Part-time Community Organizer

Organization Overview

Congregations Organized for Prophetic Engagement (COPE) is a 501(c)3 faith-based organization established in 2000 by a core group of pastors. Our mission is to “train and develop the capacity of religious and lay leaders in congregations and across the Inland Empire to protect and revitalize the communities in which they live, work, and worship. We recruit, train, and develop grassroots leaders, youth, and adults in the principles of community organizing to identify and develop systemic solutions to the conditions they face. As a multi-issue organization, COPE’s work addresses:

• Educational inequity through various school reform efforts
• Access to quality health care for vulnerable populations through policy advocacy,
• community education, and special programs
• Housing justice to advocate for systems that prevent housing discrimination displacement
• and ensure access to affordable and secure housing.
• Mass incarceration through various justice reform efforts to end the cycle of incarceration
• that largely impacts poor communities of color.
• The Part-Time Organizer would be working primarily in the Just SB coalition space. Just SB is a collaborative of the following partners: Inland Congregations United for Change (ICUC), Time for Change Foundation (TFCF), Congregations Organized for Prophetic Engagement (COPE), Arts Connection Network, IE Labor Council, Warehouse Worker Resource Center, BLU Educational Foundation, and the People’s Collective for Environmental Justice (PC4EJ).
• The main purpose of our housing committee is to support the efforts to bring more affordable housing development to San Bernardino, push for accountability for landlords to provide a quality of life for its tenants, support a land acquisition project, push for housing policies that promote fair and just costs of living, and push for anti-discrimination housing policies.
• Essential Duties and Responsibilities
• Work Area I: Internal Organizational (5-10 Hours a week)
• Internal Organizational
• Attending weekly supervisorial, committee and coalition meetings
•  Attend trainings to develop leadership and organizing skills
• Support with research or collecting data
• Maintain records of community engagement/list of engaged residents
• Tracking support/opposition letters and sign-on letters, legislative bills, etc.
• Deepen understanding of COPE issue areas and faith based organizing tactics

Policy & Research:

• Research housing related decision-makers (senate/assembly committee members, city/county entities with jurisdiction over housing, voting patterns on housing bills) and support record monitoring housing related discussion or voting items on city council and county board agenda
• Assist with data analysis and research that may include current local and state legislation, development projects, and housing related laws and regulations
• Create a centralize fact sheet of all the housing policies with a brief description for the internal use
• Support Public Records Act Request and data analysis to aid in policy advocacy strategy and planning.
• Work Area II: Subcommittee & Campaign Support/External work (5-10 hours a week)
• Subcommittee & Campaign Support:
• Support subcommittee planning which may include but is not limited to meeting
• logistics, agenda and presentation materials prep, outreach to participants
• Organize data for landscape analysis and prepare synthesis of information
• Assist in developing organizing campaign materials (print and electronic) including
• fliers, fact sheets, talking points, social media messaging, etc.
• Participating in a necessary external meetings and events
• Assist in gathering data needed and preparing report content
• Collaborate with Communications and Social Media Coordinator to assist with
• developing promotional and informational content
• External Work:
• Building positive relationships by facilitating conversations with and inviting residents to
• events and meetings through canvassing, phonebanking, emailing and/or texting
• Leading meetings about COPE Housing Justice work
• Capture and document stories from impacted persons to be used in funder reports
• Attend and give public comment orally or written at government/institutional meetings
• Play a pivotal role in mobilizing and empowering community members to attend and give
• public comment meetings
•  Participate in rallies and lobby visits and meet with elected officials or other community
• stakeholders
• Provide resources and support to community members

Work Area III: Special Project – Communications & Narrative

Develop a short Public Service Announcement on the housing crisis. Activities may

include:

• ○  Logistical coordination between videographers and communications consultant
• ○  Coordinating interviews, filming locations, obtaining consent, photo release and
• liability forms
• Qualifications:
• Education and/or Experience: Ideal candidates will have:

Working knowledge of grassroots advocacy and/or community action organization experience is preferred.

• Ability to maintain a high level of professionalism, confidentiality, and discretion is mandatory.
• Committed to an environment of Black cultural professional growth that reflects and demonstrates values such as Ubuntu and Sawubona as well as commitment, integrity, dedication and positive behavior.
• Be proficient in Microsoft Word and Excel and the general workings of email and other computer-based systems. Tech-savvy candidates with experience in various digital platforms are ideal.
• Research skills and ability to jump-start projects
• Excellent verbal/written communication skills, critical thinking skills, ability to work in a
• team setting, and be self-directed are required competencies
• Display appropriate attitude, actions, and work attire for the position. Maintains own
• work area neatly and professionally.
• Must be flexible, organized, creative and detail-oriented with the ability to set and meet
• deadlines.
• Able to gain cooperation from others and work collaboratively towards solutions that
• generally benefit all involved parties.
• Ensures that information is communicated accurately and timely across departments as
• needed.
• Be available for local and statewide travel as needed.
• Skills:
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills
• Cultural competence and the ability to work effectively with diverse populations
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively within a team
• Additional Requirements: Reliable transportation
• How to Apply:
• Please submit resume and interest statement to Jewel Patterson at J.Patterson@copesite.org