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Job Description: Family Support Specialist, Juvenile Justice Job Type: Part Time (20 hours week) Location: Statewide, Massachusetts
Juvenile Justice (JJ) Family Support Specialists at PPAL help engage and support families of youth who are (or at risk of becoming) juvenile justice involved. You must be passionate about and committed to improving outcomes for justice-involved youth by empowering and educating their parents/caregivers through family voice, family engagement, and participation in strong family/system/provider partnerships.
The Family Support Specialist, Juvenile Justice must:
● have parented or been the primary caregiver of a child, youth, or young adult with emotional, behavioral or mental health needs with juvenile justice involvement. ● have a steadfast commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging ● embrace and celebrate all cultures, ethnicities, languages, gender identities, sexual preferences, ages, lifestyles, and abilities - all families are important and treated with respect ● have a strong desire to support PPAL’s mission of improving the mental health and wellbeing of children and families ● be able to work some evenings and weekends ● have a valid MA driver’s license, and access to a car (driving is required) ● bilingual candidates preferred
This position is currently hybrid – office (Westborough, MA), home, and community-based - generally during Monday – Friday business hours. You must be flexible in your ability to be in the office, in the community, and at required meetings.
In this position, you will:
- Provide information and referral to families and professionals around resources and services
- Empower families to advocate for their own child and family by providing and/or creating skill building opportunities
- Attend and be involved in training families in telling their own story
- Visit detention facilities in the region to engage parents
- Represent PPAL and family voice always in a positive and professional manner; prepare parents to represent family voice on various committees with a purpose of system change
- Participate in Juvenile Justice related meetings and community events; and develop and maintain partnerships with relevant community partners.
- Participate in marketing and outreach campaigns to generate awareness and accessibility of PPAL’s services in the applicable communities, schools, and psychiatric and medical provider offices
- Conduct presentations, trainings, and workshops as determined with the Program Manager, and assist with all other program deliverables
- Adhere to and implement PPAL’s policies, procedures, and data collection to support the efficient and effective operation of the JJ Program and PPAL
- Identify and regularly report to the Program Manager areas of needed improvement within PPAL and the JJ and mental health systems and make recommendations for improvement
- Embracing diverse cultural norms and regularly demonstrating cultural awareness, humility, and a desire to learn.
If this describes you, let’s talk!
Submit your resume and a cover letter (including your personal experience raising a child with children's mental health) to apply@ppal.net. This is a 20 hour a week position with a salary range of $20 to $22 per hour. Salary is non-negotiable. Benefits include generous PTO and holidays. |
