Prevention Specialist

At The New York Foundling, we trust in the power and potential of people, and we deliberately invest in proven practices. From bold beginnings in 1869, our New York-based nonprofit has supported hundreds of thousands of our neighbors on their own paths to stability, strength, and independence.  We help children and families navigate through and beyond foster care. We help families struggling with conflict and poverty grow strong. We help individuals with developmental disabilities live their best lives, and we help our neighbors access quality health and mental health services—core to building lifelong resilience and wellbeing. Together, our interrelated programs provide a whole-person, whole-family, and whole-life approach that unlocks solutions for a lifetime.

The New York Foundling has served people with developmental disabilities since 1974, beginning with children and gradually expanding services to all ages, including the growing population of elders with developmental disabilities. The Developmental Division strives to empower people with intellectual and developmental disabilities to live as they choose, actively engaged in the community, pursuing their goals and interests through a choice of supported residential options, health services, meaningful activities, and employment opportunities.

Working with a second Prevention Specialist, each Prevention Specialist will provide abuse prevention, health, and safety messaging to 10,000 students annually. Additionally, Prevention Specialists will facilitate trainings on similar topics for school professionals, parents, and community members.

• Coordinate, advertise, and lead interactive workshops for students in school settings, providing essential messaging and resources on abuse prevention, safety, and overall well-being. Responsibilities include managing all pre- and post-session communication, planning, and documentation to ensure effective engagement and learning.
• Organize, promote, and conduct workshops for parents, caregivers, and community members, offering valuable insights and resources on abuse prevention, child development, family safety, and overall well-being. This role includes maintaining thorough communication before and after sessions, strategic planning, and detailed documentation to support families effectively.
• Develop, market, and deliver specialized trainings for school professionals, focusing on child abuse prevention, healthy development, and youth safety. These trainings aim to strengthen partnerships with schools and youth-serving organizations, fostering collaborative efforts to support children. Responsibilities include coordinating logistics, maintaining professional relationships, and ensuring ongoing communication and documentation.
• Review and analyze relevant research and publications for the purpose of content development to inform training and workshop curricula and ensure content is modern, relevant and innovative. This includes reviewing modern media, literature, and social science research to include in program workshops and resources.
• Support with and participte in inter-departmental and agency-wide initiatives to ensure individual, programatic and agency growth and stamina.
• Participate in professional development opportunities for the purpose of assessing and enhancing skill sets and supporting personal and professional growth. This includes regular coaching and supervision, attending relevent conferences and workshops, and completing all assigned agency trainings.

Salary Range: $55,000 - $59,000

The New York Foundling is committed to attracting and retaining a diverse employee population, the Foundling will honor your experiences, perspectives and unique identity. Together, our community strives to create and maintain working and learning environments that are inclusive, equitable and welcoming.

• Bachelors Degree in Social Work, Sociology, Anthropology, Psychology, Education, or related field
• Strong facilitation and presentation skills. Including comfort with public speaking and implementing trainings and workshops for diverse populations.
• Ability to work independetly and as a team. This position requires individuals who are comfortable making important decisions involving sensitive information as an individual, with a partner, and as part of a larger team.
• Experience designing and creating visuals for lesson implementation, workshop content, and training curricula. This includes ability to use software like PowerPoint and Canva to produce professional and engaging program materials.
• Punctual and comfortable traveling through all five boroughs of New York City using public transportation.
• Excellent organizational and technological skills; proficient in Microsoft Office suite (WORD, EXCEL, POWERPOINT)
• Experience working with youth, caregivers, and professionals.