Career Advocate, Fatherhood

HOURS: Full-Time (40 Hours /week)

REPORTS TO: Director of Career Services Center

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES: N/A

LOCATION: Bronx

ORGANIZATION DESCRIPTION

Youth Justice Network (formerly known as Friends of Island Academy) was founded in 1990 on the school floors of Rikers Island to anchor, support and develop capacity among young people newly released from jail in New York City. Our mission is to break cycles of incarceration and build an equitable justice system by providing young people with individualized advocacy, mentorship, and opportunities to grow, thrive, and lead. Youth Justice Network builds on connections developed with young people whose lives have intersected with the justice system, and leverages those relationships to provide neighborhood-based supportive services. To address our mission intergenerationally, YJN offers fatherhood services designed to promote child well-being by building the capacity of fathers to engage in healthy ways with their children, both emotionally and financially.

POSITION BACKGROUND AND DESCRIPTION

Through a new 3-year award from the New York City Department of Youth and Community Development (DYCD), Youth Justice Network will provide workforce development and wraparound services to underemployed or unemployed participants involved in the criminal justice system and/or impacted by community violence.

In keeping with DYCD’s objectives, our goal is to provide pathways to employment and economic mobility for people who reside in communities where community violence is most prevalent, including neighborhoods identified as priority areas by the Gun Violence Prevention Taskforce. YJN will offer pathways to job and career readiness, training for sustainable and emerging industries, internships, and supported job placement.

Lodged within Youth Justice Network’s Career Services team, this position will serve as mentor, case manager, navigator, facilitator and coach for up to 40 fathers annually out of our Bronx hub, with the goal of supporting their employment advancement and economic mobility.

ESSENTIAL RESPONSIBILITIES

Build relationships with participants with the goal of promoting participant enrollment, engagement and retention

• Co-create individualized plans with fathers to prepare and center pathways developed around their work and career aspirations
• Facilitate and connect participants with necessary wraparound services, opportunities, and exposure, both in-house and through partner organizations to support individual progress in overall developmental outcomes
• Provide consistent and unconditional care and accountability through our YJN Bronx hub to build relationships and support fathers in achieving positive work and life outcomes.
• Leverage relationships with formal and informal Bronx community members/leaders, local vendors, faith-based supports;
• Address and navigate system-related barriers on behalf of fathers and their children/families including justice, child welfare, public housing, benefits, IDs and documents to facilitate persistence and success.

Engage in and elevate youth-centered work, outcomes and partnerships

• Work in tandem with program F2F, Career Center and other colleagues to center the participant, and ensure services are aligned, integrated, and in synch to best support fathers’ goals
• Maintain active, current documentation of enrollments, outreach, follow-up, individualized youth plans, and youth progress in DYCD and organization-wide database systems.

QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPECTATIONS

• Associate’s Degree (Bachelor’s degree preferred) in social work or a related field, and experience working with City system such as justice, public assistance, child welfare, education, housing;
• Integrity, flexibility and a profound commitment to the youth we serve.
• Committed to working collegially and in a team-based setting;
• Strong interpersonal skills, cultural humility, and an understanding and belief in strengths-based advocacy.
• Strong oral and written communication skills.
• Skilled in meticulous documentation and with an eye for detail; proficient in Microsoft Excel.
• Experience in data entry on online database systems or a willingness to learn online database systems.
• Occasional evenings and weekends required for youth development activities/events

Preferred

• Experience working in a community-based setting providing crisis support and/or case management.
• Experience in conflict resolution, and/or counseling.
• Experience with or understanding of trauma-informed practice.
• Bilingual; fluency in Spanish highly desirable

Youth Justice Network is privileged to have a profoundly committed and caring staff – one which believes unconditionally in our members’ ability to do right and do well. We take our work very seriously, but we strive to make time for self-care and joy.

We look for staff from all walks of life who have integrity, humor, a strong work ethic, are passionate about our mission and work, and who are committed to address the harms caused by mass incarceration.

Depending on full or part-time status, benefits include a competitive vacation/sick leave policy including three days off between Christmas and New Year's Day, 8 four-day summer weeks during July and August, health insurance, 403b match.

Salary Range: 50-55k

For purposes of internal equity, we are unable to go outside of the salary range posted.