Social Worker, New York

The Young Center for Immigrant Children's Rights•New York, NY

2d•$86,882 - $99,486•Onsite

About The Position

The Young Center for Immigrant Children’s Rights is seeking a full-time Social Worker for its New York office. This role involves interdisciplinary advocacy for children in immigration removal proceedings, focusing on their best interests regarding custody, placement, conditions of release, reunification, repatriation, and immigration proceedings. The Social Worker will collaborate with attorneys and other staff, and will recruit, train, and supervise bilingual volunteer Child Advocates. The Young Center advocates for children's best interests and for trauma-informed, culturally responsive services, but does not provide direct mental health or therapeutic services. The position is funded by a federal contract and is contingent on renewals. The Young Center is a national organization dedicated to protecting and advancing the rights and best interests of immigrant children, with a history of advocating for over 10,000 children. They have offices across the US and serve children through programs in New Jersey.

Requirements

Masters of Social Work
3+ years of 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.).
Knowledge of trauma-informed practices, culturally responsive and strengths-based approaches, and child-centered engagement strategies
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 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.
Proficiency with Microsoft Office, Zoom, Adobe Acrobat, and willingness to learn new technology and/or platforms.
Bilingual ability (oral and written) in English/Spanish or English/ other languages spoken by the population we serve.
Valid driver’s license and access to a car

Nice To Haves

Experience—lived, volunteer, or professional—with immigration matters
Licensure in Social Work or the ability to become licensed strongly encouraged
Understanding of the impact of trauma on children and familiarity with a trauma-informed approach to advocacy
Background and/or demonstrated interest in working to address vicarious and secondary trauma

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 New York and across the United States as needed
Serve as Child Advocate to a limited number of cases or as needed
Visit children 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 for the New York office
Support the local and national efforts to recruit, train, support, and retain volunteer Child Advocates
Participate in internal and external working groups
Meet regularly with local stakeholders (government field staff, facility staff, immigration judges, ICE officers, and legal service providers); collaborate on presentations to local stakeholders; attend case staffings or other stakeholder meetings; and speak about the Child Advocate Program at local, regional, and national events
Develop and maintain relationships with stakeholders or organizations in the community
Assist the team in meeting case goals and other deliverables for the government contract and private grants
Capture 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 the Managing Social Worker, 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 the Managing Social Worker and 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 the Managing Social Worker or Deputy Program Director (Attorney), 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.