Engagement Specialist

Center for Justice Innovation•New York, NY

3d•$52,000 - $61,800•Onsite

About The Position

The Staten Island Justice Center (SIJC or "Justice Center") offers an array of programming for both youth and adults in Staten Island, focusing on engaging those with current or past justice involvement. The Justice Center provides judges, prosecutors, and defense attorneys with alternative community sentencing options that hold individuals accountable in a way that is meaningful, proportionate, and restorative. The goal is to provide participants with individual and group services that help them to avoid future contact with the justice system and promote swift case resolutions that bolster public confidence in justice. The Justice Center is seeking an Engagement Specialist for for the Transformative Reentry Initiative. The Justice Center’s Transformative Reentry Initiative (TRI) will provide participants with wraparound services focused on restorative practices, employment/educational support, mentorship, and social-emotional support. Reporting to the Program Manager, the Engagement Specialist will be responsible for working with program participants pre and post-release. Duties include co-creating individual support plans, providing home visits when necessary, attending appointments or community events with participants, maintaining regular communication, meeting with participants in casual settings if needed to build trust, hosting circles of support, and helping to determine which type of workforce development programming is best for each participant.

Requirements

High school diploma and 3-5 years of experience working with formerly incarcerated individuals and/or who have lived experience;
Valid' driver's license is required;
Strong knowledge of reentry, the justice system, Staten Island community resources & support services, and/or restorative justice practices;
Think creatively and critically about their approach to helping people overcome barriers to reentry and community engagement as well as seek direction and advice when necessary and make independent decisions when possible;
Sound judgment, a trauma-informed and non-judgemental “harm reduction” approach, excellent communication, a willingness to continue learning from and with their SIJC colleagues, and good organizational and multitasking abilities are a must for this role;
Strong ability to balance participation in a collaborative work environment with independent work;
Experience with utilizing person-centered practices and language;
Ability to demonstrate cultural humility and competence in working with diverse participants;
Ability to show discretion, initiative, and independent judgment within established program guidelines;
Exemplary interpersonal skills, excellent customer service, and a welcoming approach to feedback;
Candidates must have the ability to work with people from racially and culturally diverse backgrounds and be able to provide crisis management as needed;
Must be comfortable with technology and video platforms such as Zoom, Teams and Google Meet.

Nice To Haves

Computer literacy and ability to learn new software are preferred

Responsibilities

Engage in one-on-one relationships with mentees and their families, including, but not limited to, scheduling and facilitating individual mentorship meetings several times per week;
Develop, facilitate, and coordinate group programming including, but not limited to workshops, restorative justice circles of support, community benefit projects, and group outings;
Co-create and oversee all elements of individual support plans for mentees, including scheduling and participating in meetings related to mentees' well-being, as well as family team meetings and work with participants to fulfill the goals and make the necessary connections that were identified in their individual support plan;
Meet participants at discharge from Department of Corrections (DOC) and Department of Corrections and Community Supervision (DOCCS) facilities, if needed;
Provide referrals related to appropriate workforce and employment program, pro-social and civic engagement as needed and assist participants with navigating various social services;
Utilize online databases to track participant activities and outcomes;
Act as a community liaison for the Staten Island Justice Center by developing and maintaining thriving relationships with community partners and attending community meetings and events which may take place in evenings and on weekends;
Operate company vehicle in the community for community outreach and immediate client engagement and drive participants to referred services when needed;
Provide coverage and support for other TRI programming, as needed;
Participate in staff meetings and staff development activities at SIJC, as required;
Perform other duties as necessary to support the Staten Island Justice Center and department activities;
Perform other relevant program duties as assigned.