Advocate Supervisor - Staten Island

Organizational Overview:

CASA-NYC is a volunteer-based, not-for-profit organization that provides advocacy for children and youth involved in New York City child welfare proceedings. Our mission is to ensure children and youth involved in the child welfare system have their needs met and rights protected, and children in foster care move into safe and permanent homes as quickly as possible. The children, youth and families we serve have been impacted by intergenerational trauma, structural racism and chronic poverty. We are actively working to fully integrate trauma-informed, anti-racist principles into our work. We partner with family members and their allies to support them in overcoming barriers to safety, stability and family reunification and achieving equitable outcomes.

We strongly encourage candidates fluent in multiple languages and candidates from groups that have historically experienced oppression to apply. We are committed to advancing racial justice and civil rights in our advocacy, and we value the dynamism and perspective that staff diversity, equity, and inclusion bring to the work and culture of our organization. We strive to promote behaviors, attitudes and policies that enable us to work inclusively and effectively in cross-cultural situations with clients, co-workers, and community partners. We actively recruit and seek to grow and maintain a staff that is diverse along many axes, including but not limited to race, ethnicity, and national origin; disability; socioeconomic background; and sexual orientation and gender identity; and to develop a pathway to leadership opportunities for people from historically oppressed populations.

Position Description:

CASA-NYC is seeking a full-time Advocate Supervisor to support our program’s expansion in Staten Island. The Advocate Supervisor will initially assist with volunteer recruitment and community outreach, and ultimately be responsible for supervising a team of volunteer Advocates and providing direct advocacy/case work as needed. The successful candidate must live or have extensive experience living/working in Staten Island.

CASA-NYC seeks a seasoned professional (LMSW/LCSW/JD preferred) with a minimum of two years of relevant post-graduate professional experience and a demonstrated interest in child welfare to fulfill the following responsibilities:

RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Assist with identifying relevant community-based organizations and agency partners for targeted outreach and collaboration in support of CASA’s growth in Staten Island.
• Conduct both in-person and remote outreach throughout Staten Island in order to recruit volunteer Advocates, increase awareness of and engagement with CASA, foster community partnerships, and increase referrals.
• Supervise a team of highly trained CASA volunteer Advocates. Provide supportive and constructive guidance and oversight to volunteers in developing case assessments, case plans and advocacy strategies to ensure that children have their needs met while in foster care move out of foster care as quickly as possible.
• Provide direct case management and advocacy when volunteers are not available, or on cases requiring higher-level support.
• Advocate or guide volunteers in advocating for children and youth in court proceedings and field meetings related to child’s developmental, educational, health and mental health needs, family supports, and other needs.
• Work with or guide volunteers in work with parents of children in foster care to establish safe and stable homes required for their children’s return; and with youth aging out of foster care to assist them in preparing to live independently.
• Meet with each volunteer Advocate a minimum of once monthly for supervision, and maintain regular contact with volunteers by phone and email.
• Write concise, effective, fact-based court reports that include holistic descriptions of the needs and life circumstances of each CASA child or youth, or provide guidance to volunteers in writing such court reports.
• Participate in court proceedings and case related conferences and meetings.
• Orient new volunteers to CASA-NYC policies and the court process. Select appropriate cases for volunteers and conduct case assignments.
• Work closely with the Volunteer Coordinator to ensure volunteers receive appropriate training and oversight.
• Assist in volunteer training including facilitation of selected training sessions.
• Guide clients through various systems, such as NYCHA, Medicaid, TANF, SNAP, and special education.
• Participate in court-based committees and workgroups in order to ensure effective coordination of services with partner organizations
• Assist at CASA-NYC events and fundraisers as needed.
• Other responsibilities as assigned by supervisor.
• Foster a feedback-rich culture of learning, appreciation and improvement.
• Help create and maintain a diverse, equitable, and inclusive workplace and learning environment, and commit to principles combating racism and gender inequality.

QUALIFICATIONS:

• LMSW, LCSW, JD or other relevant degree and experience preferred.
• Two to five years of relevant post-graduate professional experience required.
• Bi-lingual (Spanish/English or other) strongly preferred.
• Demonstrated interest in and knowledge of child welfare.
• Extensive knowledge of Staten Island community-based services and ability to travel throughout the borough to conduct outreach and meet with clients and stakeholders.
• Supervision experience preferred.
• For social workers, SIFI preferred, or ability to obtain SIFI certification in first year of employment.
• Excellent written and oral advocacy skills.
• Professional maturity and ability to foster positive relationships with a diverse array of individuals and professionals.
• Ability to work both independently, with strong initiative, as well as collaboratively with a small team.
• Training and experience working with people impacted by trauma, structural racism and other forms of oppression.
• Demonstrated anti-oppressive supervision skills and commitment to anti-racist practice principles.
• Ability to work effectively with an ethnic, culturally, and socially diverse participant population with a strong interest in social justice.
• Insight into, and understanding of, how issues of culture, race, language, and religious/spiritual difference, as well as gender identity, expression and sexual orientation, impact all stakeholders, including participants, donors, volunteers, and staff.

CASA-NYC is a partner project of the Fund for the City of New York. We are an equal opportunity employer and encourage people of color, immigrants, LGBTQ-identified and differently-abled candidates to apply.

Salary ranges from $55-70,000 depending on qualification and experience (higher range includes salary differential for multiple languages and additional training certifications). A competitive benefits package includes a 401(k) retirement plan with match, health, dental, vision, flexible spending accounts, pre-tax transit costs and generous vacation.

Please follow these instructions in order to be considered for the position:

To apply please email jobs@casa-nyc.org with “Advocate Supervisor” in the subject line. Please send a resume and detailed cover letter explaining your interest, passion, and experience, with a specific answer to the following required question:

How have your background and experiences, professional or otherwise, prepared you to contribute to CASA-NYC's ongoing efforts to increase diversity, equity and inclusion in the workplace, and/or to advocate for justice for children and families disproportionately impacted by the child welfare system?

Feel free to think broadly about your response to this question, applying various aspects of your life, personal and professional experiences. Please also reference in your cover letter where you saw this posting.