Job Description

About Us:

VOALA

HELPING OUR MOST VULNERABLE CHANGE THEIR LIFE STORIES

Volunteers of America is a non-profit human services organization committed to serving people in need, strengthening families, and building communities.  VOA - LA provides a variety of social services to Los Angeles area communities such as Head Start programs, Upward Bound college prep programs, veterans’ services, homeless shelters, low-income housing program as well as drug and alcohol rehabilitation. Learn more at www.voala.org.

JOB SUMMARY AND PURPOSE

The Ambassador serves as a liaison between youth, adults and the community to minimize acts of gang violence and to improve community relations. The Ambassador provides incident response and delivers Transitional Client Services.  The Ambassador must have strong ties to the local community and existing relationships, being familiar with the gang culture of the target community.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• ASSESSMENT/CASE PLANNING: working with Case Managers, delivers Transitional Client Services. 

  • Serves and engages gang-involved youth or young adults, ages of 14 to 25 years in a Zone
  • Maintain a minimum of 5 TCS client updated and active
  • Conducts fieldwork with clients to ensure connection with WorkSource, YouthSource and FamilySource services
  • Follow all phases of case management, applying Social Embededness Tool (SET), data entry into Entry to Outcomes (ETO) on client activities and progress

• Submit at least 5 entries per work day as well as makes sure all incidents are submitted, up to date with follow-ups; Meet weekly to discuss participant’s efforts and goals

  • Runs report every 1st and 3rd Monday of the month, auditing ALL TCS participant case load; making sure all participants are with individual and family contact every 15 days as well as reaching goals

• Make contact two times a week with assigned Parks; Schools, CBO’s and gangs.

  • Support of families affected by violence.
  • Meal give away, delivery and preparations.
  • Participate in peace marches.
  • Provide pastoral and spiritual support to victims, families and community.
  • Host prayer vigils where incidents happen.

• Meet monthly with staff and all CD1 Zone Ambassadors to network.

• Coordinate outreach to homeless encampments with gang involved homeless.

• Participate in planning, meetings and work at Summer Night Lights (SNL) and Fall Friday Nights (FFN) sites

  • Strategically plan and work with community to decrease and eliminate gang activity and violence
  • Plans strategies to engage local gangs/crews proactively maintain peace via safe passages, and activities
  • Work with Law enforcement to create peace in the community
  • Transport clients as needed
  • Assists with safe passages for youth and families within the community

• Maintain triangle of protocol with LAPD, and Program Office

• Participate in 24/7 incident response coverage in assigned zone.

Qualifications

REQUIREMENTS:

• Must be able to pass a fingerprint clearance, background check, including criminal history, personal references, employment and education verifications

EXPERIENCE:

• 1 years’ experience working with At-risk families/individuals or gang population

KNOWLEDGE:

• Proven ability to interact positively with diverse groups of client population with varying education and economic backgrounds particularly gang affiliated individuals

SKILLS AND ABILITIES:

• Ability to perform under circumstances of possible emotional stress and conflict, including dealing with un-cooperative clients.
• Ability to work a regular schedule provided by your direct supervisor.
• Ability to safely and successfully perform the essential job functions consistent with the ADA, FMLA, and other federal, state, and local standards, with or without reasonable accommodation, including meeting qualitative and quantitative productivity standards.
• Ability to maintain regular, punctual attendance consistent with ADA, FMLA, and other federal, state, and local standards.
• Valid California driver’s license, insurance and reliable transportation

INTERPERSONAL CHARACTERISTICS:

• Build a relationship with all ethnicities, genders, etc.
• Integrity and able to work independently without supervision.
• Manage time very well.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• LAVITA (Los Angeles Violence Intervention Training Academy) certification
• Trained on the Efforts to Outcome (ETO) Database
• Basic Microsoft operating system navigation, outlook, word, excel, power-point
• Bilingual (Spanish preferred)

Volunteers of America is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex including sexual orientation and gender identity, national origin, disability, protected Veteran Status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law

This employer participates in E-Verify and will provide the federal government with your Form 1-9 information to confirm that you are authorized to work in the U.S.

If E-Verify cannot confirm that you are authorized to work, this employer is required to give you written instructions and an opportunity to contact Department of Homeland Security (OHS) or Social Security Administration (SSA) so you can begin to resolve the issue before the employer can take any action against you, including terminating your employment.