Youth Engagement Specialist - Restorative Practices
Summary
(Queens, NY)
The Restorative Justice Specialist is a direct service position for an energetic professional interested in developing, delivering, and implementing Restorative Justice practices and programming in a school setting in New York City. Restorative Justice is a community-based approach to justice used to strengthen communities, repair harm, and restore relationships when wrongdoings occur. It is based on a core set of principles that emphasize healing and repair over punishment, inclusion over exclusion, and individual accountability with a high level of community support.
This position will be responsible for providing direct service to those who have been impacted by harmful behaviors, including offenders, victims, families, school staff, community members and other key stakeholders. The Restorative Justice Specialist will work with the Community School team, school faculty and administration, students, and families to provide Restorative Justice and mental health services.
Qualifications
- Four-year degree in a related field, or equivalent experience
- Theoretical and practical understanding and commitment to restorative justice values, principles, and practices
- Direct experience facilitating restorative circles and implementing restorative justice
- Ability to facilitate difficult conversations with youth and adults
- Experience facilitating groups and trainings
- Excellent oral and written communication skills
- Excellent networking and relationship cultivation skills
- Competence with varied data management systems
- Experience building curricula and training modules
- Experience working in a High School setting
- Knowledge and skills in equity, cultural competency, and cross-cultural communication
Duties
- Provide on-site service delivery and system-wide implementation at schools, including services to build community and repair harm
- Provide accountability coaching to youth who have caused harm and provide support to victims and others impacted, identifying their needs and empowering them in the justice/discipline process
- Respond to case and discipline referrals to determine appropriate restorative responses
- Prepare participants and facilitate restorative circles and conferences
- Follow up on restorative processes and ensure that agreements are upheld
- Coordinate program activities including coordinating circles, case tracking, and data tracking and recording
- Collaborate with the school community to improve current programming and develop new opportunities for service delivery
- Model and provide on-site support and coaching to staff and partners at implementation sites in community-building activities and restorative interventions
- Collaborate with stakeholder groups to integrate and systematize restorative justice practices into existing frameworks (i.e. Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports, trauma-informed approaches, Positive Human Development)
- Able to track restorative justice data to inform future decision-making and provide impact reports
- Work with the school to provide ongoing training, on-site intervention, and professional development in the field of restorative justice
- Work collaboratively with site leadership and implementation teams to develop multi-year implementation plans
- Coordinate implementation teams and engage stakeholder voices to implement plans for activities
- Provide consultation and support around the implementation plan, policy and system changes, and aligning building
- Collect and maintain necessary documentation, including but not limited to enrollment forms, student files, attendance, case notes, and program materials/handouts.
- Help with/contribute to writing program progress reports to principals and supervisors as needed.
- Develop and maintain relationships with parents, community members, school personnel, and other stakeholders.
