Position Overview
SFCASA regularly has 60+ children and youth on our waitlist for several months before they are matched with a CASA volunteer. Youth can benefit from a variety of case and systems navigation support. The Youth Advocacy Specialist will be primarily responsible to: 1. Provide direct advocacy services to approximately 20 high priority cases; 2. Provide case supervision support to 4-6 Community Advocate Fellows as part of an innovative pilot designed to develop and deliver deeper credible mentorship support to high-priority juvenile justice-involved youth. Please note this position’s percentage between direct service of youth and case supervision of volunteers may fluctuate and will be dynamic in response to need. This position reports to the Program Manager. In the role of Youth Advocacy Specialist you will have the opportunity to work 1:1 with youth as the CASA, and you will receive case supervision and coaching from the Program Manager. Being a Case Supervisor is all about coaching and encouraging SFCASA’s Advocates (including advocates who are part of the Community Advocate Fellowship Pilot), who volunteer their time to stand up for foster care children and youth in the juvenile justice system. You’ll be a steady and compassionate guide, providing thoughtful coaching, responsive supervision, and ensuring that advocates feel confident, capable, and aligned with SFCASA’s mission, policies and practices. The support provided by Case Supervisors helps advocates navigate complex, and often emotionally charged situations and relationships, guided by the intention to support youth to not only articulate their goals but more importantly provide support to realize their goals. The Case Supervisor guides them through the process of discerning how best to advocate, offering them encouragement, clarity, solutions to problems, referrals to resources, and be a listening and trusted ear and resource at every step of the way. Responsibilities
Direct support and coordination of services and referrals for up to 20 youth (60/70%) : The Youth Advocacy Specialist will spend approximately 15-20 hours in the field per week Consistently assess the waitlist and prioritize cases to be served by the Youth Advocacy Specialists with a focus on JJ and TAY cases, and cases which can most benefit from immediate support. Develop case plans, update database records for assigned youth Meet at least monthly and establish a relationship with the child to understand the youth’s needs and desires better Participate in each hearing with or without the youth Explain CASA’s role, duties, and responsibilities to all parties associated with the case Establish relationship with caregivers and/or parents as a support and asset Establish relationship and partner with professionals on the team to support youth Participate in Child and Family Team meetings Identify and make warm referrals to appropriate services, resources and providers for youth Help to connect PSW, attorney and other service providers with educational advocacy support Help to keep the care team connected and coordinated with youth needs centered Ensure that the court-approved case plan for the youth is being implemented Maintain confidentiality regarding the youth and their case. Write court reports for bi-annual hearings Closely collaborate with fellow Youth Advocacy Specialist and CASA Connections Lead to ensure effective and warm transitions for youth and Advocates alike at various status change points. Provide regular updates and reports to organizational Leadership Team Organize and support Community Fellowship Advocates Pilot (30/40%)
In collaboration with the Program Manager design and implement Community Advocates Fellowship Pilot programming, including minimum quarterly progress and outcomes reporting Provide case supervision support and coaching to 4-6 Community Fellowship Advocates Maintain organized, accurate and up-to-date electronic case records in compliance with Agency protocols, ensuring data integrity for reporting needs Support Community Fellowship Advocates in the completion of court-mandated duties, including, but not limited to, developing and submitting monthly contact logs, court reports and case plans and participating in court hearings and case meetings Exercise discretion and independent judgment to assist advocates in creative problem solving, utilizing Agency and community resources and ensuring accuracy and consistency with dependency and juvenile justice permanency and transitional planning laws and best practices Hold and strengthen existing JJ services provider relationships and partnerships and identify new ones in collaboration with the Program Manager Facilitate and mediate relationships between Community Fellowship Advocates and professionals, family members, and others as needed Assess and strategically match advocates with cases in a timely manner Build and maintain positive, supportive and collegial relationships with Advocates Maintain frequent (minimum monthly) contact with Community Fellowship Advocates, providing coaching and advice tailored to individual case and volunteer needs Proactive engagement with programmatic metrics to support identification of improvement areas as well as successes, including data-informed solutions to resolve challenges Identify and share information about specialized services and resources with Advocates and SFCASA staff Manage monthly Community Fellowship Advocate stipends and reporting Annually evaluate Advocate performance in the fulfillment of their duties Additional Responsibilities
