Youth Rights Specialist

THE SELECTED CANDIDATE WILL BE OFFERED A SALARY OF $60889.00 $70022.00.

The Administration for Childrens Services (ACS) protects and promotes the safety and wellbeing of children and families through child welfare and juvenile justice services and community supports. ACS manages communitybased supports and foster care services and provides subsidized child care vouchers. ACS child protection staff respond to allegations of child maltreatment. In juvenile justice ACS oversees detention placement and programs for youth in the community.

The Division of Youth and Family Justice (DYFJ) provides a wide range of services and programs for youth at every stage of the juvenile justice process. Our goals are to (a) build stronger and safer communities and advance public safety by preventing juveniles from entering the New York Citys juvenile justice system (b) provide therapeutic treatment and services to youth in our custodial care and (c) help juveniles access the tools they need to leave the justice system for good. We strive to help families and young people by providing supportive services that are responsive to the needs of individual youth and families.

The Policy Legal and Compliance Unit was created in October 2020 to codify these important functions into a single program unit and increase the level of integration between these closely connected areas of practice within DYFJ. Our legal team serves as a liaison to the city courts law enforcement legal advocates and our own Office of General Counsel and provides legalguidance divisionwide on issues that arise from the custody of juvenile justiceinvolved youth in our care. Our Compliance team was created in response to the increased oversight of our detention facilities and serves as point for all oversight reporting and compliance activities including Prison Elimination Act (PREA) compliance. Our Policy team develops and updates the 100 policies that guide DYFJs practice including those critical for the operation of our detention and placement facilities.

The Policy Unit is responsible for drafting and revising the Divisions 150 policies and operations orders that guide the safe and secure operations of DYFJs specializedsecure secure nonsecure detention facilities and the limitedsecure and nonsecure placement facilities. The policies and operations orders are required by the Divisions state federal and city oversight authorities including but not limited to the federal PREA Act NYS OCFS NYS SCOC and NYC DOI. The Policy Unit works with Division leadership to set priorities and establishes workgroups of contentarea experts to draft and/or revise policies and ops orders. The Policy Unit reviews all applicable legislation best practices etc. The Unit collaborates with the Office of General Counsel responsible for reviewing all agency policies and operations orders as well as the Policy Planning & Measurement Division and Commissioners office to ensure that policies and ops orders reflect the Agencys mission and are put into effect in a timely manner. Policy Legal Oversight and Compliance Unit is responsible for ensuring that DYFJ complies with all local state and federal regulations and industry best practices. The Youth Rights Unit provides a continuum of positive progressive and proactive services designed to protect and promote the rights of young people navigating detention. The Youth Rights Unit infuses best practice and youth voice throughout the services it offers. Offerings include: Leadership Council where young people elect a leader to represent their hall in a facilitywide Council comprised of youth. Grievance Program where a formal complaint process exists to resolve issues and afford our young people due process for their concerns.

This position plays a vital role in advocating for justiceinvolved youth and ensuring their rights are upheld while in secure detention. The Youth Rights Specialist will conduct regular rounds address grievances and collaborate with various units to integrate youth perspectives into policies practices and procedures. Additionally the perspective candidate will serve as a liaison between secure detention and justice systeminvolved youth.

The specific duties of the Youth Rights Specialist will include but not limited to:

Advocacy and Youth Support:

Serve as a dedicated advocate for detained youth ensuring their rights and concerns are heard and addressed

Increase visibility and accessibility of the Youth Rights Unit by conducting frequent hall rounds and oneonone engagements

Provide crisis intervention and immediate response to youth concerns and complaints

Support the Youth Leadership Council (YLC) by facilitating meetings fostering youth engagement and empowering youth voices in decisionmaking

Collaborate with facility staff case managers and program coordinators to promote a youthcentered approach to care and services

Provide court companionship for secure detention youth throughout New York Citys Family Criminal and Supreme courts

Grievance Response and Investigations:

Assist youth families and external parties in navigating the grievance process ensuring timely resolution of concern

Conduct preliminary investigations into youth grievances gathering statements reviewing documentation and liaising with relevant staff

Maintain accurate and confidential records of grievances resolutions and outcomes

Advocate for systemic improvements based on trends in grievances and youth feedback

Data Collection and Reporting:

Gather and analyze data related to grievances advocacy interventions and facility incidents

Develop comprehensive monthly reports to highlight key findings recommendations and progress in advocacy efforts

Present datadriven recommendations to leadership for policy and procedural enhancements

Responsible for formulating and distributing YLC reports to facility administration and senior leadership

Collaboration and Policy Development:

Work closely with facility leadership social services teams and community partners to improve youth experiences and outcomes

Participate in agency meetings panels and conferences to support the planning and development of special initiatives to ensure youth advocacy remains a priority in decisionmaking

Contribute to the development and refinement of policies and practices that impact detained youth

Recommend proactive interventions corrective actions and strategies to support youth rights to enhance youth engagement and wellbeing

Event and Program Support:

Support unit and facility events such as workshops town halls and educational programs that empower youth

Assist in coordinating special initiatives that encourage positive youth development and rehabilitation

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Section 424A of the New York Social Services Law requires an authorized agency to inquire whether a candidate for employment with childcaring responsibilities has been the subject of a child abuse and maltreatment report.

TO APPLY

Please go to or for current NYC employees and search for Job ID #708192.

No phone calls faxes or personal inquiries permitted.

Note: Only candidates under consideration will be contacted.

COMMUNITY COORDINATOR 56058

Qualifications :

1. A baccalaureate degree from an accredited college and two years of experience in community work or community centered activities in an area related to the duties described above; or
2. High school graduation or equivalent and six years of experience in community work or community centered activities in an area related to the duties as described above; or
3. Education and/or experience which is equivalent to 1 or 2 above. However all candidates must have at least one year of experience as described in 1 above.

Additional Information :

The City of New York is an inclusive equal opportunity employer committed to recruiting and retaining a diverse workforce and providing a work environment that is free from discrimination and harassment based upon any legally protected status or protected characteristic including but not limited to an individuals sex race color ethnicity national origin age religion disability sexual orientation veteran status gender identity or pregnancy.

Remote Work :

No

Employment Type :

Fulltime