Job Title: Coalition Coordinator – Youth Justice Team, Los Angeles County Focus

Mission of the Children’s Defense Fund

The Children’s Defense Fund Leave No Child Behind^® mission is to ensure every child a Healthy Start, a Head Start, a Fair Start, a Safe Start and a Moral Start in life and successful passage to adulthood with the help of caring families and communities.

CDF provides a strong, effective and independent voice for all the children of America who cannot vote, lobby or speak for themselves. We pay particular attention to the needs of poor children, children of color and those with disabilities. CDF educates the nation about the needs of children and encourages preventive investments before they get sick, drop out of school, get into trouble or suffer family breakdown.

CDF began in 1973 and is a private, nonprofit organization supported by individual donations, foundation, corporate and government grants.

Mission of the Children's Defense Fund - CA

The Children’s Defense Fund-California (CDF-CA) is the state office of the Children’s Defense Fund, a non-profit child advocacy organization that has worked relentlessly for more than 40 years to ensure a level playing field for all children. CDF-CA champions policies and programs that lift children out of poverty, protect them from abuse and neglect, and ensure their access to health care and a quality education.

The Children’s Defense Fund Leave No Child Behind® mission is to ensure every child a Healthy Start, a Head Start, a Fair Start, a Safe Start and a Moral Start in life and successful passage to adulthood with the help of caring families and communities.

CDF provides a strong, effective and independent voice for all the children of America who cannot vote, lobby or speak for themselves. We pay particular attention to the needs of poor children, children of color and those with disabilities. CDF educates the nation about the needs of children and encourages preventive investments before they get sick, drop out of school, get into trouble or suffer family breakdown.

Position Summary

In October 2017, CDF-CA and three other organizations (Youth Justice Coalition, Urban Peace Institute and Anti-Recidivism Coalition) began engaging an additional 10-12 organizing, advocacy and service groups to work together to transform Los Angeles’ juvenile injustice system. The Coalition engages in policy research, analysis and advocacy; leadership development; community engagement and organizing in accountability of public systems; and media and communications work to advance the following objectives:

1. Reduce youth contact with probation and other law enforcement;
2. Downsize the Probation Department, including: closing and repurposing county juvenile halls and camps with the ultimate goal of eliminating youth incarceration;
3. Transform Probation practice, including training, hiring, contracting, etc. to provide youth development supports to system-involved youth;
4. Shift and reinvest spending on punishment systems towards effective youth development programs, especially community-based, owned and operated programs, including monitoring and redirecting Juvenile Justice Crime Prevention Act (JJCPA) funds;
5. Develop and expand community-based youth development and diversion from school push-out, ticketing, arrest, court, detention and incarceration;
6. Create strong County oversight and decision-making mechanisms regarding justice system-impacted youth; and
7. Increase meaningful community voice and leadership throughout probation and justice-related decisions, including advocating for increased community representation on local decision-making bodies.

Position Description

The Coalition Coordinator is responsible for coordinating Coalition activities in Los Angeles – including on policy and campaign development, research, strategy development, communications, advocacy and organizing – in collaboration with members of the Coalition and partner organizations. Specifically, the Coalition Coordinator will coordinate and manage the meetings and work of the core coordinating organizations, the overall coalition and specific workgroups focused on discrete policy targets, strategies and actions. The Coordinator should work within the values and spirit of the probation coalition and, as liaison to the community, engage others in our shared vision of the future of probation and youth justice in Los Angeles.

The Coalition Coordinator is based in Los Angeles and serves as a member of the Youth Justice team at CDF-CA. In connection with statewide strategies, the Coordinator assists in developing our youth justice policy strategies at the county level and supports the research, policy, legislative, organizing and community-based work of the team. This position is a one year, part-time or full time position, with the possibility of renewal.

Core Responsibilities

• Work under the supervision of the Youth Justice Policy Director at CDF-CA to advance the work and objectives of the Coalition;
• Facilitate the scheduling of meetings, agenda development and work of the core four organizations, the broader Coalition and the smaller issue area workgroups
• Facilitate and send communications to the broader Coalition
• Support the development of training, materials and other tools in policy advocacy and organizing
• Work with organizers to develop and implement organizing strategies to recruit, sustain, and actively involve community and allies in Coalition work.
• Work closely with other staff at the core coordinating organizations dedicated to Coalition work, including especially communications staff to develop and coordinate dissemination of key coalition reports, op-eds and other coalition content.

Desired Qualifications

• Passion for social justice work that empowers youth and communities impacted by mass incarceration.
• Demonstrated commitment to civil and human rights of children and the mission of CDF-CA.
• Familiarity with and understanding of the problems with the Los Angeles County justice system, especially Probation and juvenile justice funding streams. Specific knowledge about oversight and accountability mechanisms, diversion and lock-up facilities is advantageous.
• Background in non-profit, community organizing, local and/or state policy-making.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Organized and detail-oriented.
• Able to lead multiple projects simultaneously (independently and as a member of the team) and meet frequent deadlines.
• Ability to work with a diverse range of people and stakeholders with differing viewpoints and approaches to work
• Ability to develop the leadership of others while exercising leadership as well
• Ability to think strategically about long-term systems change and movement-building

To apply please submit a cover letter, resume, and writing sample (no more than 10 pages).

THE CHILDREN’S DEFENSE FUND IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER