Prevention Educator – Part Time 

Position Details

• Status: Part-Time (approximately 22–25 hours per week)
• Location: Based in Rockport with frequent travel throughout Waldo County and occasional travel throughout Knox County and statewide.
• Grant Year: July 1, 2026 – June 30, 2027 
• Start Date: August 1, 2026
• Hourly Pay: $27.00/hour (Grant Funded)

This position is supported through grant funding that advances youth substance use prevention, school-community partnerships, health promotion, and harm reduction initiatives throughout Midcoast Maine.

What You'll Do

• Engage Youth in Schools & Community Settings: Deliver interactive, age-appropriate, evidence-informed substance use prevention curricula and health education directly to students in K–12 schools, youth organizations, and afterschool programs.
• Build Strong School Partnerships: Collaborate closely with school administrators, counselors, teachers, and student support teams to integrate prevention programming, support positive school climate, and strengthen protective factors for local youth.
• Support Youth Leadership & Advisory Groups: Facilitate youth-driven prevention activities, student leadership opportunities, and peer education campaigns that empower young people to make healthy choices.
• Implement MPN Prevention Strategies: Deliver evidence-informed prevention strategies aligned with Maine Prevention Network (MPN) priorities and approved grant work plans.
• Deliver Community Harm Reduction & Adult Education: Provide harm reduction education, overdose prevention training, and community outreach in Waldo County under United Way funding.
• Connect Community Partners: Build and maintain strong relationships with healthcare providers, recovery organizations, municipalities, law enforcement, and local coalitions.
• Track Impact & Grant Deliverables: Maintain accurate records of classroom presentations, youth attendance, community outreach, and reporting requirements to support program evaluation and compliance.

Why You'll Love Working Here

• Direct Youth Impact: Inspire, mentor, and empower young people across Midcoast Maine to thrive through positive prevention and health education.
• Meaningful Community Purpose: Help expand vital youth prevention and community harm reduction efforts throughout Waldo County.
• Professional Growth: Receive paid training, professional development, and full financial/mentor support to obtain your Prevention Specialist credentials.
• Mission-Driven Culture: Join a collaborative, supportive team at Penobscot Bay Community Health Partnerships (PBCHP) dedicated to equity, education, and community well-being.
• Great Benefits: Includes Earned Paid Leave, Day 1 eligibility for a 403(b) retirement plan, and a free individual YMCA membership.

Essential Functions

Youth & School-Based Prevention (Primary Focus)

• Plan, adapt, and deliver evidence-informed prevention programs, classroom presentations, and skill-building workshops for youth in schools and youth-serving agencies.
• Establish reliable, professional relationships with local school districts, guidance offices, and administration to schedule and coordinate recurring prevention education sessions.
• Support youth engagement initiatives, empowering students to lead substance-free awareness activities, peer messaging, and community projects.

Community Outreach & Harm Reduction

• Implement evidence-informed, culturally responsive prevention and harm reduction strategies in accordance with approved MPN and United Way grant work plans.
• Provide community harm reduction education, medication safety initiatives, overdose prevention awareness, and resource navigation support across Waldo County.
• Represent PBCHP at community events, health fairs, school open houses, and coalition meetings.

Program Administration & Compliance

• Maintain accurate records of student reach, classroom sessions, community meetings, and outreach activities.
• Assist with educational materials, youth-focused messaging, and social media outreach under the direction of the Director of Community Health Promotion.
• Complete required state and federal grant tracking on time and stay current on youth prevention science, environmental strategies, and health communication best practices.

Qualifications

• Education & Experience: Bachelor’s degree in Public Health, Community Health Education, Education, Human Services, Social Work, or a related field preferred. Relevant experience working with youth, in schools, or leading community outreach may substitute for education on a year-for-year basis.
• Youth Work Experience: Prior experience teaching, mentoring, or facilitating groups for youth/adolescents in school, camp, or community settings is highly valued.
• Certifications:
  • Provisional Prevention Specialist (PPS) certification, or the ability to obtain it upon hire.
  • Ability to obtain Maine Certified Prevention Specialist (CPS) certification within 18 months of employment (all certification costs are fully covered by PBCHP).
• Core Knowledge: Familiarity with youth development, substance use prevention, health communication, social-emotional learning, or harm reduction principles.
• Communication: Outstanding classroom management, public presentation, and interpersonal skills with the ability to build quick rapport with both youth and adults.
• Tech Capabilities: Proficiency with Google Workspace, Microsoft Office, Zoom, and basic data entry tools.
• Mobility: Valid driver's license and reliable transportation for regular travel between local schools and Waldo County community sites.

Key Competencies

Relationship-Building & Youth Engagement

• Ability to connect authentically with young people from diverse backgrounds with empathy, respect, and zero judgment.
• Strong active listening skills and the ability to navigate sensitive health discussions with students and families appropriately.
• Proven ability to build trust and maintain positive working relationships with school staff, community leaders, and coalition members.

Facilitation & Organization

• Strong facilitation skills—able to keep classrooms and youth groups engaged, active, and focused.
• Solid organizational and time-management skills to balance multiple school schedules, community events, and grant tracking deadlines.

The Penobscot Bay YMCA is an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential job functions.