Mentor

THE ORGANIZATION

The Center for Justice Innovation is a community justice organization that centers safety and racial justice. Since our founding in 1996, the Center has partnered with community members, courts, and the people most impacted to create stronger, healthier, more just communities. Our decades of experience in courts and communities, coupled with our field-leading research and practitioner expertise, help us drive justice nationwide in innovative, powerful, and durable ways. For more information on how and where we work, please visit www.innovatingjustice.org.  

The Center is a 900-employee, $100 million nonprofit that accomplishes its vision through three pillars of work: creating and scaling operating programs to test new ideas and solve problems, performing original research to determine what works (and what doesn’t), and providing expert assistance and policy guidance to justice reformers around the world.

Operating Programs

The Center’s operating programs, including the award-winning Red Hook Community Justice Center and Midtown Community Justice Center, test new ideas, solve difficult problems, and attempt to achieve systemic change within the justice system. Our projects include community-based violence prevention programs, alternatives to incarceration, reentry initiatives, and court-based initiatives that reduce the use of unnecessary incarceration and promote positive individual and family change. Through this programming, we have produced tangible results like safer streets, reduced incarceration, and improved neighborhood perceptions of justice.

Research

The Center's research teams are staffed with social scientists, data analysts, and lawyers who are academically-trained or have lived experience and who conduct research in the U.S. and globally on diverse criminal-legal system and justice issues. Their work includes evaluating programs and policies; conducting exploratory, community-based studies; and providing research translation and strategic planning for system actors. The Center has published studies on topics including court and jail reform, intimate partner violence, restorative justice, gun violence, reentry, sixth amendment rights, and progressive prosecution. The research teams strive to make their work meaningful and actionable to the communities they work with, policymakers, and practitioners.

Policy & Expert Assistance

The Center provides hands-on, planning and implementation assistance to a wide range of jurisdictions in areas of reform such as problem-solving courts (e.g., community courts, treatment courts, domestic violence courts), tribal justice, reducing incarceration and the use of fines/fees and reducing crime and violence. Our current expert assistance takes many forms, including help with analyzing data, strategic planning and consultation, policy guidance, and hosting site visits to its operating programs in the New York City area. 

Center Support

A dedicated support team within the Center ensures the smooth functioning of operations across various domains, including finance, legal, technology, human resources, fundraising, real estate, and communications. Comprising 15% of the organization's staff, these teams provide essential infrastructure support and innovative solutions aligned with the Center's mission and values. 

THE OPPORTUNITY

The Queens Community Justice Center, launched in 2007, runs a diverse portfolio of programs for justice-involved youth, young adults and their families. Programming includes alternative-to-detention programs and leadership, clinical, mentorship, workforce development, gender responsive and family support initiatives. The Justice Center incorporates evidence-based methods for working with high-risk youth, including positive youth development and restorative justice principles, into its programming. Ultimately, the goal of the Justice Center is to provide off-ramps from the justice system, to help participants lead a more meaningful life, and to increase public safety.

The Queens Community Justice Center is seeking a Mentor for its Plus+ Mentoring program. Reporting to the Program Coordinator, the Mentor will provide one on one support as well as be responsible for facilitating evidence-based group sessions using the Power Source curriculum for participants in the Department of Probation funded Plus+ Mentoring program. Plus+ Mentoring is a transformative mentoring services program for young people on the ICM level of probation between the ages of 13 and 18 who reside in Queens. The Mentor will also provide administrative support to the Program Coordinator when needed.

• Provide one-on-one mentoring and case management services to participants (service plan, referrals, and follow up) at minimum of once a week;
• Facilitate group sessions twice a week using the Power Source curriculum focused on skill development and goal setting;
• Ensure thorough and accurate file-keeping and reporting on progress and compliance of participants;
• Input data to ensure proper tracking of participants and measure program success;
• Participate in regular staff meetings to coordinate program needs and objectives;
• Provide enrollment and administrative coverage when necessary;
• Attend evening and weekend community events when necessary;
• Assist in special events and collaborate on larger QCJC projects as necessary;
• Perform other duties as assigned by Program Coordinator; and
• Additional tasks as necessary.

Position Type:  10 hours a week. Tuesdays and Thursdays 1:00-6:00 PM. Some nights and weekends when needed.

Position Location: Queens, New York.

Compensation: The compensation range for this position is $27.48 - $28.57 per hour based on a 35-hour work week and is commensurate with experience. 

The Center for Justice Innovation is an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to fostering an inclusive and diverse workplace, and as such, we do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy, national origin, age, military service eligibility, veteran status, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, or any other category protected by law. We strongly encourage and welcome applications from women, people of color, members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender communities, as well as individuals with prior contact with the criminal justice system. Our aim is to create a supportive and respectful environment where every individual, irrespective of their background or identity, feels valued and included.

As of February 10, 2023, New York City Executive Order 25 rescinded the requirement of the COVID-19 vaccination for City workers, new hires, and contracted employees. Accordingly, the Center does not require all new hires be vaccinated against the COVID-19 virus; however, the Center recommends all staff, interns, and volunteers stay up-to-date on the vaccination.

In compliance with federal law, all persons hired will be required to verify identity and eligibility to work in the United States and to complete an employment eligibility verification document form upon hire. Kindly refer to the job posting for the relevant contact information. If the contact details are not provided, we kindly ask that you refrain from making inquiries via phone or email, as only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.