From its activist beginnings as an underground needle exchange, New York Harm Reduction Educators (NYHRE) is now New York’s largest syringe exchange program, serving over 5,000 low-income people who use drugs or engage in street-based sex work each year in the Bronx and East Harlem using a unique street-side, low-threshold model. Rooted in social and economic justice, NYHRE provides integrated educational, supportive and substance use services in a non-coercive, grass roots manner that help participants empower themselves, improve the quality of their lives and have a positive impact on our communities.

NYHRE encourages a collaborative environment where staff are expected to be proactive in their work and encouraged to actively participate in the improvement of service delivery and the development of programs.

Position Summary:

This position is responsible for providing an array of street-based harm reduction services to people actively using drugs, including injection drug users (IDUs), sex workers, and people living with HIV/AIDS and/or Hepatitis C. The Outreach & Syringe Exchange Specialist will be primarily responsible for conducting outreach activities, providing participants with safer use and safer sex materials and educational interventions, and driving the outreach van as well as providing leadership at our street-based sites. All activities are designed to be consistent with NYHRE’s service model, which is based on educating and empowering individuals to advocate for themselves and make self-identified changes in their lives.

Responsibilities:

Perform outreach activities and prevention education, outdoors at NYHRE street sites and during outreach shifts. Recruit and engage high-risk, hard to reach people who use drugs or engage in sex work, including injection drug users.
Identify potential recruitment locations. Engage in dialogue with participants and other community members to continually improve our services and ensure that NYHRE is operating its sites and engaging in outreach activities in the best locations at the best times.
Provide safer sex and safer drug use education, and distribute syringes and other health-related resources and tools (and collect used syringes) in accordance with public health regulations.
In a manner consistent with Harm Reduction principles, provide substance use and sexual risk assessments and discuss individualized risk reduction and harm reduction strategies (incl. safer injection practices; safer sex practices; overdose prevention and reversal; drug use management techniques; HIV, HCV and STI prevention; and other topics relevant to people who use drugs).
Assist with the provision of overdose prevention trainings and Narcan distribution, and document incidences of overdose and reversals.
Provide low-threshold referrals and connect participants with medical care, drug treatment, and other life-stabilizing services. Solicit and track feedback from participants to ensure that the agencies to which we refer are effective and treat participants with respect and in a manner appropriate to harm reduction programs.
Model proper participant engagement and outreach for other staff, peers and volunteers. Provide guidance and mentorship as necessary.
Keep accurate, consistent, complete and intelligible records and data on all program activities and/ or participants; provide program director with reports in a timely manner.
Conduct community outreach to foster good community relations, educate about program services and assess need.
Prepare, set up and dismantle program sites: tents, heaters, tables, and other program materials. Ensure the integrity of the sites, and maintain inventory of program supplies and bi-lingual educational materials.
Complete vehicle daily maintenance logs which include oil, tires, gas, and structural checks. Document and report any incidents or accidents within 24 hours of occurrence. Ensure that vehicles are kept clean, properly stocked and ready for service.
Other work as assigned by supervisor.

Requirements and Experience:

Must be an organized, self-motivated team-player, with strong interpersonal and communication skills, basic computer skills and the ability and willingness to be hands-on and solve problems as they arise.
We are specifically looking for candidates with an active interest in harm reduction, syringe exchange, and/ or social justice as it pertains to individuals who use drugs or engage in sex work.
Significant work or personal life experience in the areas of substance use, sex work, and HIV and HCV prevention desired. Skills in the areas of safer injection and safer drug use techniques and overdose prevention, HIV and HCV prevention and treatment desired. Experience in the Bronx and East Harlem preferred.
Must be dedicated to advancing an agenda of equal rights and social justice for marginalized people who use drugs or engage in sex work, especially through participation in advocacy and community activism.
Must be willing to work outdoors at our street sites (sometimes in inclement weather) and conduct intensive outreach.
Must have a valid driver’s license and a clean driving record, and be able to drive a 22-foot Sprinter van.
Must be able to lift 40 lbs. above your head.
Bilingual (Spanish) preferred.

Reports to: Director of Outreach & Advocacy

Status: Full-time, Non-Exempt

NYHRE is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Individuals who have personal experience with drug use, PLWHA, women, people of color, members of the LGBTQ community, and the formerly incarcerated are strongly encouraged to apply.

How to apply

Send your resume, a cover letter that effectively addresses the above-mentioned responsibilities and requirements as well as demonstrates your ability to contribute positively to the agency, and salary requirements to jobs@nyhre.org. Subject line should read, “Outreach & Syringe Exchange Specialist position – last name”. All attachments should adhere to the following naming convention “Lastname Firstname_CoverLetter”. As this position requires attention to detail, omitting or not following all of the application procedures will result in your disqualification. No calls please.