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Outreach Worker

Title:

Outreach Worker

Status:

Full-time Exempt

Reports to:

Community Engagement Specialist (CES) Supervisor

Salary:

Commensurate with experience

Hire Date:

LCLC will close the posting as soon as we find an exceptional candidate

Who We Are 

Lawndale Christian Legal Center (LCLC) specializes in providing a unique form of holistic community-based criminal defense representation grounded in restorative justice principles to minors and emerging adults (24 and under) from North Lawndale, Austin, East Garfield Park, and Little Village. LCLC started in North Lawndale where it is still headquartered today. In summer 2021, LCLC expanded its service area by co-locating holistic legal services with BUILD in Austin, Breakthrough in East Garfield Park, and New Life Centers in Little Village. At all four sites, LCLC’s highly relational, innovative community-led model of justice is performed by an interdisciplinary team of attorneys, case managers, outreach workers, circle-keepers, and community partners that provide developmentally appropriate supports for minors and emerging adults. The team identifies and meets the legal and social needs of our youth at every phase of the criminal justice system: from diversion, arrest, through trial, and the completion of any period of probation, supervision, and parole. By serving justice-involved minors and emerging adults holistically in their community, LCLC is leading the transformation of the traditional criminal justice system and establishing new best practices in community-based holistic interventions grounded in restorative justice that are more effective, cost less, and result in greater public safety for all. We believe our holistic, community-led restorative justice model will transform the criminal justice system and end mass incarceration when we scale our model across Cook County and the nation. More information on LCLC can be found at www.lclc.net.

Our North Lawndale Community

North Lawndale is a vibrant and resilient community and we are proud to be a part of it. Our office is located just next door to the Martin Luther King Jr. Legacy Apartments and Exhibit Center, built on the site where Dr. King lived for six months during his Chicago Freedom Campaign in 1966. North Lawndale is tightly-knit, and we are gratified by our affiliation with the Lawndale Community Church, an organization that has done so much to bring necessary health and legal services to the community. Unfortunately, following decades of disinvestment, “white flight”, redlining, and other harbingers of systemic poverty and violence, North Lawndale still suffers from high levels of poverty, economic hardship, violence, and over- policing. 

In North Lawndale, approximately 850 officers are assigned to the two police districts that patrol 35,000 residents. In addition, a significant percentage of specialized units (which are historically aggressive and abusive) have been ordered to rove in our community. More than 1,500 youth are arrested in North Lawndale yearly, the second highest rate in Chicago. Indiscriminate stops and searches of North Lawndale residents are a daily occurrence; 66% of adults surveyed perceived no legitimate reason for their most recent police stop. A startling 59% of adults in North Lawndale have been arrested, 30% convicted, and 27% jailed. 

Despite the seemingly insurmountable odds that our youths encounter within North Lawndale, namely the violence, poverty, and police brutality, they demonstrate hope, resolve, and a drive to make their neighborhood a better place. We are continually inspired by our clients’ resilience and positivity in the face of external challenges. It is both an honor and a privilege to help them walk them away from the criminal justice system and equip them to take control of their future.

Job Description

The LCLC Outreach Worker works with Juveniles and Emerging Adults utilizing relentless engagement to engage or re-engage in LCLC services. The primary responsibilities include but are not exclusive to; work in collaboration with attorneys and case managers identifying new potential clients and engaging existing clients in services, mediating conflict between LCLC youth, understanding the street dynamics that our youth navigate, serve as a liaison between LCLC and the community, and promote the LCLC way of working to transform the lives of young people we serve and the criminal justice system as a whole.

