Outreach Specialist

About District Outreach Industries

District Outreach Industries NFP (DOI) is a Chicago-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to transforming the lives of youth, young adults, and families who have been affected by trauma. We believe healing must go beyond meeting immediate needs — it must address the emotional, mental, and social well-being of the whole person and the whole family. Through personalized support, evidence-based interventions, and deep community engagement, DOI empowers the people we serve to rebuild their lives with dignity, resilience, and optimism.

Rooted on Chicago’s South Side, DOI works hand-in-hand with schools, hospitals, victim service providers, faith institutions, law enforcement, and grassroots community partners to address not only the effects of trauma and violence, but their root causes. Our vision is a community where every family impacted by trauma has seamless access to the support they need to heal — and to thrive.

About the S.O.S. Help Is Here Program

S.O.S. Help Is Here is DOI’s community-based violence intervention and crisis response initiative. The program connects individuals and families to immediate help and sustained support through street and community outreach, crisis response, intake and assessment, case management, parental engagement, and coordinated victim services — delivered in close partnership with Helping Communities Help Themselves and other victim service and community partners. The program is trauma-informed, culturally responsive, data-driven, and community-centered.

Position Summary

The Outreach Specialist is a frontline member of the S.O.S. Help Is Here team and is often the first point of contact between DOI and the community. Working in the field every day, the Outreach Specialist builds trusting relationships with individuals and families affected by violence and trauma, identifies people who need support, and connects them to program services and community resources.

As a credible presence in the community, the Outreach Specialist meets people where they are — on the block, at community events, in hospitals, and in homes — and helps them take the first steps toward safety, stability, and healing. Because violence and crisis do not follow a 9-to-5 schedule, this role requires regular evening, night, and weekend availability; the Outreach Specialist must be present in the community when support is needed most. The Outreach Specialist works under the direction of the Program Manager and in close coordination with Intake Specialists, Case Managers, and partner organizations.

Key Responsibilities

Community & Street Outreach

• Conduct consistent, visible outreach in the program’s service area — including during evening, night, and weekend hours — to build relationships and identify individuals and families in need of support.
• Serve as a trusted, credible presence in the community and a positive representative of DOI.
• Engage hard-to-reach and high-risk individuals with patience, respect, and cultural understanding.
• Share information about program services, resources, and opportunities for support.

Relationship Building & Participant Engagement

• Develop and maintain authentic, trust-based relationships with participants, families, and community members.
• Follow up regularly with participants to maintain engagement and encourage continued connection to services.
• Act as a consistent source of encouragement, mentorship, and support for participants working toward their goals.

Service Connection & Warm Handoffs

• Identify participant needs and connect individuals to internal program services through Intake Specialists and Case Managers.
• Link participants to external resources such as housing, employment, mental health, education, and victim services.
• Provide accompaniment and support to participants navigating services, appointments, or systems when appropriate.
• Coordinate warm handoffs to ensure participants do not fall through the cracks between contact and enrollment.

Safety, De-escalation & Crisis Support

• Support a safe community environment by promoting nonviolent conflict resolution and positive alternatives to violence.
• Help de-escalate tensions and support peace-building efforts in coordination with the program team and partners.
• Respond to participant and community crises, which frequently occur after hours and on weekends, in coordination with the Program Manager and partner organizations, following program safety protocols.
• Prioritize personal safety and the safety of participants at all times, and report safety concerns promptly.

Documentation & Program Support

• Maintain accurate, timely records of outreach contacts, participant interactions, and referrals using program systems.
• Track activities and outcomes to support program reporting and grant compliance.
• Participate in team meetings, case reviews, trainings, and program planning.
• Support community events, awareness activities, and program activations as assigned.
• Perform other related duties as assigned by the Program Manager.

Qualifications

Required

• High school diploma or equivalent (GED).
• Strong knowledge of and connection to the communities served by the program.
• Demonstrated ability to build trust and rapport with individuals affected by violence, trauma, or systemic barriers.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills.
• Ability to work independently in the field while staying coordinated with the program team.
• Ability to maintain professional boundaries, confidentiality, and reliable documentation.
• Availability to work a non-traditional, full-time schedule that includes regular evenings, nights, and weekends, and to respond to community needs as they arise. This role does not follow standard business hours.
• Valid driver’s license and/or reliable transportation.

Preferred

• Lived experience relevant to the program’s mission and the communities served is highly valued.
• Prior experience in community outreach, violence prevention, mentorship, case management support, or peer support.
• Familiarity with community violence intervention (CVI) approaches and South Side community resources.
• Training or certification such as CPR/First Aid, Mental Health First Aid, conflict mediation, or violence interruption (or willingness to obtain).
• Bilingual ability is a plus.

Core Competencies

• Credibility & trust: is respected in the community and able to connect with people others cannot reach.
• Cultural responsiveness: engages participants and families with empathy, humility, and respect.
• Composure under pressure — stays calm and grounded in tense or emotionally charged situations.
• Reliability & follow-through: shows up consistently, including at night and on weekends, and does what they say they will do.
• Boundaries & judgment: balances genuine care with professionalism, confidentiality, and personal safety.
• Resilience: sustains hope and steadiness while working with people in crisis and trauma.

Work Schedule, Environment & Physical Demands

• This is a full-time, non-traditional schedule. Because violence and crisis do not occur on a 9-to-5 basis, the role requires regular evening, night, and weekend coverage, and availability to respond to community needs as they arise.
• Work is performed primarily in the field and community settings, with some office and meeting time.
• Regular outdoor work and travel throughout the service area in varying weather conditions, including after dark.
• Must be able to move about the community on foot for extended periods, traverse a variety of community environments, operate a phone and standard program technology, and communicate effectively in person, by phone, and in writing.
• Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the role.

Conditions of Employment

• Employment is contingent upon successful completion of a background check, conducted in accordance with applicable law, including the Illinois Job Opportunities for Qualified Applicants Act and Chicago’s fair chance hiring requirements. A conviction record is not an automatic bar to employment, and applicants with lived experience, including prior justice involvement, are encouraged to apply.
• Employees in this role may be subject to mandated reporter obligations under the Illinois Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act (ANCRA).
• This position is supported by grant funding. Continued employment is contingent upon the ongoing availability of grant funds.
• Employment with DOI is at-will.