Coach

Hours: Full-Time (40 Hours/week)

Reports To: Head Coach

Supervisory Responsibilities: N/A

Location: Involves presence in multiple ACS sites (Crossroads Juvenile Center, Non-Secure Detention, Limited Secure Placement facilities in Brooklyn and Queens), YJN Program Hubs, and community-based settings

Organization

Youth Justice Network (YJN) was founded in 1990 to anchor, support and build capacity among

young people released from jail in New York City. We break cycles of incarceration and

promote an equitable justice system by providing young people with opportunities to grow,

thrive, and lead. Through a combination of individualized advocacy, mentorship and services,

our network of advocates develops relationships with young people whose lives intersect with

the justice system. We leverage authentic relationships and local resources so that young people

can forge their pathways to wellbeing and positive development.

Position Overview

The Coach plays a central role in Youth Justice Network’s ACS-funded Career and Education

Pathways initiative. Serving as the primary, trusted point of contact for justice-involved youth, the

Coach builds relationships of trust, provides consistent mentorship, and ensures access to

academic, social-emotional, vocational, and workforce resources. Coaches maintain an

average roster of 15 youth at a time and guide each young person in co-creating a Career Readiness

Portfolio that builds and “thickens” over time, serving as a living record of academic progress,

workforce training, and personal development. Through individualized and group sessions, Coaches help young people navigate complex systems, develop agency, and build tangible skills for education and employment success. This position is modeled on YJN’s long-standing Youth Advocate approach and reflects practices proven in ACS-funded initiatives and community-based workforce programs.

Key Responsibilities

Youth Engagement and Relationship-Building

• Serve as the consistent, trusted mentor (“primary person”) for each assigned youth.
• Meet with young people immediately upon admission to detention or placement, establishing rapport and trust.
• Maintain a caseload of 15–18 youth at a given time, ensuring consistent contact and individualized support.
• Assess youth’s academic and career interests, strengths, and needs using trauma-informed, youth-centered approaches.
• Co-create and maintain a Career Readiness Portfolio for each young person, ensuring it follows them during and after ACS custody.

Program Delivery and Instruction

• Facilitate workforce development programming across all sites / tutoring, vocational training, housing resources, and comprehensive supports.
• Deliver sector-based career readiness training, financial literacy instruction, and work readiness workshops using YJN’s Career Services Center curriculum.
• Provide one-on-one coaching in resume development, interview preparation, communication skills, and workplace expectations.
• Collaborate with Tutors to reinforce academic skills, including literacy, numeracy, GED/HSE preparation, and credit recovery.
• Prepare youth for transitions from custody into schools, vocational programs, or employment opportunities in the community.

Collaboration and Case Coordination

• Work closely with Head Coaches, Tutors, vocational trainers, DOE/Passages Academy staff, ACS facility staff, and community-based partners to coordinate services.
• Participate in regular team meetings to review caseload progress, address barriers, and strengthen service integration.
• Document all sessions, assessments, and milestones in YJN’s Efforts to Outcomes (ETO) database in compliance with ACS reporting requirements.

Youth Empowerment and Advocacy

• Promote youth voice, agency, and leadership in service planning and intrinsic engagement in developing their own Work Readiness Portfolios.
• Embed trauma-informed care, restorative practices, and ACS’s LGBTQAI+ best practices into daily interactions.
• Actively support youth in overcoming barriers to success, advocating for their educational, vocational, and social-emotional needs.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Education, Counseling, Social Work, or related field; or equivalent combination of education and lived/professional experience.
• Minimum 2–4 years of experience working with justice-involved or system-impacted youth in mentoring, advocacy, or coaching roles.
• Knowledge of NYC education and workforce development systems, including GED/HSE, vocational training, and postsecondary opportunities.
• Demonstrated commitment to trauma-informed care, racial equity, and culturally responsive pedagogy.
• Strong interpersonal, communication, and facilitation skills.
• Ability to maintain accurate records, manage caseloads, and use data for program improvement.
• Belief in the capacity of young people to grow, thrive, and lead.

Youth Justice Network is privileged to have a profoundly committed and caring staff – one

which believes unconditionally in our members’ ability to do right and do well. We take our

work very seriously, but we strive to make time for self-care and joy. We look for staff from all

walks of life who have integrity, humor, a strong work ethic, are passionate about our mission

and work, and who are committed to address the harms caused by mass incarceration.

Depending on full or part-time status, benefits include a competitive vacation/sick leave policy

including three days off between Christmas and New Year's Day, four-day summer weeks

through July and August, generous health insurance, 403b match.

Salary Range: $50,000-55,000k

Target start date: September 1, 2026

For purposes of internal equity, we are unable to go outside of the salary posted