Labor and Community Job Opportunities, Opportunities

Friends of Island Academy Seeks Director of Community Partnerships

Organization Description

Friends of Island Academy (Friends) was founded in 1990 to anchor, support and develop capacity among young people newly released from jail in New York City. A pioneer in adolescent reentry services, Friends builds on connections developed with young people while in custody, and leverages those relationships to provide post-release, neighborhood-based supportive services. Young people become members of Friends and develop personal milestones and goals in the arenas of health and well-being, education, employment, youth leadership and community participation.

Position Background and Description

The Youth Reentry Network (The Network) is a newly created Demonstration Project developed in collaboration with the New York City Department of Correction and other public and private partners to launch, pilot, implement and evaluate the impact of an innovative system of case expediting, pre-release planning and neighborhood-based aftercare and support for the youngest people admitted to and released from DOC custody in New York City.

New York City is rich in organizations and programs, large and small, serving young people at risk of further criminal justice involvement, City-wide. The Network will include multiple private and public partners, and it will be guided by a City-wide Steering Committee and four working committees designed to inform, facilitate and promote the development of the Network and ultimately to institutionalize it as part of the justice system in New York City for the youngest people in NYC DOC custody. The Director of Community Partnerships will be a key member of the leadership team assembled to launch and implement the Youth Reentry Network and support its development.

Essential Responsibilities:

Collaborate with the Youth Reentry Network leadership team to launch start-up, implementation, and operations in the communities to which young people return post-release

Nurture and promote City-wide partnerships to forge pathways for youths’ connection to relevant post-release supports

  • Establish formal subcontracted services as well as informal partnerships with existing youth services and opportunities, cultivating and leveraging resources to make them available to young people upon release;
  • Facilitate collaboration by multiple public and private stakeholders to meet the goals of this Network;
  • Provide leadership that supports collaboration, teamwork and mutual support and promotes a culture of organizational excellence, continuous program improvement and fidelity to our model and to the people and communities we serve;

Establish and navigate a comprehensive system of aftercare/post-release supports for the youngest people leaving DOC custody

  • Ensure that City-wide, neighborhood-based services and resources are available within targeted communities;
  • Reach out to organizations throughout New York City to build connections and opportunities for young people leaving custody;
  • Work closely with the Director of Transitional Services and the Youth Advocacy teams to facilitate connections between Youth Advocates and neighborhood-based supports;
  • Participate actively in the New York Reentry Education Network and other community coalitions that support youth returning from custody;
  • Conduct ongoing asset mapping project with community engagement staff, youth leaders, and interns in order to identify the resources available to young people throughout the five boroughs.

Develop and maintain a comprehensive system of reporting and data collection to evaluate the effectiveness of the Network

  • Prepare regular internal reports showing numbers of youth referred, number actually connected, and length of engagement;
  • Prepare monthly reports for funders;
  • Conduct appropriate interventions to address any performance issues;
  • Work with the Network leadership team and DOC partners to build and maintain a strong Steering Committee for the Network and provide guidance for Working Committees.

Qualifications

Required:

  • Advanced Degree in relevant field (Social Work, Public Administration) or commensurate experience;
  • Minimum of five years’ experience in juvenile/criminal justice/youth servicing organizations or agencies with minimum two years supervisory experience;
  • Strong interpersonal skills, cultural competence, and an understanding of and belief in strengths-based youth development philosophy.

Preferred:

  • Proficiency with Microsoft Excel and other business software;
  • Experience with databases and report development;
  • Experience/training in youth development and facilitation;
  • Experience in program start-up and/or working at Rikers and/or a secure setting;
  • Bilingual skills preferred.