Core Competencies for the Community Violence Reduction Workforce in North Carolina
The NC Office of Violence Prevention has developed a shared set of core competencies for professionals who lead or implement efforts to reduce violence in NC.
These competencies outline essential skills, knowledge and expertise recommended for practitioners working to address violence in their local communities, across sectors and roles. They are intended to be a tool to strengthen the coordination and capacity of the state’s violence reduction workforce. Adoption of these competencies can also create more consistency within our violence reduction ecosystem, including how violence reduction efforts are implemented and measured.
Using the Core Competencies to Support Workforce Development
The core competencies can be leveraged to identify opportunities for professional growth; inform workforce development and training priorities; and establish a shared understanding of the skills needed to effectively address violence in NC.
Reviewing the competencies alone will not result in gaining these skills. Developing these competencies requires ongoing learning, training and practical experience. To support this process, NC OVP currently offers multiple resources that practitioners can engage with. Technical assistance is offered upon request through our TA request form to provide customized expertise, resources and strategies. Additionally, the NC OVP Resource Hub is available online and includes various violence prevention tools and resources.
This fall, NC OVP will release a list of recommended existing resources and tools that align with each competency. Practitioners can use these to further develop and strengthen their skills.
How were the competencies developed?
Feedback from practitioners across the state informed the core competencies. Input was gathered through discussions with the NC OVP Community Violence Advisory Board and a statewide listening session that was open to community violence prevention practitioners working in NC.
Core Competencies
1. Public Health Approach
| 1.1. | Explain the four steps of the public health model and its key components.* *Key components include data-driven, cross-sector partnerships, prevention focused, and community engaged (led or involved) |
| 1.2. | Describe how the key components of the public health model play a critical role in its successful implementation. |
| 1.3. | Knowledge about the risk and protective factors that influence community violence outcomes and how they overlap with other forms of violence. |
2. Data-Driven Decision Making
| 2.1. | Effectively locate reliable and trusted information sources* to support decision-making. *Information sources can include peer-reviewed research, internal organizational resources, internal program evaluation findings, community perspectives, data portals, grey literature, etc. |
| 2.2. | Effectively assess the relevance, quality, and community fit of information sources* to ensure they meet the needs and priorities of communities served. *Information sources can include peer-reviewed research, internal organizational resources, program evaluation findings, community perspectives, lived experiences, data portals, grey literature, etc. |
3. Ecosystems
| 3.1. | Differentiate between collaboration and coordination when developing partnerships for community violence reduction. |
| 3.2. | Awareness of the multiple community violence reduction ecosystems that exist in local communities, how they overlap, and where one’s role and organization is situated. |
| 3.3. | Understand how the state Office of Violence Prevention (OVP) functions within and across local, regional, and state ecosystems. |
4. Collaboration and Partnerships
| 4.1. | Identify and engage cross-sector partners to align goals, leverage resources, and maximize impact of violence reduction programs, practices, and initiatives. |
| 4.2. | Establish partnership structures that define and preserve each organization’s role while enabling effective collaboration toward shared goals. |
5. Ethics
| 5.1. | Identify and mitigate any potential risks when working in communities, including physical and psychological harm. |
| 5.2. | Pursue responsible and reciprocal use of community resources*. *Resources can include community knowledge as well as economic, physical, and social resources. |
| 5.3. | Implement violence reduction practices that are tailored to community values, norms, and practices. |
6. Evaluation
| 6.1. | Recognize when and how to incorporate evaluation into programs to assess progress and strengthen program implementation. |
| 6.2. | Identify qualitative and quantitative metrics that effectively measure outcomes and the impact of violence reduction initiatives. |
| 6.3. | Use evaluation findings to inform ongoing improvements to existing programs and support planning for new violence reduction initiatives. |
7. Strategic Planning
| 7.1. | Understand the difference between individual, community, and systems- level change. |
| 7.2. | Identify key elements* needed to move forward violence reduction planning. *Elements include objectives, activities, milestones, timelines, and resources. |
| 7.3. | Define measurable goals that guide implementation of violence reduction strategies. |
8. Professional Development
| 8.1. | Participate in continuous learning opportunities* to strengthen knowledge, skills, and abilities related to violence prevention. *Continuous learning opportunities can include certifications, trainings, workshops, conferences, etc. |
| 8.2. | Build and maintain connections to professional networks. |
| 8.3. | Integrate wellness practices into individual roles and workplace culture to promote professional resilience and well-being. |
9. Community Engagement
| 9.1. | Identify engagement approaches that are appropriate for a community based on culture, age, language literacy, accessibility, and other local characteristics. |
| 9.2. | Apply knowledge of how violence and historical events have affected communities to design strategies and services that prevent further harm. *Historical events can include economic, political, social, and environmental events, policies, or practices. |
| 9.3. | Identify the appropriate entities, organizations, and/or individuals that should lead specific community violence reduction strategies based on their knowledge, resources, and role in the community. |
10. Strategic Resource Utilization
| 10.1. | Identify existing community protective factors* to strengthen programs and services. *Community protective factors can include resources, assets, and strengths. |
| 10.2. | Describe ways that various financial resources* can be utilized to support and sustain violence reduction infrastructure, programs, and services. *Financial resources can include grants, contracts, city, county or state budget allocations, braided or blended funding streams, in-kind support, reimbursements, etc. |
| 10.3. | Awareness of available local in-kind resources* and how they can be activated to strengthen programs, services, and initiatives. *In-kind refers to payment or contribution given in the form of goods or services (not money). In-kind resources can include people, digital, organizational, partnerships, etc. |
| 10.4. | Build intentional relationships with individuals or groups to expand access to essential resources and information needed for violence reduction efforts. |
11. Communication
| 11.1. | Anticipate how communication may impact the broader community and select methods* that align with community norms and expectations. *Methods can include language and communication channels. |
| 11.2. | Develop and deliver tailored messages for different audiences and communication styles to ensure clarity and transparency. |
| 11.3. | Utilize communication strategies that effectively convey the purpose, goals, and impact of community violence reduction efforts to foster investment and build ecosystem alignment. |
This page was last modified on 07/13/2026