AIRnyc Summer Program, Community Health Worker- Street Outreach

Summary

In neighborhoods across New York City where the rates of poverty and chronic disease are highest, AIRnyc’s Community Health Workers (CHWs) meet people where they live to improve health, connect families to care and build health equity. As New York City emerges from COVID-19, AIRnyc is dedicated to helping people most impacted not only by this pandemic, but by years of structural racism and lack of access to health, justice and economic mobility.

AIRnyc applauds the recent Board of Health’s resolution recognizing racism as a public health crisis. For almost 20 years, AIRnyc has been working to reduce barriers to health in partnership with health care delivery systems, managed care organizations, government, community based organizations and, most importantly, the people we serve.

Background

AIRnyc is actively recruiting Community Health Workers (CHWs) to participate in a 10-week, outreach summer program. Additionally, this program will include a 35-hour comprehensive training program which will encompass on building the CHW skillset, COVID-19 focused information and general public health knowledge. This is a great opportunity for current college students who are interested in summer work within the public health realm. This exciting role calls for people who are ready and able to connect with community members through community settings within the South Bronx. CHWs will provide one-on-one and family level support related to COVID-19 (vaccination, testing, treatment) while also offering navigation support to health and social care resources in neighborhoods most impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. This position is grant-funded by the NYC Department of Health and Fund for Public Health of New York. CHWs will be provided a competitive hourly wage.

Duties and Responsibilities

The core responsibilities of an AIRnyc CHW may include:

• Conduct outreach, personal and group educational sessions, or participate in activities to engage people who have missed or who avoid traditional healthcare to increase knowledge of available health and social services
• Provide weekly educational sessions covering COVID-19 topics as well as health education and social service navigation
• Offer one-on-one support in-person at the offices of community partners in the South Bronx to screen and provide referrals to services to patients
• Participate in neighborhood coalition meetings to contribute to neighborhood emergency preparedness, community preparedness and to share updates on data and learnings of community needs
• Interview community members in the South Bronx using techniques that help them find the self-motivation to improve the ways they care for themselves (Motivational Interviewing)
• Provide person-to-person support to help people meet their health goals and promote lifestyle changes
• Document activities, visits, touchpoints, check-ins, assessments, and education sessions and prepare reports on a routine basis and as needed
• Attend and actively participate in regularly scheduled group meetings with other CHWs, community groups, program supervisors, and referring partners and providers

Key Characteristics of a Successful Candidate

• You have excellent communication and interpersonal skills and will be able to interact professionally with community based organizations, social service providers, families, clinicians, patient navigators and administrators
• You are a team player who approaches people with humility and empathy
• You have strong organizational and problem-solving skills
• You are eager to learn new skills

Requirements

• Demonstrated outreach and engagement skills in the community and/or community organizing
• Ability to work independently, be flexible, and handle changing priorities
• High productivity rate and sense of ownership of tasks/work
• A strong commitment to engage residents in open and honest dialogue regarding their health and social needs.
• Experience using database technology, including the ability organize, enter, and report on data collected
• Flexibility with the changing needs and schedules of families, and flexibility to work a maximum of 1 evening and 2 weekend days per month.
• Familiarity with Google Suite (i.e. Google Calendar and Google Docs)
• All applicants must comply with FCNY/AIRnyc vaccination policy. Employees will be required to provide verification that they are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 (with an FDA-authorized vaccine)
  • 2 dose series of either Pfizer/Moderna plus 1 booster shot, completed a minimum of 2 weeks prior to start date. OR,
  • 1 dose series of Johnson & Johnson plus 1 booster shot, completed a minimum of 2 weeks prior to start date

Desirable Skills

• Experience engaging with, coaching, and motivating people
• Experience providing mentoring, adult learning, counseling, workshop facilitation, and/or group/community presentations preferred
• Fluency in Spanish preferred
• Bronx residents preferred

• Website: https://www.air-nyc.org/
• Address: 349 East 149th Street, Bronx

If interested, please send an up to date resume and cover letter to Alexa Stufano, astufano@air-nyc.org. Please put the name of the position in the subject line of the email.