Family Advocate

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 at.

THE OPPORTUNITY

The Staten Island Justice Center (Justice Center; SIJC) is seeking a Family Advocate for the Family Enrichment Center (FEC). Reporting to the FEC Senior Program Manager and working closely with the Youth Engagement Specialist and Community Liaison, the Family Advocate will contribute to the day-to-day operations of the Family Enrichment Center by engaging families both within the Center and throughout the community;

facilitating Parent Cafes; building authentic, strength-based relationships that promote family protective factors and support community resilience; maintaining ongoing communication with participating families using accessible, culturally and linguistically responsive methods to foster meaningful engagement and participation; co-designing and facilitating relevant programs, activities, and offerings with families using strengths-based approaches; providing advocacy, resource navigation, and individualized support to families, including warm referrals to community-based services and supports;

working with families to identify strengths, celebrate progress, strengthen families, and promote community resilience; ensure families are meaningfully engaged in FEC offerings; supporting feedback and documentation processes that inform continuous improvement of programs and activities; and fostering a warm, welcoming, and inclusive gathering place where families can build connections, access resources, and strengthen well-being.

FECs build on family and community strengths, are guided by the community’s interests, dreams, goals, and desires, and do so without being intrusive or using a case management approach. FECs do not follow a traditional social service delivery approach. They are 100% voluntary, safe spaces that welcome all, and respect each person’s privacy and their ability to decide how, when, and how often to interact with an FEC.

Responsibilities include but are not limited to:

• Recruit, welcome, orient, and meaningfully engage families to the FEC community;
• Develop and maintain authentic, strength-based relationships with families and the Community Advisory Board to foster meaningful engagement in supporting FEC operations, activities, and events. Ensure consistent delivery of programs and activities in fidelity to the FEC co-design model;
• Organize and promote opportunities for families to engage in and participate in the planning and implementation of FEC offerings, and to work and celebrate together to foster a sense of belonging, pride, and mutual responsibility;
• Provide advocacy, resource navigation, and warm referrals to connect families with services and supports;
• Collaborate with FEC staff to identify and address the needs and concerns of families and support the development of programming responsive to those needs;
• Collaborate with local public schools, social service providers, and…