Youth Advocacy Coach

Position Title: Youth Advocacy Coach

Reports To: Youth Advisory Council Manager

Community: Alameda County

Office Location: Oakland, CA (up to 50% hybrid role of in-person and remote)

Compensation: $27.01/hourly, generous benefits package

Status: full-time, non-exempt

Youth Advisory Council (YAC) Overview: 

The Youth Advisory Council (YAC) is a collaborative effort between the Alameda County Probation Department and Fresh Lifelines for Youth (FLY) to create systemic change through the inclusion of youth voices. The YAC will engage 12 paid youth council members ages 17-25 who have been impacted by the Juvenile Justice System and who have a passion to create systemic change. Youth will provide input and recommendations on current system processes, policies, and practices and will be a part of key decision-making that will positively impact youth directly impacted by the system. Council members will not only commit to the values of kindness, respect, determination, honesty, growth, integrity, and leadership but to also prioritize and uplift the voices of youth who are currently incarcerated. Youth will be supported through personal and professional development with one-on-one coaching, group support, and community partnerships. 

Position Summary:

The Youth Advocacy Coach (YAC) will mobilize for change by engaging in efforts to elevate youth voices in the juvenile justice system and the community. The YVC’s focus will be to lead Alameda County’s Youth Advisory Council work by supporting the work of the council and by providing coaching and skill development for council members. The YAC will be instrumental in guiding and working in partnership with the council members to create juvenile justice systems change and as well as transformative community change. Core functions of the YVC role include coaching, planning, coordinating, and stakeholder engagement 

Position Responsibilities: 

Support the Operations of the Alameda County Youth Advisory Council

• Assist in the ongoing recruitment of youth and engage 10-12 youth between the ages of seventeen (17) and twenty-five (25) who have been juvenile justice system impacted 
• Co-facilitate weekly council meetings alongside AC YAC Manager
• Support the councils’ key systems change projects through research, planning, and community and system partner communication and collaboration
• Support the planning and execution of YAC, events such as new member orientation, team building activities, and mental wellbeing retreats for youth 
• Support in the planning of the YAC to attend and participate in Juvenile Justice Policy Advocacy events at local and state levels
• Support the execution of the day-to-day operations of the Youth Advisory Council in collaboration with the YAC Manager and Youth Voice Coach Coordinator.

Provide individualized and group coaching support 

• Facilitate an initial participation assessment with each youth council member, as well as create individual skill development plans to support the youths’ personal and professional development
• Provide monthly coaching focusing on skill development areas such as public speaking, stakeholder relationships, community organizing, and project planning.
• Develop strong rapport with council members to support the cohesion and collaboration of the council through community building 
• Document all youth council member efforts in FLY’s internal tracking system, Efforts to Outcomes (ETO), as well as maintain records of assessments, development plans etc.
• Connect council members to community resources to address basic needs and to remove barriers to their coaching participation 

Develop and Facilitate Trainings

• Assess and identify core trainings needed to support the council’s work 
• Create training content relating to political education, leadership development or other topics and continuously update content to reflect the needs 
• Outreach to community organizations, community members, or other stakeholders to facilitate trainings or to share relevant content and resources
• Facilitate trainings and administer pre and post surveys to assess the impact of trainings

Other duties as needed and assigned.

Compensation & Benefits

This position is a full-time non-exempt role at a rate of $27.01/hour with differential pay options based on an advanced degree and, when applicable to the role, speaking another language. Our Total Rewards Package also includes the following: 

• Use a FLY-provided stipend towards various healthcare insurance options, dental, vision, retirement, life insurance policy, FSA (flexible spending account), dependent care, and more!
• 10+ PTO Days
• 12 Holiday Days
• FLY provides 3-4 additional "rejuvenation days off" twice per year in July and December 
• Annual Wellness Funds 
• Annual Professional Development Funds
• Acupuncture and Chiropractic Care 
• Employee Assistance Program (paid for by FLY)
• Annual Staff Retreat, Holiday Party, End of Year Celebration, Team Off Sites, and other FLY Events. 
• Customize your Work Schedule (dependent on supervisor approval based on positional and departmental needs)
• Hybrid of In-Office and Remote Work (frequency of required in-person work is dependent upon the role)
• 8 Hours of Civic Engagement
• Mileage Reimbursement. 

