Family & Loved Ones Mutual Aid Group Lead Organizer & Facilitator

FOCUS Families is a collective organizing effort to support and unite loved ones of those incarcerated in collective struggle against the Prison Industrial Complex, in collaboration with FOCUS Reentry. FOCUS Families groups are intended to provide mutual aid and support (material, emotional, and psychological), political education, and connection to IDOC Watch and the Abolitionist Union.

Field Organizer/Facilitators for FOCUS Families must be loved ones of someone presently or previously incarcerated, who have struggled against the prison system from that position.

The initial duties of the FOCUS Families Field Organizer/Facilitator are:

• Establish regular mutual aid support groups for people with incarcerated loved ones (at least once a week). These can be oriented statewide and be virtual to begin with, but the goal is to establish local groups around the state that meet in-person.
• Develop an organizational structure and policies for FOCUS Families. Establish a FOCUS Families Steering Committee of dedicated recruits who are participating in political education.
• Develop political education materials as needed to help people understand abolitionist politics.
• Identify and recruit families and/or friends of the incarcerated to become members of the mutual aid groups first and Abolitionist Union members once they’ve shown serious commitment.
• Encourage consciousness-raising and education and assist others with incarcerated loved ones in developing an understanding of the PIC.
• Participate in outreach activities.
• Engage in fundraising activities for FOCUS Families. At least one fundraising initiative per quarter.
• Collaborate with the FOCUS Reentry Director and organize families of people in the reentry program.
• Empower and train others to assist in all the above such that FF mutual aid groups can be created throughout the state.
• Mentor and train at least one Facilitator-in-training to establish their own support group each year.
• Participate in chapter meetings and statewide SC meetings as the representative of FOCUS Families. This will change once there are multiple local FF groups.

As the organization develops, new and different tasks and duties will become necessary and such changing needs will be addressed and worked out in quarterly performance reviews.

Compensation:

This role receives a salary of $50K, a health insurance package valued at $10K, and a $5K Professional Development & Travel Fund.

Vacation: One month of paid vacation. Unlimited paid sick days.

Responsibilities:

• Host and facilitate FOCUS Families mutual aid and support group meetings at least once per week unless sick or on vacation.
• Participate in all Political Education sessions (in person or virtual) unless sick or on vacation.
• Develop, present to the SC, and follow a 3-month work plan each quarter.
• Ensure that all participants in the mutual aid groups are receiving mental health care.
• Attend (in-person or virtual) and provide a report on organizing progress at all local chapter and statewide SC meetings unless sick or on vacation.
• Submit an Activity Report each week prior to SC meetings detailing activities of the past week, including documentation for all organizational funds used.
• Attend at least one meeting of the Indianapolis FOCUS Reentry Circles per month (in-person). Once more Reentry Circles and Families groups develop, this will have to be reassessed. The goal is for there to be at least one Reentry Circle and FOCUS Families group per city and for the local groups to interact and build community and collective power together.
• Attend and engage actively in monthly collective processing sessions at The Haven unless on vacation or sick.
• Maintain accurate documentation of all grant funds used and provide such documentation to the Grant Administrator each week without fail.
• Significant travel will be required to develop the necessary relationships to build a mass organization, but how and when the Field Organizer travels is their decision if they are organizing effectively. If organizing is not being done effectively, the SC will intervene in the Field Organizer’s work plan.
• Use all Professional Development & Travel Funds annually for organizing-related travel and professional development. Bring the skills learned in Professional Development to the organization and teach others. Trainings that all Facilitators must engage in as part of their professional development include Trauma-informed Practices, Anti-Oppressive Facilitation, Restorative & Transformative Justice, Conflict Resolution, and computer/digital skills including Adobe, Microsoft, and Google suites.

Performance Reviews: Held every 90 days by the Steering Committee or a committee thereof established to review paid organizers’ performance. Employment may be ended with one-month notice following an unsatisfactory performance review.

To apply please submit a cover letter and resume via Idealist or Indeed. Applications are open until the position is filled.