The Children’s Advocacy Center of Northeastern Pennsylvania is a private, non-profit, charitable organization whose mission is to provide excellence in assessing and treating child abuse and neglect. CAC of NEPA provides medical assessments and child forensic interviews for victims of abuse and neglect and coordinates a multidisciplinary team response to child abuse and neglect in Lackawanna and surrounding counties of Northeastern Pennsylvania. The Center provides child abuse prevention education to professionals and communities served.

Prevention Educator

Reports to: Director of Engagement & Development | Position Type: Full-Time, Field-Based

Position Summary

The Prevention Educator advances the Children's Advocacy Center's mission by delivering proactive, evidence-based and evidence-informed child abuse prevention education and building meaningful relationships throughout the communities we serve.

The role provides developmentally appropriate education directly to children and youth while also expanding prevention efforts to parents, caregivers, professionals, schools, organizations, and other adults responsible for creating safe environments around children. Child-focused education remains important, but children should never carry the primary responsibility for preventing their own abuse.

Prevention programming is intentionally responsive. Programs, topics, and approaches may evolve based on research, effectiveness, funding requirements, community feedback, emerging risks, and identified needs.

Field-Based Work Expectations

This is a field-based position, not a traditional work-from-home position. Schedule flexibility is intended to support active engagement throughout the communities we serve. Working time should balance direct programming, outreach, partnership development, documentation, reporting, and organizational responsibilities. Administrative work may be completed remotely when appropriate, but should support rather than replace community-facing responsibilities.

Prevention Education & Program Delivery

·        Deliver high-quality, evidence-based and evidence-informed prevention programming to children, youth, adults, professionals, schools, and community organizations.

·        Complete required training and maintain certifications for prevention curricula utilized by the CAC.

·        Facilitate developmentally appropriate, trauma-informed, and audience-appropriate presentations and trainings.

·        Prepare appropriately for scheduled programs, including required materials, technology, and program-specific requirements.

·        Collect and utilize participant and community feedback to strengthen programming.

·        Remain knowledgeable about current prevention research, practices, and emerging child-safety needs.

Community Outreach & Partnership Development

·        Proactively identify and initiate outreach to schools, organizations, agencies, and community groups that could benefit from prevention education.

·        Develop and maintain relationships with community partners, school personnel, and other stakeholders throughout the service area.

·        Identify underserved audiences, gaps in prevention education, and opportunities to expand the CAC's reach.

·        Represent the CAC at community meetings, events, resource fairs, and other outreach opportunities.

·        Maintain consistent follow-up with prospective and existing partners.

·        Turn outreach into meaningful prevention programming through reliable relationship management and follow-through.

Community Needs & Program Development

·        Listen to schools, families, professionals, and community partners to identify emerging prevention needs.

·        Bring forward trends, concerns, gaps, and opportunities that may warrant additional prevention education or resources.

·        Research evidence-based and evidence-informed programs, resources, and approaches when new needs are identified.

·        Recommend opportunities for new programming, partnerships, educational resources, or prevention initiatives.

·        Assist with development and implementation of new prevention initiatives in collaboration with the Director of Engagement & Development.

·        Remain flexible as prevention priorities, programs, funding requirements, and community needs evolve.

Documentation, Systems & Accountability

·        Independently maintain accurate and timely records of outreach, scheduled programming, completed programming, attendance, partnerships, and required program metrics.

·        Track outreach from initial contact through follow-up, scheduling, program delivery, and ongoing partnership development.

·        Complete documentation and reporting consistently and within established timelines without repeated reminders or supervisory follow-up.

·        Provide required documentation and reporting to the Director of Engagement & Development prior to external submission when required.

·        Utilize organizational systems and technology effectively and consistently.

·        Identify opportunities to improve workflows, tracking, documentation, and program processes.

Professional Expectations

·        Operate with a high degree of autonomy and accountability.

·        Take initiative and follow through on commitments.

·        Proactively seek opportunities for outreach and programming.

·        Think creatively and contribute ideas to improve prevention efforts.

·        Respond constructively to feedback and adapt as needs evolve.

·        Demonstrate professionalism, reliability, and a strong commitment to the mission of prevention of child abuse.

·        This is not a supervisory or lead role.

Qualifications

·        Experience in education, social work, prevention, training, outreach, or related work preferred.

·        Strong public speaking and communication skills.

·        Strong organizational skills and comfort with technology and data tracking.

·        Willingness to travel locally and occasionally work evenings or weekends.

·        Ability to successfully complete required background clearances.

What Success Looks Like

Success is measured by both proactive outreach and high-quality prevention education, supported by accurate documentation and reliable follow-through. A successful Prevention Educator builds and sustains community relationships, identifies needs and brings forward ideas, consistently turns outreach into meaningful prevention programming, and maintains the organizational systems and data needed to demonstrate impact.

The goal is a prevention program that is both responsive and intentional, reaching children with age-appropriate education and equipping the adults responsible for their safety, while continuously adapting to the needs of the communities we serve.