Program Associate - Center for Justice Innovation : Job Details

THE ORGANIZATION

The Center for Justice Innovation is a community justice organization that centers safety and racial justice. Since our founding in 1996, the Center has partnered with community members, courts, and the people most impacted to create stronger, healthier, more just communities. Our decades of experience in courts and communities, coupled with our field-leading research and practitioner expertise, help us drive justice nationwide in innovative, powerful, and durable ways. For more information on how and where we work, please visit www.innovatingjustice.org.

The Center is a 900-employee, $100 million nonprofit that accomplishes its vision through three pillars of work: creating and scaling operating programs to test new ideas and solve problems, performing original research to determine what works (and what doesnt), and providing expert assistance and policy guidance to justice reformers around the world.

Operating Programs

The Centers operating programs, including the award-winning Red Hook Community Justice Center and Midtown Community Justice Center, test new ideas, solve difficult problems, and attempt to achieve systemic change within the justice system. Our projects include community-based violence prevention programs, alternatives to incarceration, reentry initiatives, and court-based initiatives that reduce the use of unnecessary incarceration and promote positive individual and family change. Through this programming, we have produced tangible results like safer streets, reduced incarceration, and improved neighborhood perceptions of justice.

Research

The Center's research teams are staffed with social scientists, data analysts, and lawyers who are academically-trained or have lived experience and who conduct research in the U.S. and globally on diverse criminal-legal system and justice issues. Their work includes evaluating programs and policies; conducting exploratory, community-based studies; and providing research translation and strategic planning for system actors. The Center has published studies on topics including court and jail reform, intimate partner violence, restorative justice, gun violence, reentry, sixth amendment rights, and progressive prosecution. The research teams strive to make their work meaningful and actionable to the communities they work with, policymakers, and practitioners.

Policy & Expert Assistance

The Center provides hands-on, planning and implementation assistance to a wide range of jurisdictions in areas of reform such as problem-solving courts (e.g., community courts, treatment courts, domestic violence courts), tribal justice, reducing incarceration and the use of fines/fees and reducing crime and violence. Our current expert assistance takes many forms, including help with analyzing data, strategic planning and consultation, policy guidance, and hosting site visits to its operating programs in the New York City area.

Center Support

A dedicated support team within the Center ensures the smooth functioning of operations across various domains, including finance, legal, technology, human resources, fundraising, real estate, and communications. Comprising 15% of the organization's staff, these teams provide essential infrastructure support and innovative solutions aligned with the Center's mission and values.

THE OPPORTUNITY

The New Rochelle Community Justice Center, one of the Centers newest projects, aims to improve outcomes for New Rochelle youth and emerging adults by developing a collective impact approach that invests in criminal legal system responses and community-led safety. Building on the Centers successful court- and -community-based project models such as Bronx Community Solutions and the Brownsville Community Justice Center, New Rochelle Community Justice Center brings together a range of court- and community-based partnerships to create and enhance a more equitable and safer community.

The New Rochelle Community Justice Center is seeking a part-time Program Associate. Reporting to the Program Coordinator, the Program Associate will support the CYVII (Community Youth Violence Intervention Initiative), as well as alternative to incarceration programming. The Program Associate will provide emerging adult mentorship and support emerging adult-led community organizing initiatives in New Rochelle.

Responsibilities include but are not limited to:

• Provide youth outreach and engagement across New Rochelle neighborhoods including canvassing and street outreach to engage youth most impacted by violence;
• Provide individual and group mentorship to youth impacted by community violence;
• Provide youth advocacy support to connect youth to resources;
• Support the development and facilitation of youth-led community organizing projects;
• Support day-to-day operations of programs, including scheduling, relationships with community partners, project implementation, and youth support;
• Facilitate youth engagement and participation in the Center's broader community organizing and placekeeping projects;
• Facilitate engaging and meaningful sessions with youth participants;
• Facilitate community organizing, neighborhood planning, placekeeping, and violence prevention workshops;
• Work collaboratively with the violence prevention and emerging adult initiatives team to coordinate community events and programming;
• Attend community meetings, stakeholder groups, and community events;
• Represent the Justice Center and community and city-wide events
• Attend and participate in all New Rochelle Community Justice Center and Center for Justice Innovation trainings, meetings, workshops and conferences; and
• Perform other duties, as assigned.

Qualifications: The ideal candidate will have a bachelor's degree and one-two years of experience in a related area, or equivalent life experience. Knowledge of youth mentorship, violence prevention, and community organizing strategies required. Excellent written communication and administrative skills strongly desired. The ideal candidate should have a deep understanding of and connection to New Rochelle communities. Candidate must be a skilled communicator able to work in a multi-disciplinary setting and maintain strong relationships with multiple agencies and organizations both onsite and in the community. The ideal candidate will be familiar with the needs of the youth impacted by community violence, street involvement, and criminal legal systems. Professional or personal experience with the criminal legal system is preferred. Additional qualifications include:

• Previous experience facilitating restorative justice-based programming, and/or a familiarity with principles of restorative justice and conflict resolution preferred;
• Ability to work with people from diverse backgrounds in a culturally-responsive manner;
• Experience providing group and individual mentoring with youth;
• A self-starter who can successfully be part of a diverse workforce and get things done in a fast-paced environment;
• Experience with healing centered models;
• Bilingual (English-Spanish) a plus;
• Strong commitment to social justice and anti-oppressive practice.

Position Type: Part-time, 20 hours per week.

Position Location: New Rochelle, NY

Compensation: The base compensation for this position is $27.48 - $35.44 per hour based on a 35-hour work week and is commensurate with experience.

The Center for Justice Innovation is an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to fostering an inclusive and diverse workplace, and as such, we do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy, national origin, age, military service eligibility, veteran status, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, or any other category protected by law. We strongly encourage and welcome applications from women, people of color, members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender communities, as well as individuals with prior contact with the criminal justice system. Our aim is to create a supportive and respectful environment where every individual, irrespective of their background or identity, feels valued and included.

As of February 10, 2023, New York City Executive Order 25 rescinded the requirement of the COVID-19 vaccination for City workers, new hires, and contracted employees. Accordingly, the Center does not require all new hires be vaccinated against the COVID-19 virus; however, the Center recommends all staff, interns, and volunteers stay up-to-date on the vaccination.

In compliance with federal law, all persons hired will be required to verify identity and eligibility to work in the United States and to complete an employment eligibility verification document form upon hire. Kindly refer to the job posting for the relevant contact information. If the contact details are not provided, we kindly ask that you refrain from making inquiries via phone or email, as only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

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