Do you want to strengthen the safety of children and young people? We are expanding Gadeplan

Would you like to strengthen safety for children and young people? We are expanding Street Outreach. Do you have the motivation to make a difference for children and young people in vulnerable positions? Do you have a passion for crime prevention work and a desire to join a strong work community where professionalism, trust and shared responsibility go hand in hand? Then you may be one of our new Street Outreach and Relations Officers in Criminal Prevention Initiatives.

We are seeking several Street Outreach and Relations Officers for full-time positions in Criminal Prevention Initiatives in the Department of Employment and Social Services. We are looking for skilled colleagues with experience from the crime-prone group, strong relational skills and solid pedagogical or social work experience. We seek employees who are motivated by making a difference for children and young people at risk of crime and who can create trustworthy relationships with youths, families and cooperation partners.

We are also looking for colleagues who can see themselves in a department where we work from the principles of legitimate leadership. This means that we expect employees who take responsibility for both their own tasks and joint task solving, actively contribute to collaboration and wish to be part of a culture characterized by trust, professional curiosity and mutual respect.

Therefore we are expanding Street Outreach from 2027

Odense Municipality has a clear ambition to strengthen the crime prevention effort and create even greater safety for children and young people in the city. Therefore we will expand our street outreach team from 1 January 2027 with more colleagues.

The expansion will enable us to be even better able to be present where the youths are, and when the need is greatest. This applies, among other things, in the afternoon and evening hours, on weekends and during holidays, at larger events and in situations where concerning youth groups or hotspots arise in the city.

As a new street outreach worker you will be part of a development-focused initiative where relationships, outreach work, early prevention and close collaboration with among others SSP, police and other relevant actors are crucial. The aim is to prevent crime and create safety, but first and foremost to reach children and youths earlier, who need professional adults to reach out and stay with them.

Center for Families and Youth – Odense Municipality’s unified crime prevention effort

From 1 January 2026, Center for Families and Youth (CFU) will consolidate Odense Municipality’s crime prevention efforts into one unit. CFU’s task is to help children, youths and families with complex challenges toward a life without crime – with a special focus on strengthening opportunities for employment, education and self-support. The effort against criminal family clans is central, and the goal is to break negative social inheritance so more children and youths get a safe upbringing and real opportunities to succeed in society.

CFU works holistically and across professional disciplines in close collaboration with the police, civil society, businesses and educational institutions. The effort is built on the Department of Employment and Social Services’ principles that the citizen is master of their own life, and that all interventions – both preventive and intrusive – should support the path to employment and education. We work purposefully with early detection, individual plans and systematic prioritization of resources, so the effect of our work can be measured by More people getting into jobs, education and leading good lives.

CFU’s work is based on objective placement criteria and a target group definition that make it possible to handle complex cases and initiate coordinated actions for children, youths and adults in the most vulnerable families. With central governance tools, we ensure that resources are directed to the citizens where the risk of crime is greatest and where a coordinated effort can make the biggest difference.

A basis in crime prevention initiatives

In crime prevention initiatives we work based on the premise that all children and youths have a right to a good childhood and youth life. All children and youths should have equal and fair access to strong communities where they have the opportunity to develop academically, socially and personally. In crime prevention initiatives we contribute to ensuring the best conditions for children’s and youths’ well-being, learning and development.

We meet all children and youths with high, positive expectations and with an eye to their development and resources. Some children and youths need something special for a period of time and others for a longer period. Crime prevention initiatives have the task of offering help when the need is there. We will support children and youths in time and in cooperation with parents, the family and their networks.

Part of a larger context

We take responsibility to involve each other and benefit from different professional backgrounds, experiences, knowledge and perspectives to achieve the best results. In addition to collaborating with children and youths, parents and the family networks, we reach out to gain experience, knowledge and perspectives from partners from other sectors, businesses and associations. We also contribute to development outside our own organization. Not least as a partner in the cross-sector crime prevention collaboration. We think together – and we act together.

How we work in crime prevention initiatives

Crime prevention initiatives is a department with a high degree of autonomy and great freedom in task solving. Freedom, however, is always accompanied by shared responsibility for the core task.

We work according to the principles of legitimate leadership. This means that we believe the best results are created when leaders and employees together take responsibility for direction, collaboration and task solving. We place emphasis on professional dialogue, integrity, clear expectations and the ability to contribute actively to the community.

