Since 1988, the Immigrant Rights Program in New Jersey has worked to increase the protection of the rights of immigrants and refugees. It provides legal services, community outreach and education, and community organizing through leadership development. The End Detention and Deportation Project supports formerly detained individuals, families of immigrant detainees, and communities that have been affected by immigration detention in New Jersey. It works in conjunction with the Immigrant Rights Program’s legal team, the AFSC’s Prison Watch Program and AFSC’s Human Migration and Mobility network to raise public awareness of the hardships caused by immigration detention and deportation. It relates local and to national networks concerned with detention.

SUMMARY OF PRINCIPAL RESPONSIBILITIES

The Project Coordinator is responsible to continue and enhance current program focus on policies and conditions of immigrant detention. Staff will organize affected community members, provide leadership training to immigrants, document detention conditions, create projects that bring regional and national attention to hardships caused by immigration detention, and advance contribute to policies that would reduce or eliminate immigration detention and deportation.

Essential Functions/Responsibilities

The key responsibilities of the Project Coordinator include the following:

1. Document and raise public awareness of the human factors that drive migration, the hardship and separation caused to families by detention and deportation and the positive contributions and aspirations of immigrants in the community.
2. Identify, connect and meet with immigrant clients and community members who have been affected by immigration detention and deportation, including former detainees, families of detainees, and families of deported immigrants.
3. Conduct community meetings, family support meetings and leadership development trainings with End Detention and Deportation Project members and members of partner organizations that are engaged in anti-detention and deportation advocacy. Conduct leadership trainings using AFSC curriculum.
4. Collaborate with AFSC’s Detention Attorneys and other immigration attorneys on anti-detention and deportation advocacy projects. Through established collaborative process, monitor and respond to reports from detainees.
5. Create and plan advocacy activities with Project participants and constituents, and facilitate their participation, including legislative meetings with elected officials and public demonstrations. Where appropriate, partner with AFSC Healing Justice Programs.
6. Monitor immigration detention conditions, conduct detention facility tours, meet with jail officials and detainees, and generate report and recommendations.
7. Strengthen existing detention coalition and partnership with concerned communities and agencies. Participate in coalition meetings and research around issues related to immigration, with a focus on criminalization and detention of immigrants in the US.
8. Collaborate with national and regional coalitions such as the Detention Watch Network, New Jersey Alliance for Immigrant Justice and the New Jersey Advocates for Immigrant Detainees.
9. Maintain accurate statistical records and case files, and write periodic narrative reports. 10.Fundraising: assist AFSC staff to identify potential donors and to fund raise.

Minimum Qualifications Experience

1. Three to five years of experience in community organizing in areas of immigrant rights, human rights and social justice.
2. Demonstrated ability to nurture leadership among those who are affected by public policy, systematic oppression and/or immigration policy.
3. Familiarity with current immigration issues and general demographics of New Jersey.
4. Demonstrated understanding of and sensitivity to concerns and characteristics of detained individuals, asylum seekers, refugees, immigrants with criminal convictions and their families.
5. Familiarity with popular education methodologies and community organizing principles.
6. Demonstrated ability to establish professional and effective rapport with colleagues, constituents, and elected officials.
7. Demonstrated ability to plan creatively and strategically and to envision and implement programs.
8. Demonstrated ability to write accurate, concise, and interpretative statistical and narrative reports.
9. Strong computer skills.
10. Ability to work to meet deadlines and to work some evenings and weekends. 11.Second language required.

Other Required Skills and Abilities

1. Commitment to Quaker values and testimonies. Understanding of and compatibility with the principles and philosophy of the American Friends Service Committee including non-violence and the belief in the intrinsic worth of every individual.
2. Understanding of and commitment to the principles, concerns, and considerations, of AFSC in regard to issues of race, class, nationality, religion, age, gender and sexual orientation, and disabilities. Demonstrated ability to work and communicate with diverse staff.

Compensation

Salary Range starts at $55,447 – Exempt – Comprehensive medical and hospitalization plan; term life, accident and salary continuation insurances, defined benefit pension plan, plus fringe benefits; participation in unemployment and worker’s compensation and social security.

The American Friends Service Committee is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer. Qualified persons are encouraged to apply regardless of their religious affiliation, race, age, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation or disability.

AFSC’s Central Office and some of its offices in the U.S. are unionized workplaces. This position is represented under the Northeast Region’s Collective Bargaining Agreement.

The American Friends Service Committee is a smoke-free workplace.

How to apply

To apply, please visit www.afsc.org/jobs and complete the application.