Peer Advocate, Youth Defense Practice

Job DetailsJob Location: Manhattan, Queens, Bronx, Staten Island - New York, NY 10013Position Type: Full-TimeEducation Level: High SchoolSalary Range: $63, $82,600.00 Salary/yearTravel Percentage: NegligibleJob Category: Social WorkThe Center for Family Representation Inc. (CFR) is an award-winning, innovative law and policy organization that serves primarily Black and Brown families and youth in Queens, Manhattan, the Bronx, and Staten Island with an interdisciplinary legal defense model that serves more than 3000 clients every year. CFR was originally founded in 2002 to dramatically change the trajectory of indigent parents being prosecuted by the City's Administration for Children's Services (ACS). Our goal is to defend and protect our clients' rights, reduce the harm of family separation and prevent or minimize the time any child spends in the foster system. CFR provides interdisciplinary family defense with a model that was unique at our founding and that is now being replicated nationally: we assign every client an attorney and a social work staff member, and teams have the support of parent advocates, who are parents with direct personal experience of being investigated and prosecuted by ACS. CFR's Community Advocacy Project represents parents during a child protective investigation (to avoid court involvement where possible) and assists parents in clearing their names from state maltreatment records.

As an agency committed to securing justice for families, we built the Youth Defense practice (YDP) to defend youth at risk of family separation through incarceration. YDP uses the same interdisciplinary model to represent youth being prosecuted in Queens, Manhattan, and the Bronx in Supreme Court Youth Parts, during Probation Adjustment and in Delinquency proceedings in Family Court. CFR's Home for Good program provides legal and social work services to clients in immigration, civil legal services and criminal defense matters, to afford clients an efficient and well-coordinated one-stop solution to a range of issues that threaten family stability.

Recognized as experts in our fields, we annually train over 500 practitioners in the city, state and around the country on strategies to promote family preservation and interdisciplinary representation, and we provide community based "Know Your Rights" presentations to parents, youth and service providers. We advocate at the city, state and national level for policies that reduce the harm of family separation, and promote parent engagement and justice for youth and families.

CFR is seeking a Peer Advocate to support CFR's Youth Defense Practice. This role will work under the supervision and guidance of a member of CFR's Social Work management team. CFR's Peer Advocates are trained staff with direct experience of having been involved with the criminal legal system, foster care system and/or prosecuted in family court. Peer Advocates provide support to clients, legal, and social work staff by drawing from their lived experience and connections to the communities CFR serves. Like all members of the Youth Defense Team, Peer Advocates work in furtherance of objectives that include keeping children out of the foster or legal system, reducing court intervention in the lives of children, and ensuring that children receive services that are well-tailored to increase success and reduce recidivism.

The Peer Advocate's primary responsibility will be to work collaboratively with attorneys and social work staff  representing children in Family Court as part of CFR's interdisciplinary legal teams. The teams include attorneys, social workers and youth advocate staff, paralegals, client coordinators and peer advocates.

Peer Advocates receive ongoing supervision and mentorship from experienced staff, including the YDP Social Work Supervisor, Senior Youth Advocates, and Social Work leadership. They also participate in extensive, interdisciplinary training on:

CFR's Cornerstone Advocacy model
Youth justice laws and policies
Family Court procedures
Effective client engagement and interviewing techniques
Best practices in youth advocacy

CFR is committed to continuous professional development, offering a range of training opportunities to strengthen advocacy skills and ensure Peer Advocates are equipped to make a lasting impact on the young people they serve.

Key Responsibilities include but are not limited to:

Direct Client Representation and Advocacy 

Work as part of CFR's interdisciplinary legal teams 

Provide support and practical guidance to young people navigating the legal system
Escort young people to important appointments, such as court dates, program or clinic intakes, meetings at the Department of Probation, school meetings or orientations, bureaucratic agencies in the gathering of vital documents or applying for benefits, meetings with ACS or detention staff, and/or any other appointments relevant to their Family Court case
Maintain accurate and timely case data, legal notes, and client files
Attend Family Court appearances alongside legal teams to support young people throughout their cases
With support from CFR's Social Work management team, offer staff and clients guidance on available resources and advice from their learned experience 

Community Engagement and External Advocacy

Make connections with new program providers to expand our database of referral sources
Conduct outreach and presentations to community-based organizations about CFR's advocacy model
As with all CFR staff, in consultation with their supervisor and depending on workload, Peer Advocates have the opportunity to engage in CFR's policy and community engagement work.

QualificationsCandidates for this role must have:

A High School degree or GED OR relevant work experience, preferably the prior experience being with the NYC youth policing system, child welfare system, education, housing or public benefits' systems or other social justice experience.
Been directly impacted by the family policing system (child welfare) or the youth/criminal legal systems either by having been arrested and/or prosecuted in court
Applicants who have had court contact should only apply if their case has been closed
Experience advocating for other people, whether informally for friends, neighbors, or relatives, or in a professional capacity
Familiarity with Google Suite and Microsoft Suite 
A deep, demonstrated commitment to using their experience to support and empower young people navigating carceral systems.
Strong interpersonal and communication skills
Strong critical thinking skills
Must be comfortable traveling independently around NYC  

Ideal Candidates will also have: 

Experience doing advocacy work, either informally or in a professional capacity
Fluency in Spanish or another language other than English
Familiarity with immigration, housing, education and/or benefits
Experience working in an interdisciplinary environment with attorneys and social workers 
Experience working alongside or in community based organizations, specifically those led by system impacted individuals  

Location: CFR is a primarily in-person workforce. This role is based citywide, in our Queens office located at 89-14 Parsons Blvd., Jamaica, NY 11432, our Manhattan office located at 40 Worth Street, New York, NY 10013, and our Bronx office located at 814 River Avenue, Bronx, NY

Travel:  CFR has a generous telecommuting policy that allows staff the flexibility to work from home when there are no in-person client or organizational obligations. This role is expected to travel in and around New York City but may need to travel outside of the five boroughs to address client or organizational needs.. 

Annualized Salary Range: $63,200 (L0) - $82,600 (L15) (based on years of relevant experience)

CFR offers a generous compensation package, including a competitive base salary as well as health, 403(b) and vacation benefits. The salary, benefits, and employment policies relevant to this position are governed by the Collective Bargaining Agreement between CFR and the CFR Union, part of ALAA (Association of Legal Aid Attorneys) UAW 2325.

CFR strives to create an inclusive and antiracist environment for all of its staff, and candidates from all backgrounds are encouraged to apply; CFR is an Equal Opportunity Employer.