Social Worker

Social Worker Position (Full-Time)

Youth Represent is seeking a dynamic and dedicated advocate to join our team as our first Social Worker. This is a rare opportunity to build the mental health component of a legal services organization working to improve the lives and futures of all young people affected by the criminal legal system and fight for racial justice.

Organization

Youth Represent is dedicated to improving the lives and futures of young people affected by the criminal legal system. At Youth Represent, we are committed to supporting and working alongside those who are disproportionately impacted by the criminal legal system, specifically Black youth, youth of color, immigrants, LGBTQ and GNC youth. Even a simple interaction with police can have lasting consequences for a young person, threatening their ability to maintain stable employment, housing, and family lives. When the legal system creates structural barriers for young people, Youth Represent uses legal tools and zealous advocacy to help them fight against the harmful impact of a criminal record. Our clients are 24 and under, with an average age of 21, and live primarily in all five boroughs.

Founded in 2006, Youth Represent has developed an award-winning community-lawyering model that combines direct legal representation, systemic litigation, youth leadership development, advocacy for systematic reform, and technical assistance. The organization, with a current staff of 13, partners with more than 20 community organizations across New York to offer on-site legal services to youth participants, teach youth strategies to safely and effectively exercise their legal rights, and advance their policy agenda. Each year Youth Represent provides representation to hundreds of system-involved youth. Our primary legal practice areas include: employment, non-felony criminal defense, family, education, criminal record law, LGBTQ-GNC legal services, including name change and gender marker change support, and housing. Our policy team works closely with the legal department to drive legislative and other systemic change.

Overview of the Position

Reporting to the Director of Community Legal Partnerships, the Social Worker will provide holistic support services as part of our legal team. The position requires a proven commitment to advancing equity and anti-racism. The ideal candidate will have knowledge of some of the various systems of New York City, such as the criminal legal system, public benefits system, foster care system, shelter system, etc.

The Person Who Will Best Succeed In This Role:

Seeking an opportunity to grow and lead – being the first social worker at Youth Represent, your expertise will be relied upon to support the development of our social work practice and youth-focused programming.
Possesses a deep understanding of the social service and resource landscape of NYC – we’re looking for someone to hit the ground running and strengthen our referral network across the 5 boroughs.
Actively listens to the youth - capable of establishing trust amongst young people through engagement and interaction during workshops, trainings, meetings, phone calls, and other community lawyering methods.
Has experience working directly with system impacted Black, Indigenous, and other People of Color (BIPOC) youth – works collaboratively with youth as experts of their own lives and possess an intersectional lens centering gender, race/ethnicity, sexual orientation, and class.
Independent and self-reliant – our clients come to us with a multitude of needs and this position requires someone who can independently and critically assess a young person’s needs, develop an action plan, and set clear expectations and proper boundaries with little supervision.
Truly enjoys collaboration – Which means working alongside a close-knit team dedicated to advancing client-centered solutions and are excited about sharing their expertise in the field to support and strengthen our organization’s best practices in working with youth.
Has a demonstrated commitment to Diversity Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) - Applies an introspective DEI lens when considering one’s actions and biases when advocating and working with BIPOC individuals, including clients, colleagues, and other stakeholders.

General Social Worker Responsibilities:

The Social Worker will have responsibilities in formulating and delivering social service programs; these duties include but may not be limited to:

Support the development and structuring of the social work practice in coordination with the Director of Community Legal Partnerships & Social Worker Supervising Consultant.
Develop and support the creation of innovative programs/initiatives to increase youth participation, development and engagement in our community work.
Provide case-management services to system-involved clients through comprehensive needs assessments and assisting clients in accessing services.
Strategize, case conference, and coordinate action plans with staff to secure positive legal outcomes.
Advocate, liaise, and support clients in applying and securing government benefits and public assistance such as SNAP, SSI, SSDI, Medicaid, and other health insurances.
Cultivate relationships with community programs and social service providers to facilitate referrals.
Accompany clients to various appointments related to their legal case or when providing referral support -- includes administrative agencies such as the New York City Housing Authority, Social Security Administrative Office, the Office of Child Support Services, etc.
Support in-court advocacy efforts through written psycho-social assessments of clients with pending criminal court cases.
Develop and conduct trainings and training materials for Youth Represent staff on social worker practices that support and improve youth-centered client interactions and outcomes.
Maintain records of client work in Youth Represent’s case management system.

Candidate Profile

The ideal candidate will be a passionate, self-directed Social Worker who can work independently as well as collaboratively, operates with integrity and transparency, and is committed to the young people of color that Youth Represent serves. The successful candidate will have demonstrated excellence in social work, have great interpersonal skills and possess a deep understanding of how the criminal legal system disproportionately and intentionally harms young people of color.

Qualifications

M.S.W. from an accredited School of Social Work.
LMSW preferred.
2-5 years of relevant social work experience.
Experience with case management.
Experience assisting system-involved youth, low-income communities of color, LGBTQ and GNC youth and clients, who are experiencing challenges related to trauma, poverty, disability, and other systemically marginalizing factors.
Familiarity with New York City & State institutions and social service systems.
Experience providing client centered advocacy, in the areas of public benefits, housing, civil and/or criminal legal systems, child welfare, education, and healthcare.
Strong written and verbal communication skills required.
Strong self-direction skills and ability to work independently required.
A commitment to criminal justice and/or reentry justice work.
Ability to organize and prioritize efficiently.
Commitment to interdisciplinary collaboration.
A personal approach that values and respects differences of race, ethnicity, age, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, ability and socio-economic circumstance.

NOTE: Current COVID-19 Protocols

All interviews will be conducted remotely.
While our Manhattan headquarters is temporarily closed due to Covid-19, we anticipate re-opening our physical office February 14th.

Salary Range & Benefits Package

Salary for this position is $58,423-$64,447, commensurate with experience.
Benefits include health insurance, vision and dental coverage, short- and long-term disability, life insurance, and parental leave policy. We also offer four weeks of paid vacation and nine holidays, and we close the office the week between Christmas and New Years.

Union:

This position is a member of the Association of Legal Aid Attorneys-UAW Local 2325.

Applications will be considered on a rolling basis with a priority deadline of January 31, 2022. Applications without cover letters that directly address the candidate’s fit with the key qualifications will not be considered.

Youth Represent is an equal opportunity employer and is cultivating a truly equitable and anti-oppressive workplace that embraces staff with a diversity of backgrounds, identities and experiences. We particularly encourage applicants from marginalized communities, including those who identify as Black, Indigenous, people of color, queer, transgender, gender non-conforming, disabled, and those directly impacted by the differing legal systems. We value lived as well as professional experience. We acknowledge the ways in which systemic oppression and injustice can undermine access to professional opportunities and are committed to conducting a hiring process that is equitable and accessible to all.