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: Full-Time 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: $23- $26/hour

Total Compensation: 

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

• Comprehensive, low-cost healthcare coverage for employees
• Generous employer 401(k) contributions
• Employer-covered life insurance

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 Outreach 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 demonstrated understanding of community nuances, beliefs, and traditions. In addition, the outreach coordinator will facilitate community feedback sessions to gather input to inform San Diego Counties Behavioral Health Systems mental health services. Input gathered at feedback sessions will result in a blueprint that advances behavioral health equity.

Through educational presentations, feedback sessions 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/x; 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, feedback groups 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
• Collaborate with the County of San Diego, community partners, stakeholder and members to gather feedback on ways to improve San Diegos Behavioral Health System
• 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, pow wows, 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 collaborating 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

Skills/Experience/Abilities That Are a Must-Have:

•  Must have a valid CA driver's license, insurance, a reliable personal vehicle, and a willingness to travel off-site
•  Bachelor's degree in a human services field preferred 
•  Must have experience working with cultural and community organizations within the previous five years and can establish immediate rapport with identified community and trusted community partners  
•  Ability to deal with complex problems involving several variables 
• Comfort with contributing to a newer program, and developing and trying new ideas  
• Reliable, self-starter, detail-oriented and initiates hard work without being prompted 
• Must be available to work evenings and possibly weekends 
•  Comfort with public speaking and presenting to groups 

Skills/Abilities We'd Like You to Have:

Linguistic/Cultural Knowledge

• Cultural awareness and understanding of the African American/ Black communities living on San Diego County 
• Comfort in an environment that supports intersecting identities and working closely as a team 
• Comfort working in an environment where multiple languages are spoken 
• Sensitivity to cultural differences present in the organization's/program's service population  

Important Notice:

Incomplete submissions will not be considered. Please, no phone calls. Please, principals only. Please, local candidates only (relocation is not provided).

About Jewish Family Service of San Diego
Jewish Family Service of San Diego is a client-centered, impact-driven organization working to build a stronger, more resilient community.  For over 100 years, Jewish Family Service has been a trusted resource for the entire community, offering an array of services that are always life-changing, and often life-saving.  At Jewish Family Service, we believe our employees are the backbone of our Agency.  We strive to ensure that each employee is treated with dignity and respect.  Our goal is your success.  Come work at JFS and be our partner in Moving Forward Together.  To learn more about JFS, please visit  

*Jewish Family Service is an equal opportunity employer. All applicants will be considered for employment without attention to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran or disability status.