Bilingual MPOWER Community Liaison (English/Spanish)

POSITION:      Bilingual MPOWER Community Liaison (English/Spanish)

DEPARTMENT: Community Justice

REPORTS TO: Executive Director             

Schedule: Flexible to meet community needs including evening hours for phone calls, community meetings and occasional weekend community events.

Classification: Non-exempt/ Salary

Salary:  $55,000 to $65,000 

MPOWER is a Milwaukee based cross sector collaboration to develop approaches that expand harm-reduction and housing first approaches to help women in the street based sex trade who use opioids and other drugs as an alternative to arrests, tickets, fines or incarceration. The collaboration is led by representatives from advocacy organizations, social service organizations, housing system partners, criminal justice system partners and academic research partners. Progress made includes development of a pre-arrest protocol with MPD, and increased services and support reaching over 600 impacted women annually.

In a partnership with the City of Milwaukee Office of Community Wellness and Safety, MPOWER is piloting a new project to further respond to and engage with community residents, businesses and partners who identify the street-based sex trade as important safety and quality of life concern in their neighborhoods. Community engagement is a vital component to MPOWER’s goal to improve the health and safety of women in the street-based sex trade, and by doing so, improve the health and safety of everyone in the neighborhood.

Position Purpose: The bilingual MPOWER Community Liaison will act as a bridge between residents, the Office of Community Wellness and Safety, the MPOWER steering committee and the Benedict Center Sisters Program. Respond to residents, business, and community partner concerns pertaining to possible street-based sex trade in identified neighborhoods.  Coordinate program response of Sisters Program Outreach and other MPOWER agencies to offer needed services to individuals in the street based sex trade who use opioids and other drugs.  Educate and engage community stakeholders, make public presentations and serve as an information conduit. Collect and assess data and provide reports to Benedict Center, City of Milwaukee Office of Wellness and Safety, MPOWER Steering Committee, community stakeholders and the public.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

Community Education and Engagement (40%)

  • Work with MPOWER and Benedict Center to develop and implement a strategic communications plan and supporting materials for community engagement activities.
  • Develop deep understanding of the issues facing impacted women, the Benedict Center Sisters Program philosophy and approach, and working knowledge of diversion and deflection programs.
  • Represent the MPOWER Collaboration at meetings by MPD Crime and Safety, Target Team, resident associations, business associations and other community-based meetings in assigned districts.
  • Educate and engage community residents, business owners, and community groups about the MPOWER Project efforts through community meetings, focus groups one-on-one meetings to generate support and ideas for collaborative solutions.
  • Facilitate ideas and help implement ways for community residents and stakeholders to play a meaningful role in the planning and implementation of MPOWER activities.
  • Establish respectful, encouraging connections with local business owners, residents, criminal justice professionals and other service providers in the areas targeted by the MPOWER project.

Coordinating Follow-up to Calls for Service from Stakeholders (15%)

  • Help create and implement a response protocol for resident and stakeholder calls for service regarding suspected solicitation.
  • Receive and review call reports for service regarding possible solicitation.
  • Contact the resident/ stakeholder/ caller within one business day to listen to the resident’s concerns, collect information from the resident about circumstances that precipitated the call
  • Educate callers about how their privacy will be protected and how the information shared will be used to direct services to help women in the context of the MPOWER project
  • Invite/ Engage callers to learn more about the issues, the project and how to stay informed or get involved (invitations to meetings, general project updates and data-based impact reports)
  • Invite the callers to call back directly with follow up information, questions or concerns
  • Follow all prescribed protocols for conducting follow up on resident complaint calls/reports.
  • Record relevant data from calls in tracking system

Coordinating Outreach and Service Response for Individuals in Need (15%)

  • Help create and implement a response protocol for the Sisters Program and other key service providers to conduct outreach and support for individuals encountered informed by call data.
  • Use call information to direct the Sisters Outreach and other MPOWER agency service providers to individuals at known locations.
  • Coordinate the service providers to offer practical resources, information and supportive conversation to women who are or might be involved in the street-based sex trade in identified locations.
  • Coordinate the service providers to link women to community resources including food, shelter/housing access, syringe exchange, legal rights, anti-violence advocacy, HIV/STD testing and health care; follow-up to ensure that referrals are appropriate and effective.
  • Track follow up responses and outcomes in tracking system. 

