How to Apply

A cover letter is required for consideration for this position and should be attached as the first page of your resume. The cover letter should address your specific interest in the position and outline skills and experience that directly relate to this position.

Summary

The Michigan Youth Violence Prevention Center (MI-YVPC) is seeking a motivated candidate to serve as a community- and youth-engagement specialist for a Centers for Disease Control- (CDC) funded research center focused on youth violence prevention. This position is based in Muskegon, MI (City of Muskegon and Muskegon Heights). The selected candidate will work collaboratively with community partners to recruit, coordinate, and train a Youth Advisory Council focused on engaging youth in addressing root causes of community violence. We are seeking a candidate with strong connections to the Muskegon community, demonstrated success engaging youth, and a commitment to social justice and positive youth development. 

About the Michigan Youth Violence Prevention Center

The MI-YVPC is one of five CDC-funded National Centers for Excellence in Youth Violence Prevention Center (YVPCs) across the country. Over the next four years, our Center’s research team will evaluate youth-driven, community-level interventions to prevent gun violence in two cities experiencing elevated gun violence: Muskegon, MI and Washington, DC. This position will be focused on Muskegon. The programs we are evaluating are focused on identifying and addressing roots causes of firearm violence, including racism and economic disinvestment. Our center also works to engage youth as part of the solution by providing youth opportunities for training and leadership in community violence prevention. Learn more at: https://yvpc.sph.umich.edu/projects/building-evidence-for-gun-violence-prevention/

The selected candidate will join a research team based at the Prevention Research Collaborative in the Department of Health Behavior and Health Education (HBHE) at the University of Michigan School of Public Health, and the UM Institute for Firearm Injury Prevention (IFIP).

About the Department of Health Behavior and Health Education: Driven by a shared passion for affecting lasting change, the faculty, students and staff of HBHE work in the pursuit of an equitable, healthy future for all. Turning theory and research into actionable practice, we develop interventions and innovations that promote health, prevent disease, empower people to manage chronic illness and disabilities, and facilitate collective action for social change. Together, our academic community transforms the theoretical into actionable, the science into the social, applying our knowledge to eliminate health disparities and impact lives for the better.

What You'll Do

The successful candidate will work closely with the research team and community partners on the following key tasks under the direction of the Center Manager:

Community & Youth Engagement 

• Represent the MI-YVPC in Muskegon, by conducting outreach, attending meetings, and preparing and delivering community trainings and presentations
• Support the recruitment, retention, and facilitation of a Community Advisory Board (CAB) to advise the center’s research activities
• In collaboration with community partners, facilitate the recruitment, formation, and management of a Youth Advisory Council to engage Muskegon youth in prevention activities and campaigns to address root causes of violence
• Develop, prepare, and deliver trainings that support youth council members to build foundational skills in community violence prevention
• Coordinate and facilitate Youth Advisory Council activities, including supporting youth to brainstorm and plan prevention strategies (e.g., campaigns, events, summits)
• Set meeting agendas and facilitate meetings, as appropriate
• Ensure smooth coordination and communication with Community Advisory Board and Youth Advisory Council members to encourage engagement and retention
• Assist with the planning, coordination, and implementation of learning exchange activities between youth in Muskegon and Washington DC during summer months

Program Evaluation Support 

• Assist with documentation of prevention programs and activities in alignment with established protocols
• Assist with collecting surveys to assess youth satisfaction and behavioral outcomes

Programmatic and Administrative Support: 

Record Keeping

• Keep detailed records of program activities and outputs in the Muskegon community

Skills You Have

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent combination of education and experience
• A minimum of 3 years of experience engaging youth in positive youth development programs or campaigns focused on civic leadership, community organizing, or community improvement
• Local knowledge of the Muskegon community required; resident of Muskegon County preferred
• Excellent interpersonal skills, including a demonstrated ability to build positive working relationships with community partners and youth
• Commitment to youth empowerment and encouraging youth voice and leadership in civic engagement and violence prevention
• Ability to work independently, while maintaining clear, prompt, and consistent communication with the center manager and community partners
• Strong project planning and organizational skills; including the ability to identify project priorities and manage time effectively
• Experienced with Microsoft Office programs (e.g. word, excel) and Google Suite (e.g. google calendar, google drive) and comfortable learning new technologies

Work Locations

• This is a hybrid position that includes both remote and in-person work in Muskegon, Michigan.  
• No relocation allowance will be offered for this position.
• The selected candidate must be willing and able to work in person for activities that require community outreach, youth engagement, and program documentation in Muskegon, Michigan.
• This position will also require some travel to Washington D.C., and Ann Arbor, MI.

Additional Information

We are seeking an experienced and dynamic staff member with a commitment to contributing to a diverse, equitable and inclusive environment for all members of our community.

*This position is term-limited through September 2026 as part of the CDC-funded Michigan Youth Violence Prevention Center. Renewal of the position is dependent on grant funding.

Background Screening

The University of Michigan conducts background checks on all job candidates upon acceptance of a contingent offer and may use a third party administrator to conduct background checks.  Background checks are performed in compliance with the Fair Credit Reporting Act.

U-M EEO/AA Statement

The University of Michigan is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer.

U-M COVID-19 Vaccination Policy

COVID-19 vaccinations, including one booster when eligible, are required for all University of Michigan students, faculty and staff across all campuses, including Michigan Medicine.  This includes those working remotely and temporary workers.   More information on this new policy is available on the U-M Health Response website or the UM-Dearborn and UM-Flint websites.