Volunteer Coordinator, New Jersey

Young Center for Immigrant Children’s Rights invites applications for a full-time Volunteer Coordinator (VC) position based in New Jersey, with occasional travel to the Young Center office in New York. In collaboration with the Program Directors, the VC role executes the recruitment, screening, and training for Child Advocate volunteers. This position ensures that all necessary processes, events, and programs are effective in yielding and retaining bicultural and bilingual volunteers. This is a state contract funded position subject to annual funding renewal.

ABOUT THE YOUNG CENTER

The Young Center for Immigrant Children's Rights is a national organization dedicated to protecting and advancing the rights and best interests—safety and well-being—of immigrant children in the United States. The Young Center’s Child Advocate Program (CAP) serves as the federally-appointed bests interests representative for unaccompanied and separated immigrant children in federal custody. Through CAP’s state initiative, we also serve and are appointed by the Superior Courts of New Jersey as independent Child Advocates to children released from federal custody into the New Jersey community. Child Advocates meet with children and learn their stories in order to identify and advocate for their best interests through an interdisciplinary, trauma-informed, and culturally sensitive lens. The Young Center’s Policy Program fights for wholesale reform of the immigration system while pursuing immediate changes in policy and practice that center children’s rights and best interests in all decisions. The Technical Assistance Program, the Young Center’s newest program, offers intersectional expertise and critical resources to advocates and service providers working with immigrant children involved in child welfare and other state court systems.

The Young Center has offices in Houston, San Antonio, and Harlingen, Texas; Chicago, Illinois; New York, New York; Washington, D.C.; Phoenix, Arizona; Los Angeles, California; and Grand Rapids, Michigan. We also serve children through our programs in New Jersey.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• In collaboration with Program Directors, develops recruitment, outreach, and training strategy for Child Advocate volunteers.
• Develops and maintains relationships with relevant community partners and recruiting sources in local communities within the state of New Jersey.
• Hosts and represents the New Jersey Child Advocate Pilot at community recruitment events and presentations (virtual and in-person).
• Conducts screening calls for prospective volunteers to follow up on applications, determine Spanish proficiency, and gauge fit for the volunteer Child Advocate role.
• Tracks new applications and conducts reference checks for prospective volunteers.
• In collaboration with Program Directors, develops calendar, content, and materials for Volunteer Child Advocate trainings.
• Co-develops training budget and is responsible for maintaining receipts/appropriate documentation of all expenditures.
• Implements training plan and acts as project manager to ensure all logistics are delegated and completed on time and within budget.
• Makes recommendations to Child Advocate Supervisor about matching volunteers to children.
• Co-coordinates local education and appreciation events for volunteers, including engagement with volunteers through social media and newsletters, assists with national events as needed.
• Enters, maintains, and tracks data on volunteer applications, recruitment, and engagement.
• In collaboration with Young Center Operations team, ensures that all active volunteers successfully complete and maintain multi-state background clearances.
• Actively participates in biweekly meetings with Volunteer Coordinators across the Young Center.
• Serves as a Child Advocate for at least one child to learn about the role of the Child Advocate.
• Provides administrative and clerical support to the New Jersey Child Advocate Pilot, as needed.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS AND QUALIFICATIONS

• At least 2 years of post-high school experience that may include a combination of employment, community organizing, internships, student leadership and/ or volunteer experience.
• Experience leading the coordination of medium to large scale projects to successful completion.
• Strong interpersonal, verbal, and written communication skills.
• Comfortable with public speaking and able to engage with a variety of audiences that include colleagues, community partners, and volunteers.
• Highly collaborative and willing to work as part of an interdisciplinary team.
• Organized, detail oriented, and ability to work independently on tasks and deliverables.
• Takes a proactive and creative approach to problem-solving.
• Commitment to comprehensive culture of feedback, including seeking and providing positive and constructive feedback.
• Desire to learn, both as an individual and as part of an organization, and apply diversity, equity, inclusion, and/or anti-racism principles.
• Ability to effectively engage across different cultures, identities, and ethnicities.
• Basic data collection and analysis ability.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office products, Zoom, Adobe Acrobat, and willingness to learn new technology and/or platforms.
• Fluent in English and Spanish (oral and written).
• High School Diploma required, college degree a plus.
• Valid driver’s license and access to car and other modes of transportation.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Lived, volunteer, or professional experience with immigration, child welfare and issues affecting migrant/refugees/unaccompanied children.
• Experience managing volunteers.
• Experience or familiarity with Salesforce databases.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

Physical demands include regular attendance; keyboarding; sitting for long periods (at least 5 hours a day); driving. Ability to use computer, telephone, and copy machine. Ability to travel by plane, car, and other conveyances within U.S. Occasional lifting for event setup/preparation. Must be able to work at least two-three full weekends for the Child Advocate Trainings. May be requested to work evenings or weekends for other special events as needed.

COVID-19 CONSIDERATIONS

All employees must be fully vaccinated prior to first day of employment.

APPLICATION DETAILS

Young Center is an "at-will" and equal opportunity employer that does not discriminate in and affirmatively factors diversity into its hiring practices. Young Center encourages applications from all qualified individuals without regard to race, color, creed, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, national origin, ancestry, marital or parental status, pregnancy, citizenship, non-disqualifying physical or mental disability, genetic information, or veterans’ status. Reasonable accommodation will be made so that qualified disabled applicants may participate in the application process; no applicant will be penalized for requesting an accommodation. Please advise in writing of special needs at the time of application.

For roles working directly with children, clearance of a fingerprint-based criminal background check, child abuse and neglect check (CANS), and tuberculosis test is a condition of employment.