At FLY, we have adopted a no-negotiation policy. This policy reflects our commitment to equity and ensuring that the offers we make to our candidates reflect competitive and appropriate compensation given the market and the role.

Our Commitment to Diversity, Equity, And Inclusion

At FLY, we embrace a diversity of identities, beliefs, thoughts, and experiences. We commit to creating an organizational culture of equity and inclusion to better serve our youth and communities. FLY is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We strive for an inclusive culture and a staff team that reflects diversity. Applicants for all job openings will be considered without regard to age, race, color, religion, sex/gender, national origin, sexual orientation, disability, veteran status or any other consideration made unlawful under any federal, state or local laws. We strongly encourage women; people of color, people who identify as part of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer communities; people with experience in the juvenile justice or criminal justice systems; and people with disabilities to apply.  Fresh Lifelines for Youth is committed to offering reasonable accommodations to job applicants with disabilities. If you need assistance or accommodation due to a disability, please contact us at (408) 263-2630 or compliance@flyprogram.org

COVID-19 Vaccination

At FLY, we are committed to the safety of our employees, clients, and all others who enter our workplace. As such, FLY would like to make clear that the COVID-19 vaccination is a condition of employment. However, FLY does allow staff to apply for exemptions based on medical history or sincerely held religious beliefs or practices. This must be approved through FLY’s compliance department. If you have any questions or would like to learn more, please contact us at (408) 263-2630 or email compliance@flyprogram.org

What to expect

• Application with 8-10 questions and an applicant screening question. 
  • No Cover Letter Required
• 2-3 Interviews (for many roles, at least 1 would be in person)
• Meet w/FLY youth
• Work Product (Done in advance of the Final Round Interview)

Position Requirements

The ideal candidate will have lived experience with the carceral system or other systems impacting transitional-age youth. The candidate will have a deep commitment to social, racial, and economic justice with experience in youth advocacy, youth leadership, and group facilitation. They will have a community organizing spirit and an orientation to systems change. The candidate will be dedicated to uplifting the voices of youth who have traditionally been ignored or silenced. Given the nature of the work, the candidate will also be committed to practices to support their self-care and wellbeing.

Core Competencies: Skills and behaviors that FLY expects and develops all staff to exhibit across all positions at various levels of proficiency (early stage, intermediate  and advanced) 

• Cultural Responsivity: Demonstrates an openness and commitment to equity, justice, and belonging. This includes being aware of one’s own bias and privilege, building an understanding of systems of oppression, and valuing diverse perspectives; you take actions to learn and contribute to an environment that creates power-sharing, access, and opportunity within our community.
• High Quality: The ability to own your work, be accountable, and take initiative to produce high-quality results. This includes setting and achieving standards that demonstrate a high level of care and commitment to our mission, our population, our colleagues and our partners.
• Collaboration: The ability to work effectively within a team and intentionally across teams to contribute to FLY’s mission and agency goals. When working with others, you exercise your strengths and build on the strengths of others.
• Communication: The ability to convey information effectively with consideration of the situation and audience. This includes communicating clearly with people of different backgrounds and cultures in which you demonstrate self-awareness, empathy, and active listening. 
• Problem Solving: Applies critical thinking to problem solving that considers multiple perspectives and actively identifies creative solutions to address individual and systemic challenges. 
• Adaptability: The ability to adapt and respond to change effectively. This includes engaging in continuous learning, maintaining a solutions orientation, and proactively seeking opportunities to be supportive of change that best serves our mission.

Note on Qualifications: In FLY’s quest for an equitable hiring process, candidates are encouraged to apply even if they feel they only meet 75% of the position requirements.