Roca, Inc. hiring Youth Worker - Baltimore County in Baltimore, MD | LinkedIn (2024)

About RocaRoca’s mission is to be a relentless force in disrupting incarceration, poverty and racism by partnering with young adults, the police, and systems at the center of urban violence to create safety, address trauma, and find hope.

Roca is a fast-paced, data-driven, and relentless organization that annually serves nearly 1,300 young people at the center of urban violence – the young people most likely to shoot or be shot. Founded just outside of Boston in 1988, Roca operates a nationally acclaimed Intervention Model with five sites in Massachusetts, one in Hartford, CT and one in Baltimore, Maryland.

Over 34 years, Roca has learned that to impact urban violence, we must work directly with the young people and systems at the center of it. Roca’s Intervention Model engages this population of very high-risk young adults in an intensive four-year program to address trauma, teach life-saving cognitive-behavioral skills, and break the cycle of incarceration and poverty that traditional youth programs alone can’t break. And, because it takes all of us, Roca also helps institutions like police and state agencies change the way they work with young people who are traumatized and living at the intersection of gangs, drugs, poverty, violence, immigration challenges, and involvement with multiple public systems.

Roca’s approach is rooted in understanding brain development, neuroplasticity, and the impact of trauma on the brain; the Intervention Model is built on the foundational theories of Cognitive Behavioral Theory, Stages of Change and Systems Change.

Roca is in a period of tremendous growth as we continue to expand our direct service work, lead policy and system change initiatives in Massachusetts and Maryland, and increase our national footprint through the Roca Impact Institute. Complementing our direct service work, the Roca Impact Institute is the coaching arm of our work that scales Roca’s work to cities across the U.S. that are seeking proven approaches to community violence intervention. The Impact Institute enters into intensive, on-the-ground coaching partnerships, showing communities how to implement our research-based, trauma-informed approach violence intervention.

Position OverviewThe Youth Worker will report to the Director. The Youth Worker will have the primary responsibility of engaging 25 very high risk young adults through relationships and programming as well as working with community partners (police, probation officers, community members) within the communities Roca is serving.

The successful Youth Worker will work closely with team members, supervisors, and others within the organization to ensure that each young person is driving to outcomes of economic independence and living out of harm’s way. We strive to meet the following outcomes: No Re-Incarcerations and Retained Employment.

General Responsibilities

• Facilitate, apply, practice, and demonstrate Cognitive Behavioral Theory (CBT) using Roca’s Intervention Model.
• Consistently exercise and application of Cognitive Behavioral Theory (CBT) informally, formally and virtually.
• Assist and role model in the process of obtaining and sustaining employment through job search and overall workforce professionalism.
• Engage with other aspects of work, such as but not limited to, court engagement, work behind the wall, peacemaking circles, work with the community, productive and professional participation in meetings, etc.
• Continually learn, demonstrate, practice and improve skills related to Roca’s intervention model.
• Ensure accurate and timely entry of case notes into ETO (Efforts to Outcome system) daily.
• Act as a Crew Supervisor and manage a work crew, when needed.
• Analyze and interpret ETO data as it relates to young people and understanding how data relates to a young person’s progress.
• Ability to adapt outreach efforts in accordance of data collected in ETO.
• Other duties as assigned.

Specific Job Responsibilities

• Maintain a caseload of young people and build transformation relationships in alignment with Roca’s intervention model.
• Demonstrate the ability to provide additional types of educational/vocational/life skills programming, in person and virtually, e.g. educational classes, ServSafe, upgraded workforce professional skills, parenting, healthy habits, driver’s education, and/or the ability to help with job placement.
• Strategically plan workweek schedules— including outreach lists for contact, programming needs, identifying if YP is in need of additional assistance and CBT coaching and constructive use of Track Books.

QualificationsThe very nature of Roca’s work requires an individual of great commitment and energy to the mission. Roca seeks a highly driven individual who is in alignment with the culture and values of Roca. In addition, the ideal candidate for this position will be a trustworthy decision-maker. He/she will have a sense of humor, feel passionate and committed to direct work with high risk youth, and demonstrate interest in coaching and supporting coworkers.

Roca Expects Candidates To Have The Following Skills

• BA preferred/Equivalent experience accepted--Minimum of three years of direct service work with high risk young people.
• Understanding and experience working with street involved high risk young people.
• Capacity for creative problem-solving, conflict resolution, violence prevention.
• Strong written and oral communication skills.
• Capacity to think and act intentionally and strategically to help young people change behaviors.
• Creative problem solving and thinking.
• Excellent at organizing, managing and completing multiple complex projects and tasks simultaneously with thoroughness, accuracy, timeliness and good humor.
• Self-motivation, initiative, sound judgment, and commitment to ongoing learning are essential.
• Ability to work as a part of a team.

Requirements For The Position

• Ability to travel around the service area.
• Computer Literacy
• Valid state issued driver’s license.
• Criminal background and current driving record check.
• Willingness and ability to work outside of normal business hours, and Holidays and/or weekends as needed.
• Ability to work with diverse cultures.
• Strong attendance and high energy.

Physical DemandsThe physical demands that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to stand, walk, use hands to finger, handle or feel objects, and talk and hear. - The employee is frequently required to push, pull, stock, and must lift and/or move up to 50 pounds. Work can be repetitive in nature.- Specific vision abilities required by this job include depth perception, peripheral vision, the ability to distinguish basic colors and the ability to adjust vision to bring objects into focus.

It may be necessary to wear some protective clothing and/or equipment such as rain and snow gear, boots, goggles, hard hat, full face shield, respirator, ear plugs/muffs and gloves. Work requires physical exertion such as long periods of standing, walking over rough, uneven surfaces, and recurring bending, climbing, crawling, crouching, stooping, and reaching, and occasional lifting or moderately heavy items. Work requires average physical agility and dexterity.

Work EnvironmentThe work environment an employee is exposed to while performing the essential functions of this job.

The position can work in outdoor and indoor environments. - The noise level is typically moderate. - The incumbent is frequently exposed to all outdoor weather conditions.

Roca is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer