Overview
The Center for Court Innovation is a non-profit organization that works to create a more effective and humane justice system by performing original research and helping launch reforms by guiding justice innovators, nationally and internationally. The Center creates operating projects that have been documented to reduce the use of jail and prison, assist victims of crime, and strengthen communities.
The New York City Department of Probation (DOP) Next Steps is a transformative mentoring program that engages young people from the Red Hook Houses in group and one-on-one mentoring sessions to encourage and engage youth to be their best selves through interactive journaling and setting and achieving personal goals.
Launched in 2000, the Justice Center is the nation’s first multi-jurisdictional community court. Operating out of a refurbished Catholic school in the heart of Red Hook, Brooklyn, the Justice Center seeks to solve neighborhood problems while promoting public trust in justice. A single judge hears cases that under ordinary circumstances would go to three different courts—Civil, Family and Criminal. The goal is to offer a coordinated, rather than piecemeal, approach to people’s problems. The Justice Center’s judge has an array of alternative sanctions and services at his disposal. These include community restitution projects, short-term psychoeducational groups, and long-term treatment (e.g., drug treatment, mental health treatment, and trauma-focused psychotherapy), amongst other things.
The Justice Center seeks a mentor for the Next Steps program. Mentors must be highly familiar with the Red Hook community and the unique challenges faced by youth who live in the Red Hook East and West Houses. Mentors may have personal experience with the justice system, street organizations and/or community violence, as well as experience successfully navigating negative pressures and overcoming barriers. All mentors will have demonstrated experience with, or aptitude for, group facilitation.
Responsibilities include but are not limited to:
- Recruit and enroll participants into the Next Steps program;
- Conduct individual mentoring sessions with program participants to provide guidance and support in goal-setting, decision-making, identifying triggers, and developing healthy coping skills;
- Educate and support participants through training, information sharing, and collaboration;
- Maintain knowledge of resources for employment, education, health and wellbeing, parenting, mental health services and financial empowerment;
- Build and maintain strong relationships with community partners and program participants;
- Conduct regular community outreach and participate in community events to promote the program;
- Attend trainings and professional development opportunities;
- Escort youth in other aspects of their lives, such as at school meetings, court dates, sports events and other youth achievements when needed;
- Facilitate group management and curriculum development, as well as program implementation;
- Facilitate icebreakers, activities and programming sessions with program participants, as needed;
- Conduct home visits, as needed;
- Additional relevant tasks, as necessary.
Qualifications: The ideal candidate will have a high school diploma and at least 2 years of experience in a position directly related to working with youth, as well as experience in community engagement and group facilitation. This exciting position requires a creative self-starter who can accomplish tasks in a fast-paced environment. This position requires a flexible schedule with regular evening and weekend hours. Candidates should be credible messengers, specially trained adults from Red Hook with backgrounds and characteristics similar to the population served, including life experience, cultural competence, and criminal justice system familiarity. Experience with restorative justice frameworks, individual counseling, preferred.
Position Type: Part-time (10 hours/week), must be able to work a flexible schedule with regular evening and weekend hours.
Compensation: Hourly rates starts at $21.60 and commensurate with experience.
The Center for Court Innovation is an equal opportunity employer. The Center does 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 seek 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.
As of September 9, 2021, all new hires are required to be vaccinated against the COVID-19 virus, unless they have been granted a reasonable accommodation for medical, disability or religious reasons by the Center’s Human Resources Department.
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. Only applicants under consideration will be contacted. No phone calls please.
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