YOUNG PARENT INITIATIVE NAVIGATOR - 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 Young Parent Initiative (Young Parent), a new pilot project of the Center under Family Court Programs, serves young parents aged 18-24 who present with child support issues, often before there is any court involvement. The goal of the pilot will be to address the needs of young parents so that they can provide social and economic supports for their young children. Young Parent will work with parents to address barriers to providing support and achieving financial security by linking participants with a range of employment services and other assistance, including job skills development, vocational training, case management, family life skills classes, continuing education and literacy classes, legal advice and representation, transportation assistance, and child-care. The project will also incorporate expertise in infant mental health and early childhood development via consultation and clinical support from Strong Starts and connect parents with services to support the parent child relationship. Young Parent will also support parents by promoting principles of positive youth development and assigning them each a navigator to help them through the court process, and build a service plan, which will include connecting them to relational interventions, co-parenting workshops, and conflict resolution services provided by other Center programs, as well as programs in the community.

Young Parent is seeking a Young Parent Initiative Navigator. Reporting to the Project Coordinator, the Young Parent Initiative Navigator will carry out the responsibilities listed below.

Responsibilities include but are not limited to:

• Conduct outreach and presentations to schools, early intervention programs, clinics, and other community-based providers with a special emphasis on connecting with communities that have been historically hard to reach;
• Develop and implement community outreach strategies to engage community residents and parents in target communities such as street outreach, community activations, and collaboration with resident groups;
• Provide mentorship and support to a caseload of parents including assistance in navigating child support systems, communicating with systems representatives and accessing additional resources and services to support successful parenting;
• Collaborate with families to assess their needs and link them to appropriate resources in their community;
• Partner with the Parent Support Program staff to provide supportive services for parents;
• Establish and maintain ongoing partnerships with community-based programs providing services to parents;
• Facilitate and co-facilitate parenting education and support groups;
• Conduct home and community visits to meet the parent in locations that allow for the best possible opportunity for assistance;
• Organize and support social and recreational activities for families;
• Enter all services on a daily/weekly basis into a data entry system and ensure that records are up to date;
• Attend required staff meetings and trainings; and
• Additional tasks as necessary.

Qualifications: The ideal candidate will have a a Bachelor's degree and preferably 1-2 years of related experience working in at risk communities or at least 5-6 years of relevant experience. Candidates with a demonstrated interest in social justice and experience with parent advocacy preferred. The Center will prioritize candidates who have lived experience navigating and knowledge of systems that interact with families and who can act as credible messengers. Strong connection to and familiarity with Brooklyn neighborhoods. Candidates must be able to work collaboratively with a variety of community-based organizations and service providers. Ability to work with people from diverse backgrounds in a culturally responsive manner required. Excellent organization and time management skills. This position requires a creative, assertive self-starter who can work well with others and get things done in a high-paced environment.

Position Type: Full-time.

Position Location: Brooklyn, NY.

Compensation: The compensation range for this position is $52,000 - $64,500 and is commensurate with experience. The Center for Justice Innovation offers an excellent benefits package including comprehensive healthcare with a national network, free basic dental coverage, vision insurance, short-term and long-term disability, life insurance, and flexible spending accounts including commuter FSA. We prioritize mental health care for our staff and offer services like Talkspace and Ginger through our healthcare plans. We offer a 403(b) retirement plan with a two-to-one employer contribution up to 5%.

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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