We therefore seek an employee who

• takes responsibility for their own professional knowledge and development
• actively contributes to the department’s learning and development
• seeks sparring and shares knowledge with colleagues
• can give and receive feedback constructively
• contributes to psychological safety and a professional working environment
• understands that strong relationships with the target group go hand in hand with strong relationships with colleagues and partners

The job requires independence, but never isolation. We succeed best when we lift the task together.

About the job

As an employee you will be part of a professional team. In your work you will have great influence on how we solve the tasks. As a candidate for the position you must be flexible regarding working hours and prepared that 50 percent of your hours will be placed at uneven times, i.e. after 16.00 on weekdays, in the evenings, on weekends and holidays. It is essential that we are present when the youths need us – and our goal is to be outreach, supportive and investigative 365 days a year.

We work on the field, and our visits are often in the youth’s or the parents’ home, at educational institutions, voluntary offerings, etc. We plan our appointments to fit the youth’s daily life with school and work, which is why 1:1 contact with the youths is typically in the afternoon and evening.

We are seeking a colleague who, among other things, will

• Carry out outreach street outreach work where there are concerning/problem-causing youth groups
• Contact the youths who cause concern and subsequently share observations with cooperation partners
• Hold crime prevention conversations with children, youths and their parents, where you also collaborate with the child and/or the youth’s school, and methodically ensure documentation of the course and progression. The conversation courses are targeted and run over a short
• Time horizon
• Work in longer development processes as a professional support and contact person, including ensuring documentation and coordination
• Participate in the coordinated and preventive work at local and city-wide crises/disturbances (hotspots) where there are children and youths
• involved.
• Participate in communicating experiences and knowledge across the organization so that crime prevention efforts are known by
• relevant parties.
• Participate in developing interventions and contribute to good interaction between individual interventions, specific and general preventive interventions

As a relations- and street outreach employee you will be an important part of the department’s overall crime prevention effort. You are expected to be able to work independently and make decisions in complex situations, while actively contributing to shared reflection, knowledge sharing and development of the initiative. We expect you to see yourself as part of a committed work community where we help each other succeed in the task.

We offer you

• A diverse workplace with different professional groups
• Dedicated colleagues with high professionalism
• A working environment characterized by structured professional sparring, humor and support
• External supervision every 8 weeks

Freedom and flexibility for autonomous planning

An department focused on legitimate leadership, a high degree of influence, clear expectations and a strong professional community, where we succeed through cooperation and shared responsibility for the core task.

Expectations for you

• You have a social work, pedagogical or health-related education, e.g. as social worker, pedagog, teacher, occupational therapist
• or similar.
• You have experience with the crime-prone group. This is a prerequisite to be considered for the position.
• You are curious about people and want to understand their life situation and perspectives.
• You have experience with interdisciplinary and cross-sector collaboration.
• You can collaborate with both professional actors and private networks around the child or youth.
• You can create trustworthy relationships while maintaining a clear professional direction.
• You can keep an overview in a changing daily life with complex problems.
• You take responsibility for your tasks and see them through to the end.
• You are flexible and prepared to work in afternoon, evening and weekend hours.
• You communicate professionally both orally and in writing.
• You have a driver’s license and are prepared to be a mobile part of the effort.

Additionally we imagine that you

• Are motivated to work outreach on the street
• Want to meet youths in vulnerable positions with respect, curiosity and perseverance
• Possess strong relational skills
• Can translate professional knowledge into concrete actions and interventions
• Have theoretical insight into youth life, belonging, marginalization, communities and mental health
• Have methodological competencies to support positive change processes
• Can navigate the cross-field between different interests, perspectives and agendas
• Can see and analyze complex problems from multiple perspectives
• Has a high degree of self-awareness and can stand clearly in conflict-filled situations
• Contributes actively to collaboration, professional reflection and shared learning
• Can give and receive feedback constructively
• Contributes to psychological safety and a professional working environment
• Sees employeehood as an active responsibility and contributes positively to the department’s culture and development
• Has the will and ability for ongoing competence development

Want to know more? If you have questions about the job, you are welcome to send an email to the Department Head Lars Rath Kølstrup at [email protected]. Or contact by phone at 5119 4127

Salary and employment terms Salary and employment terms in accordance with the applicable collective agreement between KL and the bargaining organization. The positions are to be filled as soon as possible or no later than 1 January 2027.

The practical Application deadline: Monday 23 November 2026 Interviews expected: Wednesday 25 November 2026