Community Engagement Specialist
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 - The Rockaways is seeking a Community Engagement Specialist to help recruit Rockaway youth, contribute innovative ideas for outreach strategies, and strengthen partnerships with local community-based organizations. This role will support our trauma-informed programming and represent the Justice Center at key events, while actively fostering meaningful relationships with young people across the Rockaway peninsula. The Queens Community Justice Center - The Rockaways is looking for someone passionate about community engagement and mentorship who can drive positive change in the lives of Rockaway youth.
Responsibilities include but are not limited to:
- Assist trauma-informed programming staff and Social Worker in recruiting participants to exceed deliverable obligations;
- Apply trauma-informed care principles to all interactions and program efforts;
- Cultivate relationships with organizations, including City agencies, service providers, criminal legal system stakeholders, schools, and businesses;
- Facilitate community conversations, workshops, and programs with diverse groups of youth;
- Coordinate Justice Center participation in community meetings and events;
- Manage corporate partnerships and local vendor relationships;
- Perform data entry for events and participants;
- Maintain referral and program partner databases;
- Assist with administrative tasks, including scheduling, Salesforce maintenance, research, document preparation, and meeting coordination;
- Develop methods for gathering feedback from residents, alumni, and stakeholders to address exploitation and public safety;
- Provide education on exploitation, justice, and the criminal legal system to schools and youth-serving community organizations through site visits, presentations, and materials;
- Design flyers and promotional materials;
- Plan and coordinate community-based activities and events such as workshops, tabling, and resource fairs;
- Attend conferences and trainings to stay informed of best practices and emerging trends;
- Collaborate with staff to enhance the Justice Center’s presence and mission throughout the Rockaways; and
- Perform additional tasks as necessary.
Qualifications:
- High school diploma (Associates degree prefered) and at least two years of experience or a Bachelors degree;
- Knowledge of Salesforce and data management;
- Comprehensive knowledge of and/or experience with the criminal legal, child welfare, and/or mental health systems preferred;
- Relationship building experience and skills required;
- Public speaking skills required;
- Excellent writing skills required;
- Must be detail-oriented with strong organizational and time management skills;
- Must be able to work effectively independently and as part of a highly interdependent, multi-disciplinary team within a fast-paced and dynamic work environment;
- Must be willing to late nights and weekends on occasion;
- Ability to work collaboratively and effectively with a variety of program stakeholders, including judges, prosecutors, defense attorneys, court staff, and site partner agencies; and
- Bilingual (English-Spanish) strongly preferred.
Position Type: Full-time temporary for 12 months.
Position Location: Far Rockaway, NY.
Compensation: The compensation range for this position is $28.57 - $34.07 per hour based on a 35-hour work week and is commensurate with experience. The Center for Justice Innovation offers an excellent benefits package including comprehensive healthcare with a national network after 90 days of employment. We prioritize mental health care for our staff and offer services like Talkspace and Ginger through our healthcare plans. We also offer a 403(b) retirement plan with a two-to-one employer contribution up to 5%.
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.