National Social Worker

The Young Center for Immigrant Children's Rights•Chicago, IL

22h•Onsite

About The Position

The Young Center for Immigrant Children’s Rights invites applications for the full-time position of Social Worker to be based in any of the Young Center’s nine offices (Chicago, Harlingen, Houston, San Antonio, New York, Phoenix, Los Angeles, Washington DC, or Grand Rapids, Michigan). The National Social Worker will primarily provide case work coverage for outages across the Child Advocate Program sites and support efforts to meet national case deliverables. This position is a unique opportunity for a social worker to join a passionate team made up of social workers, attorneys, and administrative staff, to engage in interdisciplinary written and oral best interests advocacy on behalf of children in immigration removal proceedings. Young Center is appointed as independent Child Advocate for unaccompanied and separated immigrant children and advocates for their best interests with respect to their custody, placement, conditions of release, reunification with caregivers, repatriation, and their immigration proceedings. Young Center does not directly represent children in immigration matters but works closely with the legal service providers who may represent the children’s legal interests. Young Center also does not provide direct mental health or therapeutic services to children but gathers information about access to and advocates for trauma-informed and culturally responsive services. Young Center team is a passionate and collegial group of professionals committed to ensuring that children receive the full protection of federal immigration law, domestic child welfare law and international human rights law. This position is funded primarily through a federal contract and is contingent on on-going renewals. The Young Center for Immigrant Children's Rights is a national organization dedicated to protecting and advancing the rights and best interests, safety, and well-being of immigrant children in the United States. We center children's voices, celebrate their strengths, and recognize their fundamental need to be with family and in community, not detention. For more than 20 years, the Young Center has accompanied and advocated for over 10,000 children from more than 70 countries worldwide. We are the only organization that takes an integrated approach to protecting and advancing the rights of children, in accordance with the Convention on the Rights of the Child and state and federal law, through direct services, stakeholder support across child welfare systems, systems and narrative change, and litigation. Further, we fight tirelessly to bring greater equity to the child welfare system, demanding accountability from systems and people in positions of power, so children in immigrant families who face court cases remain safe, free, and with families in communities where they are supported. The Young Center has offices in Houston, San Antonio, and Harlingen, Texas; Chicago, Illinois; New York, New York; Washington, D.C.; Phoenix, Arizona; Los Angeles, California; and Grand Rapids, Michigan. We also serve children through our programs in New Jersey. To learn more about the Young Center, visit www.theyoungcenter.org.

Requirements

Masters of Social Work
3+ years experience working with children and/or youth, trauma survivors, or migrant/refugees/unaccompanied children to demonstrate an understanding of the population we serve. This may be first-hand experience or demonstrated interest in the field (coursework, internships, volunteer opportunities, etc.).
Effective communication skills, including ability to liaise with various stakeholders, colleagues, and volunteers
Excellent case management skills
High-level organizational skills
Ability to work independently, take initiative, and proactively address case needs
Demonstrated ability to work effectively and creatively as part of an interdisciplinary team
Ability to work in a flexible, evolving environment, adapt to situations, and manage change effectively
Commitment to a comprehensive culture of feedback, including seeking and providing positive and constructive feedback and engaging in productive conversations
Commitment to learn, both as an individual and as part of an organization, and apply diversity, equity, inclusion, and/or anti-racism principles
Ability to effectively engage across different cultures, identities, and ethnicities
Strong writing skills
Aptitude and thoughtfulness in working with children and promoting child-centered advocacy
Proficient in Microsoft Office products, Zoom, Adobe Acrobat, and willingness to learn new technology and/or platforms
Fluent in English and Spanish (oral and written)

Nice To Haves

Experience—lived, volunteer, or professional—with immigration matters

Responsibilities

Advocate for children’s best interests before government or other interested parties
Supervise volunteers appointed as Child Advocate for unaccompanied and separated children in federal custody in or near our program locations and across the United States as needed
Serve as Child Advocate to a select number of cases or as needed
Visit children (virtually or in-person as needed) and communicate with caregivers, family members and stakeholders
Provide internal case consultation and case support on matters involving child welfare, child development, and trauma-informed practices
As needed, support the local and national efforts to recruit, train, and retain volunteer child advocates.
Participate in internal and external working groups as needed
In collaboration with site Manager(s) and team(s), meet regularly with local stakeholders (government field staff, facility staff, immigration judges, ICE officers and legal service providers) and attend case staffings
Develop and maintain relationships with stakeholders or organizations in the community
Assist the team(s) in meeting case goals and other deliverables for the government contract and private grants
Assist with accurate and timely data management to inform reports to the government, other funders, and internal Young Center departments regarding children served, case outcomes, program metrics, and current trends
Participate in a supportive, collaborative work culture that allows for creative, thoughtful, high-quality, and effective interdisciplinary advocacy
In collaboration with site-specific Managing Attorneys and/or Deputy Program Director (Attorney), consult with attorney colleagues for legal analyses and legal advocacy to identify and advocate for the best interests of unaccompanied and separated children
Under the supervision of site-specific Managers and with input from the Deputy Program Directors (Attorney and Social Worker), draft and submit best interests determinations to immigration judges, asylum officers, attorneys, and federal agencies incorporating state, federal, and international law and applying social science research and social work best practices, including, but not limited to trauma informed and culturally sensitive approaches
Actively engage with colleagues and supervisors in developing and editing interdisciplinary best interests determinations
Under the supervision of site-specific Managing Attorneys or Deputy Program Directors (Attorneys), accompany children to court hearings and interviews related to their immigration case
Assess which children may need additional supportive and/or mental health services and accompany them to appointments as needed
Other duties as assigned