National Case Support Associate

Young Center for Immigrant Children’s Rights invites applications for a National Case Support Associate (NCSA) position to be based in any of the Young Center’s nine offices (Chicago, Harlingen, Houston, San Antonio, New York, Phoenix, Los Angeles, Washington DC, or Grand Rapids, Michigan). The NCSA will provide local and national administrative support to Child Advocate Program cases that involve vulnerable, unaccompanied, and separated immigrant children, including children who U.S. immigration authorities separated from their family. This position will provide coverage for Case Support Associate (CSA) outages across the Child Advocate Program. The NCSA will support various offices, depending on the program’s needs. In collaboration with the National Program Manager, the NCSA will contribute to national projects, actively engage with the CSAs across offices, and centralize certain aspects of the CSA role to enhance systems and efficiency nationwide.

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 interest safety and well-being of immigrant children in the United States. The Young Center’s Child Advocate Program (CAP) serves as the federally appointed best 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 wholesome 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 program in New Jersey.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Provides coverage and support to Young Center teams, as needed, by performing case support tasks, including but not limited to:
  • Supports management of referrals for Child Advocates from stakeholders
  • Reviews and maintains case files and raises issues or concerns to Child Advocate Supervisors
  • Routinely checks government portals and updates Child Advocate Program data management systems
  • Prepares and submits court filings to immigration courts in collaboration with Child Advocate Supervisors
  • Contacts children’s family or caregivers in the United States or their home country
  • Upon release from government custody or repatriation, provides post-release follow up and support
  • Supports Child Advocate Program staff with the case closure process
• In collaboration with the National Program Manager, works to enhance the Child Advocate Program’s systems and processes to promote efficiency, including but not limited to:
  • Maintains knowledge of the existing referral and case management processes across all locations and identifies opportunities to enhance processes
  • Researches, compiles, and highlights resources that support the best interests advocacy
  • Train and provides continued support to program staff on use of our client management database;
  • Helps draft and maintain best practices related to programmatic systems and processes; develops training guides and resources for all staff
  • Reviews, updates, and maintains the program’s overall list of pending referrals for Child Advocates
  • Assists with the training of Case Support Associates; supports the facilitation of regular Case Support Associate cohort meetings; and organizes the cohort’s continuing education opportunities, community engagement events, and cross-office collaboration
• Provides support to the National Program Manager to meet deliverables and program metrics as established in contracts, strategic plan, or funding agreements; produce reports, including compiling and reviewing data
  • Participates in procedures when the organization makes changes in its programmatic data systems
  • Makes recommendations to improve data workflows and data best practices
• Performs additional responsibilities as assigned

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS

• An undergraduate college degree, or at least two years of post-high school experiences that may include a combination of employment, community organizing, internships, student leadership and/ or volunteer experience
• Minimum two years’ experience in the Case Support Associate or Volunteer Coordinator role at the Young Center or a similar role in another organization
• Intermediate Proficiency in data and case management systems, such as ClientTrack or SalesForce
• Demonstrated success coordinating group projects
• Strong interpersonal, verbal, and written communication skills
• Highly collaborative and willing to work creatively as part of an interdisciplinary team
• Detail oriented with strong organization skills, particularly as it relates to documenting, tracking, collecting and presenting large amounts of data
• Able to work independently on tasks
• Able to engage with a variety of audiences that include children and/or their families, colleagues, community partners, external stakeholders, and volunteers
• Is resourceful and takes a proactive approach to problem-solving
• Able to communicate with cultural humility, compassion, and empathy and effectively engage across different cultures, identities, and ethnicities
• Proficient in Microsoft Office products, Zoom, Adobe Acrobat, and willingness to learn new technology and/or platforms
• Commitment to a comprehensive culture of feedback, including seeking and providing positive and constructive feedback and engaging in productive conversations
• Commitment to learn, both as an individual and as part of an organization, and apply diversity, equity, inclusion, and/or anti-racism principles
• Bilingual ability (oral and written) in English/Spanish or English/ other languages spoken by the populations we serve

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Lived, volunteer, or professional experience with immigration, child welfare, or issues affecting migrant/refugees/unaccompanied children

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

Physical demands include regular attendance; keyboarding; sitting for long periods (at least 5 hours a day); driving and/or using public transportation in site location and surrounding areas. Ability to use computer, telephone, and copy machine. Ability to travel by plane, car, and other conveyances within U.S.

COVID-19 CONSIDERATIONS

All employees must be fully vaccinated prior to the first day of employment except where prohibited by state law.

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 application will be penalized for requesting an accommodation. Please advise in writing of special needs at the time of application.

A criminal background check will be conducted.

Review of candidates will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled. Please apply on the Young Center website with a cover letter, resume, and three references. Only complete applications will be considered.

To learn more about the Young Center’s work, please visit www.TheYoungCenter.org