Job Description: Violence Interrupter

Position Title: Violence Interrupter
Organization: YAAYME, Inc.
Location: PG County, Maryland
Position Type: Full-Time, Community-Based

Salary: Starting at $30.00 per hour (based on experience)
Reports To: Program Manager
Schedule: Flexible schedule including days, evenings, weekends, and on-call response as program needs require

Position Summary

YAAYME, Inc. is seeking a dedicated, community-connected Violence Interrupter (VI) to support violence prevention and intervention efforts in Prince George’s County, Maryland. The Violence Interrupter serves as a trusted community-based professional who works directly with individuals at the highest risk of becoming involved in gun violence, retaliation, or other serious conflict.

The Violence Interrupter will identify emerging conflicts, mediate disputes before they escalate, respond to violent incidents, and build credible, consistent relationships with participants and community members. This position also provides one-on-one and group mentorship, crisis response, and referrals to critical community resources. The Violence Interrupter must be comfortable working in the community, engaging high-risk individuals, responding to crisis situations, and maintaining professional boundaries while building authentic relationships.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Conduct regular community outreach and maintain a visible presence in neighborhoods and areas identified as having elevated risks of violence.
• Identify individuals at high risk of becoming victims or perpetrators of gun violence and engage them in violence prevention and support services.
• Build trusting, credible relationships with participants, families, community members, and other individuals who can help prevent or reduce violence.
• Identify emerging disputes, conflicts, and threats of retaliation and intervene before situations escalate into violence.
• Provide conflict mediation, de-escalation, and violence interruption services using trauma-informed and culturally responsive approaches.
• Respond to violent incidents and other critical situations in coordination with YAAYME program leadership and community partners.
• Work with participants to develop nonviolent solutions to interpersonal disputes and reduce retaliatory behaviors.
• Provide consistent focus on decision-making, conflict resolution, personal responsibility, life skills, and positive behavior change.
• Maintain regular contact with participants and provide individualized support based on their needs, goals, and level of risk.
• Assist participants in establishing short- and long-term personal, educational, employment, and workforce development goals.
• Connect participants to appropriate community resources, including mental and behavioral health services, substance use treatment, education, housing, healthcare, family support, and social services.
• Conduct follow-up with participants and service providers to help ensure successful connections to referred services.
• Participate in community events, violence prevention activities, outreach initiatives, workshops, and neighborhood engagement efforts.
• Develop and maintain positive working relationships with schools, community organizations, workforce providers, service agencies, violence prevention partners, and other stakeholders.
• Complete accurate and timely participant case notes, outreach logs, incident documentation, referrals, service records, and other required program documentation.
• Maintain participant confidentiality and comply with YAAYME policies regarding professional conduct, data collection, safety, and confidentiality.
• Participate in staff meetings, case conferences, supervision, professional development, and required training.
• Immediately communicate significant safety concerns, credible threats, conflicts, or critical incidents to program leadership according to established protocols.
• Perform other related duties necessary to support YAAYME's violence prevention, mentoring, and community engagement initiatives.

Minimum Qualifications

• Demonstrated knowledge of PG County, Maryland communities impacted by community violence, particularly communities experiencing elevated rates of gun violence.
• Experience in violence prevention, credible mentoring, street outreach, youth development, reentry services, behavioral health, workforce development, case management, community engagement, or a related field strongly preferred.
• Ability to establish credibility and build relationships with individuals considered at high risk for violence.
• Strong understanding of community dynamics, conflict, trauma, retaliation, and barriers affecting justice-involved or high-risk individuals.
• Demonstrated ability to mediate conflicts and communicate effectively during stressful or emotionally charged situations.
• Strong interpersonal, communication, problem-solving, and relationship-building skills.
• Ability to maintain appropriate professional boundaries while developing trusting relationships with participants.
• Ability to work independently in community-based environments while remaining accountable to program leadership.
• Ability to document participant interactions, services, incidents, and outcomes accurately and objectively.
• Basic computer and technology skills, including the ability to use email, electronic case management systems, and Microsoft Office or similar applications.
• Ability and willingness to work a flexible schedule, including evenings and weekends, and respond to urgent situations when required.
• Reliable transportation and ability to travel throughout assigned PG County, Maryland communities as required.

Preferred Qualifications

Preference may be given to candidates who:

• Have strong, established relationships within the communities YAAYME serves.
• Have lived or professional experience that contributes to credibility with individuals at high risk of violence.
• Have experience working with justice-involved youth or adults, returning citizens, victims of violence, or individuals impacted by community violence.
• Have experience providing credible mentorship or violence interruption services.
• Have training in trauma-informed care, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Mental Health First Aid, conflict mediation, crisis intervention, motivational interviewing, or violence prevention.
• Have experience facilitating employment readiness, workforce development, life-skills, or personal development workshops.

Core Competencies

Successful Violence Interrupters should demonstrate:

Credibility and Relationship Building: Ability to establish trust and maintain meaningful relationships with individuals who may be difficult to engage through traditional service systems.

Conflict Mediation and De-escalation: Ability to recognize developing conflicts, understand community dynamics, and facilitate peaceful resolutions.

Crisis Response: Ability to remain calm, professional, and safety-conscious when responding to critical incidents or high-risk situations.

Mentorship: Ability to provide consistent guidance, accountability, encouragement, and positive reinforcement.

Community Engagement: Ability to develop strong relationships with residents, families, organizations, and community stakeholders.

Documentation and Accountability: Ability to maintain timely, accurate, confidential, and objective documentation of services and participant interactions.

Physical and Community-Based Requirements

This is an active, community-based position. Employees must be able to regularly travel throughout assigned communities, walk designated outreach areas, attend community events, and meet participants in approved community settings. The employee must also be able to work outdoors and in varying community environments as necessary.

Safety Expectations

Violence Interrupters are expected to use sound judgment and follow all YAAYME safety and crisis-response protocols. Staff should not unnecessarily place themselves or participants in unsafe situations and must promptly communicate credible threats or significant safety concerns through the appropriate supervisory channels.

Performance Expectations

Performance may be evaluated based on participant engagement and retention, frequency and quality of mentoring contacts, successful conflict mediations and violence prevention interventions, referrals and service connections, employment and workforce outcomes, community outreach activities, timely documentation, participation in supervision and training, and compliance with YAAYME policies and program requirements.

Equal Opportunity Statement

YAAYME, Inc. is committed to providing equal employment opportunities and maintaining a diverse, inclusive, and community-centered workforce. Employment decisions are based on qualifications, experience, organizational needs, and the candidate's ability to effectively support YAAYME's mission and the communities it serves.

Please submit your resume to admin@yaayme.org.