Community Engagement Specialist - Catholic Charities Diocese Of San Diego : Job Details

POSITION TITLE: Community Engagement Specialist

DEPARTMENT:Community Services

REPORTS TO: CFO Program Manager

FLSA STATUS: Non- Exempt

SALARY:$21.00 - $23.00

TIME COMMITMENT:Full-time (40+ hours/ week) Occasional travel, some weekend and evening work

BENEFITS: Medical, dental, and vision. Prescription drugs, life insurance, cash-balance pension plan, 403(b),

vacation, 15 holidays and sick leave.

To apply for this position you need to complete thisApplication

ORGANIZATION PROFILE: Catholic Charities Diocese of San Diego was founded in 1919 to provide service to those in need, to be a witness to the scriptural values of mercy, to advocate for justice, and to call all people of goodwill to join in these efforts.The agency responds to the needs of the poor in two counties of the Roman Catholic Diocese San Diego and Imperial.

POSITION DESCRIPTION: The Community Outreach Advocate will promote resources to diverse and vulnerable populations in the San Diego and Imperial counties.Outreach and education partnerships will focus on Community Based Organizations with an established relationship with vulnerable populations such as the refugee, immigrant, migrant farmworkers, low income, and senior populations.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND FUNCTIONS: OUTREACH/PUBLIC EDUCATION

• Inform and screen individuals for eligibility for CalFresh food and other applicable benefits (including but not limited to EFDN+, Medical, CoveredCA,) provide application assistance, and offer internal and external resources and referrals.
• Conduct informational sessions to educate the public about SNAP benefits and eligibility requirements.
• Follow up with clients to ensure their applications are processed and address any issues that arise.
• Prepares exhibits, brochures, flyers, posters, and other materials for presentation to the public, community agencies, support groups, and emergency management professionals; works closely with community members in promoting events and outreach activities.
• Conduct community outreach workshops, meetings, and other activities to promote awareness of various programs such as Emergency Preparedness (LISTOS) , Medical benefits, SNAP, Cal Fresh Healthy Living, EFDN+ among others.
• Develop and implement strategies for recruiting volunteers to support various community services programs.
• Coordinate volunteer training sessions and ensure volunteers are well-prepared for their roles and Community Services staff are prepared to receive volunteers.
• Maintain a database of volunteers and track their participation and contributions.
• Coordinate the receipt, storage, and distribution of donated goods.
• Ensure that in-kind donations are appropriately documented and acknowledged.
• Prepare reports on program outcomes, volunteer activities, and community engagement metrics.
• Create engaging social media posts to promote department activities and initiatives and work with our Communications and Community Engagement Department to schedule posts.
• Gather and draft client “stories” to capture the challenges and achievements of those served
• Conduct outreach activities to raise awareness about the services offered by the department.
• Attend department and program events as well as professional, community, and agency meetings and functions.
• Coordinate and communicate with Catholic Charities programs, connecting clients to resources as quickly as possible. (i.e., food, homeless shelters, Cal Fresh, immigrant/refugee, senior services, etc.).
• Assist in researching and following up with the action on diverse program matters – chasing responses, triggering follow-up action, and others.
• Frequently interact with people with diverse racial, cultural, and economic backgrounds, gender identities, and sexual identities.
• Meet and greet visitors at all levels of seniority.
• Be able to professionally handle telephone program crises.
• Record all data into the record-keeping system in a timely manner
• Attend all program meetings and training as needed.
• Attends training sessions and meetings etc., to enhance job knowledge and skills. Performs various office/administrative duties as necessary, including preparing comprehensive reports and procuring supplies, maintaining files, etc.
• Reviews, selects and orders culturally appropriate educational material.
• Produce documents, briefing papers, reports and presentations for the Director of Community Services.
• Other duties as assigned.

QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE:

• Knowledge of Catholic Charities services and resources.
• Knowledge of/familiarity with or ability to quickly learn the resources and programs that are available within the community/county to assist seniors, homeless and other indigent populations.
• Knowledge of the community resources, health, and social services systems in Imperial County,
• Ability to organize and plan own work.
• Excellent attention to detail, with the ability to maintain a high level of accuracy.
• A flexible, pro-active approach to work including the ability to prioritize and re-prioritize.
• Ability to work on own initiative.
• Ability to deal with sensitive information with discretion and to maintain confidentiality and possess skill to establish working relationships with community partners.
• Knowledge of/familiarity with/sensitivity to the cultural background of populations served by the Catholic Charities
• Ability to conduct oneself in a professional manner
• Commitment to the mission and values associated with the agency and the program, including, social justice, respect for others, health, & well-being
• Bilingual in English and Spanish (Desired)
• Ability to learn and become proficient with Microsoft Office applications – Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook.

CERTIFICATES, LICENSES, REGISTRATIONS:

• Valid California Driver's License and current automobile insurance in compliance with Agency requirements.
• Successful pass a background check
• CPR or First Aid certification (Desired)

PHYSICAL DEMANDS:The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.The employee is occasionally required to stand.The employee must frequently lift and/or move up to 10 pounds and occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds.Must be able to travel to various locations as required by program. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

WORK ENVIRONMENT:The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.

Catholic Charities is a non-profit, non-discriminatory service organization and employer. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, age, sexual orientation or disability.