This role will require some evening and weekend hours, with an ability to independently manage one’s workload and schedule Participate in the recruitment and training of new advocates and the continuing education and retention of established advocates Other duties as assigned – SFCASA is a small non-profit organization requiring flexibility from its staff. Qualifications and Requirements
Demonstrated experience in the fields of social service, juvenile law, youth advocacy, education, volunteer management and/or case management requirement Spanish English bilingual language skills required; BIPOC candidates strongly encouraged. SFCASA is committed to centering and supporting the voices of youth with foster care and juvenile justice experience. Applicants with lived experiences of the dependency system and/or other systems’ involvement, and those with extensive experience with system-involved youth, are highly desired. Bachelor’s degree in social-service related field preferred Candidates with knowledge of San Francisco Bay Area housing, benefits, public health, and/or healthcare / mental health advocacy strongly encouraged Excellent relationship building skills including the ability to give and receive feedback and the ability to build and sustain rapport with people from significantly diverse backgrounds and experiences A positive, solutions-oriented, and flexible attitude A passion for volunteerism and champion for volunteers A high degree of self-awareness related to potential emotional triggers and self-care strategies to support a sustainable work life is highly recommended Competence in Salesforce, Microsoft Word, Excel, and Outlook programs and comfortable with learning and utilizing new software programs Demonstrated respect of all people regardless of socioeconomic background, culture, religion, sexual orientation, disability or gender and experience working with culturally diverse populations Ability to maintain confidentiality and exercise diplomacy and discretion in communication with others Ability to occasionally lift, carry, push, and pull up to 20 pounds. Ability to drive throughout San Francisco Bay Area Must be able to remain in a stationary position at least 50% of the time. Capability of occasionally moving about in an office setting to access file cabinets, office machinery, etc. Ability to proficiently and frequently operate a computer and keyboard as well as other office equipment such as calculators, copy machines, printers, etc. Consistently practice safe working habits while using office supplies, equipment, and electronics as well as the ability to maintain a safe and hazard-free workstation for oneself and others around them. Candidates should be prepared to participate in a brief reading comprehension and writing and editing activity. Must pass a comprehensive background check
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SFCASA regularly has 60+ children and youth on our waitlist for several months before they are matched with a CASA volunteer. Youth can benefit from a variety of case and systems navigation support. The Youth Advocacy Specialist will be primarily responsible to: 1. Provide direct advocacy services to approximately 20 high priority cases; 2. Provide case supervision support to 4-6 Community Advocate Fellows as part of an innovative pilot designed to develop and deliver deeper credible mentorship support to high-priority juvenile justice-involved youth. Please note this position’s percentage between direct service of youth and case supervision of volunteers may fluctuate and will be dynamic in response to need. This position reports to the Program Manager. In the role of Youth Advocacy Specialist you will have the opportunity to work 1:1 with youth as the CASA, and you will receive case supervision and coaching from the Program Manager. Being a Case Supervisor is all about coaching and encouraging SFCASA’s Advocates (including advocates who are part of the Community Advocate Fellowship Pilot), who volunteer their time to stand up for foster care children and youth in the juvenile justice system. You’ll be a steady and compassionate guide, providing thoughtful coaching, responsive supervision, and ensuring that advocates feel confident, capable, and aligned with SFCASA’s mission, policies and practices. The support provided by Case Supervisors helps advocates navigate complex, and often emotionally charged situations and relationships, guided by the intention to support youth to not only articulate their goals but more importantly provide support to realize their goals. The Case Supervisor guides them through the process of discerning how best to advocate, offering them encouragement, clarity, solutions to problems, referrals to resources, and be a listening and trusted ear and resource at every step of the way. Responsibilities
Direct support and coordination of services and referrals for up to 20 youth (60/70%) : The Youth Advocacy Specialist will spend approximately 15-20 hours in the field per week Consistently assess the waitlist and prioritize cases to be served by the Youth Advocacy Specialists with a focus on JJ and TAY cases, and cases which can most benefit from immediate support. Develop case plans, update database records for assigned youth Meet at least monthly and establish a relationship with the child to understand the youth’s needs and desires better Participate in each hearing with or without the youth Explain CASA’s role, duties, and responsibilities to all parties associated with the case Establish relationship with caregivers and/or parents as a support and asset Establish relationship and partner with professionals on the team to support youth Participate in Child and Family Team meetings Identify and make warm referrals to appropriate services, resources and providers for youth Help to connect PSW, attorney and other service providers with educational advocacy support Help to keep the care team connected and coordinated with youth needs centered Ensure that the court-approved case plan for the youth is being implemented Maintain confidentiality regarding the youth and their case. Write court reports for bi-annual hearings Closely collaborate with fellow Youth Advocacy Specialist and CASA Connections Lead to ensure effective and warm transitions for youth and Advocates alike at various status change points. Provide regular updates and reports to organizational Leadership Team Organize and support Community Fellowship Advocates Pilot (30/40%)
