Youth Diversion Specialist - Police

City of Burlington NC • Full-time • Burlington, NC • $43.20k - $69.12k / year • 2w ago

Are you ready to be a mentor, guide, and advocate for youth in our community? We’re looking for someone passionate about supporting young people and their families through challenges, helping them build resilience, confidence, and a path to success. Join the Burlington Police Department and make a meaningful difference every day.

About us:
The Burlington Police Department is a nationally accredited law enforcement agency that is committed to quality fair and professional police services. The agency is made up of 152 sworn officers and more than 50 professional staff members serving the City of Burlington, North Carolina.

What you will do:
You will partner with youth and their families to identify needs, set meaningful goals, and facilitate interventions that promote healthy development. By providing guidance, support, and resources, you will help youth build skills, confidence, and resilience across all areas of their lives, empowering them to make positive choices and thrive in their communities. This position reports directly to the Criminal Investigation Division's Lieutenant.

This is a full-time GRANT-PAID position. The grant-funding is scheduled to run from January 1, 2026 through December 31, 2027. An official start date will depend upon when the funds are officially received. At the end of the grant funding, there is a possibility of extension, contingent upon available funding.

Policing with a Purpose:

Preserving the Sanctity of ALL Life
Nurture and Protect Democracy
Ensure Procedural Justice and Fundamental Fairness
Spirit of Service
Protect the Community from Harm
Treat all individuals with Dignity and Respect-the ethical foundation of policing.

Connecting with Youth and Families

Engage youth and families in their natural environments through home visits, following program guidelines and working a flexible schedule to meet the needs of participants.
Perform home visits to assess the juvenile’s environment and monitor compliance with curfew requirements.
Work closely with guardians to support adherence to diversion contract requirements, including drug/alcohol counseling, family counseling, or other interventions.
Serve as an advocate and positive role model, reinforcing positive behaviors and maintaining a strength-based approach to youth work.

Case Management & Monitoring

Monitor diversion cases to ensure compliance with juvenile contracts and conduct follow-up contacts as needed.
Conduct meetings with each juvenile to track progress, gather academic reports, and collect other pertinent information.
Keep detailed daily case notes, documenting interactions, compliance, program violations, and completion, while monitoring for contributing Racial and Ethnic Disparities (RED) factors.
Communicate and coordinate with other professionals working with youth to maintain restitution requirements and provide holistic support.

Collaboration with Community Partners

Contact and collaborate with community partners to prepare appropriate paperwork for each juvenile and qualifying program.
Interface with agencies such as the school system, municipal courts, mental health and substance abuse providers, Department of Family Services, and crisis shelters to gather and share necessary information.
Make frequent appearances at secondary schools to exchange information, participate in disciplinary proceedings, or meet with youth enrolled in the Diversion Program.

Professional Engagement & Development

Attend inter-agency meetings, professional group meetings, workshops, conferences, and classes to enhance professional knowledge and support best practices.
Comply with all record management requirements, program guidelines, HIPAA, and Code of Ethics policies.
Remain available outside normal work hours or on call for conflict resolution, curfew calls, and participation in community or school activities.

Administrative & Special Duties

Document all relevant information in case notes, maintain accurate records, and adhere to program standards for service delivery.
Perform other special duties as assigned to support the mission of the Diversion Program and the Burlington Police Department.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

Social Work Principles: Understanding and applying social work practices to support youth and families.
Counseling Skills: Knowledge of counseling techniques for substance abuse, child abuse, and related challenges.
Department Operations: Familiarity with departmental organization, policies, procedures, and public interaction practices.
Safety Practices: Awareness of principles and procedures to ensure personal and workplace safety.
Technical Proficiency: Ability to operate modern office equipment, motor vehicles safely, and software such as Microsoft Word and Excel.
Program Planning & Evaluation: Skill in planning, organizing, and evaluating the progress of youth in the Diversion Program.
Consultation & Collaboration: Ability to consult effectively with youth, families, staff, management, and external agencies.
Resource Navigation: Capable of recommending counseling and explaining available community resources.
Legal Knowledge: Understanding and application of relevant laws, codes, and regulations.
Reporting & Recordkeeping: Ability to prepare clear, concise documents, maintain accurate records, and track program outcomes.
Communication Skills: Strong oral and written communication for effective engagement with youth, families, and partners.
Interagency Liaison: Serve as a connector between various agencies and community groups to coordinate services and support.
Goal Development: Ability to establish meaningful goals and objectives for youth and assigned program areas.
Judgment & Adaptability: Exercise good judgment, creativity, flexibility, and sensitivity in response to changing situations.
Relationship Building: Establish and maintain positive, cooperative working relationships with colleagues, youth, families, and community partners.

Education and Experience:

Bachelor's Degree in criminal justice, counseling, social work, human services, or a similarly related field from an accredited institution.
Minimum of three years of work experience in the field of counseling, criminal justice, social work, human services, or a related field.
An equivalent combination of education, training, and experience sufficient to successfully perform the essential duties of the position may also be considered.
Valid North Carolina Driver’s License

Preferred Qualifications:

Two years or more of work experience with youth, preferably with at-risk youth or youth involved in criminal justice.

Physical Requirements and Working Conditions:

Work in this role is primarily a combination of sedentary and active duties, including office-based tasks and field visits to homes, schools, and community locations.
The position typically requires the ability to perform basic operational functions such as standing, walking, bending, kneeling, reaching, grasping, talking, hearing, and engaging in repetitive motions.
Visual acuity is necessary for reviewing reports, entering data, observing youth behavior, and completing other documentation tasks.
Working conditions involve both indoor and outdoor environments, including occasional exposure to varying weather conditions during home visits, school interactions, and community activities.
The role may require flexibility in schedule to meet the needs of youth and families, including evenings or occasional weekends.

Inclement Weather Classification: Non-Essential
FLSA Classification: Non-Exempt

*It is not typical for an individual to be hired at or near the top of the range for their position, and compensation decisions are dependent on the facts and circumstances of each case.*

This job description in no way implies that the duties listed are the only ones the employee may be required to perform. The employee is expected to perform other tasks, duties, and training as requested by their supervisors.