Evaluation and Data Collection (10%)

  • Track, analyze and report data from stakeholder calls for service and service provider responses.
  • Track daily contacts (outside of calls for non-emergency response) with community members, MPOWER stakeholder agencies, and other community resources.  Note outcomes for each contact.
  • Track number community members engaged through community engagement activities.
  • Provide qualitative reports on stakeholder feedback.
  • Produce monthly reports aggregating key deliverables of the OCWS contract. 
  • Create project updates and community impact reports for dissemination to community.
  • Participate in research and evaluation activities with MPOWER partners.
  • Share relevant and critical information to Sisters Program and Benedict Center leadership in real time.
  • Complete and submit documentation in a timely manner.

Supporting MPOWER and Benedict Center Diversion, Deflection and Community Intervention Efforts.  (10%)

  • Assist ED in coordination and facilitation of MPOWER meetings and activities.
  • Assist in development and training of protocols for MPOWER cross sector collaborators for pre-arrest diversion, deflection and community interventions.
  • Provide briefings and meetings with key leaders on City, County and State Level receive updates on MPOWER progress.
  • Work closely with identified research and evaluation partners to develop data tracking, assessments and reports.
  • Participate in assigned Benedict Center staff meetings, in-service trainings and staff development opportunities. 
  • Assist with training key stakeholders on the MPOWER project efforts and its diversion protocol.
  • Other duties as assigned; allocation of time in each area may shift as program develops.

Enhance Street Outreach and Service Referrals for Impacted Women (10%)

  • Cultivate strong partnerships with Sisters Program Manager and Outreach staff.
  • Work with the Sisters Program Manager to inform expanded street outreach activities, assessing trends, addressing barriers, and identifying innovative new approaches to engage women on the streets.
  • Help develop collaborative relationships with staff of other local community agencies who may be helpful in order to provide care services outside the Sisters Program and other MPOWER agencies’ scope

Mission and Values Focus:

  • Agree, uphold and demonstrate our mission to help women affected by the criminal justice system find hope and lead safer and healthier lives while advocating for a system of justice that is fair and treats everyone with dignity and respect.
  • Learn and explain the basics of harm reduction and housing first principles and practices

QUALIFICATIONS:

  • Bachelor’s Degree in related fields including Communications, Public Health, Community Engagement and Education, Community Activism, Urban Studies, Criminal Justice, Social Justice and Systems or Social Work (macro) or commensurate with experience.
  • Position demands a self-directed, detail-oriented, flexible person with excellent leadership, interpersonal and decision-making skills.
  • Minimum 1 year of experience working with residents and stakeholders on community level.
  • Ability to work effectively with people from diverse economic, racial, ethnic, gender, sexual orientation, abilities and religious backgrounds in an open and respectful environment.
  • Strong commitment to learning and implementing harm reduction principles and practices
  • Strong verbal and written communication skills, ability to speak persuasively before groups.
  • Computer literacy and experience with databases and excel worksheets.
  • Requires valid driver’s license.
  • Bilingual, Spanish required.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:

This position requires standing, walking, sitting and driving to community meetings and appointments. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT:   

  • Full-time, exempt position
  • Paid vacation and personal/sick time
  • 13 paid holidays
  • Health, dental, and vision insurance available
  • Short-term disability, life, accident and other insurances also available
  • 401(k)
  • Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
  • Professional development opportunities
     

The Benedict Center is an EEOC employer

The above statements reflect the general details necessary to describe the principal functions of the occupation described and shall not be construed as a detailed description of all the work requirements that may be inherent in the occupation. 

Please send resume and cover letter to hr@benedictcenter.org