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What Is the Job Description of a Community Outreach Worker?

Community outreach worker is a challenging and rewarding career path. Working at the grassroots level within local communities allows those in this position to directly influence behavior and choices. The development of relationships and one-on-one interaction makes this a job perfect for those who wish to make a difference at the community level.

  1. Function

    • A community outreach worker resides at the local level, offering educational programs and assistance to members of the community. This job involves overseeing workshops, programs, staff members and often volunteers. The job focuses on contact with community members through the first-hand delivery of programming. The position includes the planning and development of this programming, then implementation and evaluation. This position may also serve as a liaison between other organizations within the community that share similar goals.

    Types

    • Community outreach worker is a position that exists in many fields, but it is most often associated with grassroots networks such as the United States Department of Agriculture Cooperative Extension Service and within the health field through local health departments and nonprofit organizations. Community outreach health workers are often responsible for overseeing educational programming and also for networking with other organizations through task force and coalition involvement.

    Features

    • A community outreach worker is a good job for social people who have a desire to improve their communities. It involves working face-to-face with community members. It is a challenging job that involves a lot of hard work and requires flexible work hours. In addition, it is ideal for those who have a passion for working with and educating others. It is a job that often leads to relationship development and strengthening of the community.

    Effects

    • As a community outreach worker you have the potential to change a person's life. This could be through the offering of a program for smoking cessation or by encouraging a family to increase physical activity levels. Your presence within the community and the relationships you build will result in trust for the organization you work for and increase positive changes among community members.

    Considerations

    • While a rewarding job, being a community outreach worker can mean varied work hours depending on your field of focus. Reaching the community means you must be available when they have the time to contact you and become involved in your programming. This often means you will need to hold meetings and workshops in the evenings and on weekends. Most community outreach workers do not work the traditiona 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. pm work day.

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