In collaboration with the Program Manager design and implement Community Advocates Fellowship Pilot programming, including minimum quarterly progress and outcomes reporting Provide case supervision support and coaching to 4-6 Community Fellowship Advocates Maintain organized, accurate and up-to-date electronic case records in compliance with Agency protocols, ensuring data integrity for reporting needs Support Community Fellowship Advocates in the completion of court-mandated duties, including, but not limited to, developing and submitting monthly contact logs, court reports and case plans and participating in court hearings and case meetings Exercise discretion and independent judgment to assist advocates in creative problem solving, utilizing Agency and community resources and ensuring accuracy and consistency with dependency and juvenile justice permanency and transitional planning laws and best practices Hold and strengthen existing JJ services provider relationships and partnerships and identify new ones in collaboration with the Program Manager Facilitate and mediate relationships between Community Fellowship Advocates and professionals, family members, and others as needed Assess and strategically match advocates with cases in a timely manner Build and maintain positive, supportive and collegial relationships with Advocates Maintain frequent (minimum monthly) contact with Community Fellowship Advocates, providing coaching and advice tailored to individual case and volunteer needs Proactive engagement with programmatic metrics to support identification of improvement areas as well as successes, including data-informed solutions to resolve challenges Identify and share information about specialized services and resources with Advocates and SFCASA staff Manage monthly Community Fellowship Advocate stipends and reporting Annually evaluate Advocate performance in the fulfillment of their duties Additional Responsibilities
This role will require some evening and weekend hours, with an ability to independently manage one’s workload and schedule Participate in the recruitment and training of new advocates and the continuing education and retention of established advocates Other duties as assigned – SFCASA is a small non-profit organization requiring flexibility from its staff. Qualifications and Requirements
Demonstrated experience in the fields of social service, juvenile law, youth advocacy, education, volunteer management and/or case management requirement Spanish English bilingual language skills required; BIPOC candidates strongly encouraged. SFCASA is committed to centering and supporting the voices of youth with foster care and juvenile justice experience. Applicants with lived experiences of the dependency system and/or other systems’ involvement, and those with extensive experience with system-involved youth, are highly desired. Bachelor’s degree in social-service related field preferred Candidates with knowledge of San Francisco Bay Area housing, benefits, public health, and/or healthcare / mental health advocacy strongly encouraged Excellent relationship building skills including the ability to give and receive feedback and the ability to build and sustain rapport with people from significantly diverse backgrounds and experiences A positive, solutions-oriented, and flexible attitude A passion for volunteerism and champion for volunteers A high degree of self-awareness related to potential emotional triggers and self-care strategies to support a sustainable work life is highly recommended Competence in Salesforce, Microsoft Word, Excel, and Outlook programs and comfortable with learning and utilizing new software programs Demonstrated respect of all people regardless of socioeconomic background, culture, religion, sexual orientation, disability or gender and experience working with culturally diverse populations Ability to maintain confidentiality and exercise diplomacy and discretion in communication with others Ability to occasionally lift, carry, push, and pull up to 20 pounds. Ability to drive throughout San Francisco Bay Area Must be able to remain in a stationary position at least 50% of the time. Capability of occasionally moving about in an office setting to access file cabinets, office machinery, etc. Ability to proficiently and frequently operate a computer and keyboard as well as other office equipment such as calculators, copy machines, printers, etc. Consistently practice safe working habits while using office supplies, equipment, and electronics as well as the ability to maintain a safe and hazard-free workstation for oneself and others around them. Candidates should be prepared to participate in a brief reading comprehension and writing and editing activity. Must pass a comprehensive background check
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