Job | Youth Health Educator HIV/HCV Tester @ Diaspora Community Services

Youth Health Educator HIV/HCV Tester

Read the original job posting here.

Increasing routine HIV and Hepatitis C screening is essential to slowing and ultimately ending the AIDS epidemic. Twenty-five percent of HIV-positive people are unaware of their status and 45% of HIV-positive people remain out of care. One way to increase the number of people who are aware of their HIV status is to expand HIV counseling and testing efforts to reach more people and to specific target populations who are at higher risk of becoming infected but who may not have access to HIV testing and health-care services.

The Substance Abuse and HIV Prevention Program for LGBT Youth Ages 13-24 at Diaspora Community Services is dedicated to providing HIV and HCV testing to individuals in North and Central Brooklyn as well as providing behavioral intervention efforts through evidence-based curricula.

Be Proud! Be Responsible! and Choosing Life: Empowerment! Action! Results! (CLEAR). These are individual-level health promotion interventions for youth who are at risk or living with HIV. Many individuals at high risk for HIV infection often face barriers to accessing testing in a traditional setting, including the lack of access of transportation, clinic hours outside of business hours etc. Through DCS community outreach efforts and mobile testing unit we will be able to eliminate these barriers by meeting our target population where they are. As we address these issues we are also linking them to suitable programs for continuum of care and prevention needed to live a safe and healthy life.

Main Function: The Youth Health Educator will work under the supervision of the Program Manager to implement CLEAR and Be Proud! Be Responsible! Curricula at partner schools, organizations and community based centers. Conduct weekly educational health related workshops (individual or series of workshops) designed to educate youth on adolescent sexuality topics and HIV/HC prevention. The Health Educator will be responsible for community outreach, one-on-one screening and assessment, and health education targeting at-risk population.

Responsibilities include but are not limited to:

• Assist in outreach services in the community to identify high-risk individuals.
• Engages and refers clients for HIV testing and prevention services.
• Perform screening and intake of individuals needing HIV prevention and/or substance use services.
• Facilitation of individual CLEAR HIV prevention intervention sessions.
• Assist in maintaining client files, statistical data, and referral logs.
• Assist with data entry into GPRA and DCS client record systems.
• Provide appropriate internal and external referrals for follow-up care and other support services.
• Provides input in planning and evaluating activities.
• Participates in on-going professional development trainings as identified by supervisor.
• Other duties as assigned.

Qualifications: Must have Bachelor’s degree and 1 year experience, or HS Diploma/GED and 4 years of experience, in health education, conducting evidence-based curriculum and experience working with LGBT youth and HIV prevention. Experience in HIV testing, pre and post counseling preferred. Candidate is preferred to be bilingual Spanish, French or Haitian-Kreyol speaking. Capacity to conduct street and community outreach targeting at LGBT populations. Experience working with diverse populations. LGBT Cultural competency is a must. Knowledge and skills in working in a team effort and demonstration of a strong commitment to team work among staff. Candidate must maintain confidentiality regarding agency and constituent information. Must be able to work flexible hours including but not limited to weekends.

We are an equal opportunity employer!