Engagement Specialist Job New York New York USA,Social Work

THE ORGANIZATION

The Center for Justice Innovation is a nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing community safety and racial justice. Since 1996, we’ve worked alongside communities, courts, and those most directly affected by the justice system to build stronger, healthier, and more equitable neighborhoods. With a team of over 900 staff and an annual budget of $130 million, the Center carries out its mission through three core strategies:

Operating Programs that pilot new ideas and address local challenges;

Conducting original research to evaluate what works—and what doesn’t; and

Providing expert assistance and policy guidance to reformers across the country and beyond.

Backed by decades of on-the-ground experience and nationally recognized expertise, we bring innovative, practical, and lasting solutions to justice systems nationwide.
Learn more about our work ovatingjustice.org.

THE OPPORTUNITY

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.

Responsibilities

include but are not limited to

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 eventswhich may take place in evenings and on…