strong understanding of restorative practices and their application in a school setting.

- Bilingual proficiency in English and Spanish is highly desirable.

- Excellent communication, collaboration, and organizational skills.

- Ability to work effectively with diverse stakeholders, including students, parents, school staff, and law enforcement.

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Application Process:

Interested candidates should submit a resume and cover letter detailing their qualifications and experience to bree.lazalde@ngservices.org. 

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Neutral Ground is committed to creating a diverse environment and is proud to be an equal-opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, or veteran status.