Responsibilities

  • Work with resistant Juveniles and Emerging Adults; successfully engaging them in services.
  • Maintains in-person contact with clients on a weekly basis, at minimum.
  • Demonstrates supportive behavior and act as a role model displaying positive appropriate interactions.
  • Possesses a basic knowledge and understanding of trauma and the effects of trauma and operate from that perspective when interacting with clients, their families and the community.
  • Serves as support and advocate for the clients and their families, identifying and relaying the need for resources to case management.
  • Identify and refer potential clients who are the highest risk individuals to LCLC.
  • Complete the LCLC street profile assessment that will be used to help identify appropriate services, safety risks, and needed resources; sharing findings with attorney’s and case managers.
  • Ensures timely information about potential and current clients and their safety is clearly identified and communicated, both verbally and in writing, to attorneys, case managers and director.
  • Completes and maintain all required documentation pertaining to clients in a timely manner (Civicore, status documentation & reports).
  • Encourage and assist clients with completing individual goals identified in their work with case management.
  • Works with clients individually and in group setting on violence prevention skills (i.e., anger management, conflict resolution, and other life skills).
  • Coordinates and facilitates activities for workshops and groups for clients.
  • Coordinates and lead community events for clients, their families and North Lawndale community.
  • Market and promote the work of LCLC in the North Lawndale community magnifying our Holistic services to attract and identify potential clients in services.
  • Outreach to the community (individually and as a team member) to build strong relationships with youth, residents, businesses, and other community & outreach groups.
  • Collaborate and network with other Outreach programs and workers to coordinate strategic responses to violence.
  • Attends regular staff meetings, partner meetings, one on one supervision meetings, community meetings as instructed by Community Engagement Specialist Supervisor and/or Director.
  • Participates in all mandatory trainings and undertakes any training and professional development as required to ensure effective work.
  • Assist with the onboarding of new hires on the LCLC way and the North Lawndale community.
  • Appear in court on behalf of youth with attorneys as needed/directed.
  • Participates in media opportunities as requested.
  • Other duties as assigned

Qualifications & Requirements

  • High School Diploma/GED required
  • Associate Degree is preferred, in criminal justice or violence prevention related field
  • Two or more years of experience working with high-risk, justice-involved adults
  • High degree of cultural competency
  • Excellent communication skills
  • Basic knowledge and understanding of Trauma
  • Basic computer skills; ability to complete required data entry and tasks, communicate via email, and complete basic word processing tasks as needed
  • Ability to navigate social media
  • Emotional maturity, good judgment, integrity, tolerance of differing points of view and beliefs, and commitment to nonviolence
  • Understanding of criminal justice system and street lifestyle
  • Current driver’s license, good driving record, evidence of insurability, and reliable access to a vehicle
  • Willingness to work on the street and in other unstructured situations
  • In depth knowledge and relationships with the street dynamics in North Lawndale
  • Residents of North Lawndale preferred

Professionalism and Work Conduct

  • Behaves with integrity, demonstrates high ethical standards, and displays a positive image of LCLC.
  • Acts in a professional manner at all times and maintains appropriate boundaries with clients.
  • Demonstrates accountability for results and keeps commitments to others.
  • Reports to work, meetings, training, and job-related activities prepared and on time.
  • Demonstrates openness and respect for cultural and socioeconomic characteristics of participants and coworkers.
  • Accepts feedback and ideas from team and supervisor and is constructive when giving feedback and ideas to others.
  • Discusses alternative problem solving and is open to new ideas and ways of doing things.

Application

Please submit a cover letter, resume, and a list of three references to: Robin Moore, rmoore@lclc.net and Latrionna Moore, lmoore@lclc.net. Include position title in email subject. The position, which is available immediately, will remain open until filled. Minorities, veterans, and North Lawndale residents encouraged to apply.

Lawndale Christian Legal Center is an equal opportunity employer. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, marital status, age, national origin, ancestry, physical or mental disability, medical condition, pregnancy, genetic information, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, veteran status, or any other status protected under federal, state, or local law. All aspects of employment including the decision to hire, promote, discipline, or discharge, will be based on merit, competence, performance, and organizational needs. Our goal is to be a diverse workforce that is representative of those we serve. 

North Lawndale residents and minorities encouraged to apply.