Mental Health Outreach and Education Coordinator for the African Refugee Community, Breaking Down Barriers

Position Title: Mental Health Outreach and Education Coordinator for the African Refugee Community 

Organization: Jewish Family Service of San Diego

Department: Breaking Down Barriers                                                                                                                 

Position Type: Half-Time (18.75 – 29.75 hours/week), Non-Exempt

Work Setting: Position works from home and conducts in-person presentations and outreach locally in San Diego County. Must be based in San Diego County.

Pay Range: $22- $25/hour 

Total Compensation: 

In addition to standard pay, compensation for this position includes:

• Generous employer 401(k) contributions

Time Away from Work:

Being able to take time away from work is critical in bringing your best self to work. Time off benefits for this position include:

• Paid vacation time and sick leave
• 15 paid holidays, including Federal and Jewish holidays (as long as the holiday lands on a normal scheduled work day), and floating holidays
• 2 Wellness Days to be taken any time during the year to support employees’ mental wellness

Position Overview: 

The Mental Health Outreach and Education Coordinator will facilitate outreach activities across San Diego County for the African Refugee community. In consultation with program supervisors and team members, this position is responsible for creating and delivering workshops and cultural humility trainings that are culturally responsive and specific to the African Refugee community to reduce mental health stigma. This position requires cultural awareness and demonstrates understanding of community nuances, beliefs, and traditions.

Through educational presentations and events, Breaking Down Barriers discusses the stigma of mental health and connects participants to helpful resources. The program also offers cultural humility training to community members who work with these diverse populations.  

Breaking Down Barriers is a County-funded prevention and early intervention program. It is an outreach program that works with underserved communities to talk about mental wellness. The populations we work with include the following: African American/Black; African/Refugee; Asian/Pacific Islander; Latino/a/e; LGBTQIA+; Middle Eastern/Southwest Asian and North Africa; and Native American/Indigenous.  

This position is expected to be primarily work from home, while also focusing on community-based visits, tabling and building relationships throughout San Diego County.   

Responsibilities:  

• Assess community assets to develop community presentations to help reduce mental health stigma among the identified community
• Conduct outreach across all 6 San Diego County regions, and collaborate with Breaking Down Barriers colleagues in these efforts especially when multiple communities may be present
• Coordinate outreach and engagement among cultural organizations, community members, and local gathering venues
• Engage in virtual and creative in person outreach via person-to-person meetings, the San Diego Refugee Forum, world refugee day, community meetings, social media, phone and email to current and future community partners
• Support team efforts to strengthen program’s social media presence (e.g. Instagram, Facebook etc.) which may include creating and/or curating relevant posts, conducting Live events, and other relevant tasks
• Create educational presentations and activities focused on promoting mental wellness, highlighting community strengths, addressing historical trauma and sharing resources 
• Develop educational material for both community members and/or providers serving these communities (e.g. cultural sensitivity trainings)  
• Facilitate constructive, educational, and strengths-based discussions about mental health. The number of presentations and activities will be a proportion of the larger program goals, and the proportion may be informed by the number of working hours dedicated to the Outreach Coordinator role
• Effectively collaborate with team members and other JFS staff through coordinated outreach, shared responsibility for projects and program goals, and effective communication
• Supervise volunteers and coordinate presentation schedules on a weekly basis 
• Evaluate the need for additional resources and, when appropriate, make referrals for community members to mental health treatment or other necessary supports to encourage overall wellness
•  Manage and accurately input program data from presentations and outreach efforts in program databases