Summary

The Community Connector will engage youth in and out of school to raise awareness of their legal rights. The CC will support ethnocultural communities with literacy and legal information, develop community-led actions and conduct advocacy work. They will play a supporting role in knowledge dissemination, sharing and accessing resources, and training racialized youth in systems leadership, policy engagement and advocacy.

Description

Job Posting No. 2024-15
 
Position Title:     Community Connector
Reports To:            Project Coordinator
Project:                Youth Justice & Systems Transformation (Y-Justice) Initiative
 
About the organization, project and position:
 
ActionDignity’s mission is to collaborate with ethnocultural, racialized, and equity seeking groups to create transformational changes in communities and society.  The approach is to catalyze collective impact by building the capacities of grassroots racialized community members to strengthen their communities and bring about systems change. This is achieved through a range of programs aimed to create change at multiple levels: individuals and families, communities, and policy advocacy for systems change.  Currently, ActionDignity provides different programs relating to social inclusion, gender equity, mental health collaboration, workers’ rights advocacy and public safety, using the intersectional lens of anti-racism. 

The Youth Justice & Systems Transformation (Y-Justice) Initiative empowers racialized youth (15-26 years old) to raise awareness and exercise their rights, advocate for themselves and influence policy changes, fostering an inclusive and equitable community. The project engages youth in schools, communities, workplaces, and public spaces through initiatives such as community conversation circles, workshops, and information sessions. Utilizing Youth Justice Navigators and ethnocultural community organizations (ECCs), these efforts aim to educate and empower youth to make informed decisions and avoid legal troubles.  This three-year initiative is funded by Alberta Law Foundation. 

The Community Connector will engage youth in and out of school to raise awareness of their legal rights. The CC will support ethnocultural communities with literacy and legal information, develop community-led actions and conduct advocacy work.  They will play a supporting role in knowledge dissemination, sharing and accessing resources, and training racialized youth in systems leadership, policy engagement and advocacy.

This is a full-time position of 37.5 hours per week, with benefits and requires flexible time commitment. 

Key responsibilities: 

Community Engagement and Mobilization

  • Connect with students, parents, and community members and hold conversations about research findings on the role of School Resource Officers and students' rights. Develop and maintain working relationships with these groups through capacity-building efforts.
  • Build and sustain relationships with community groups, tracking referrals to resources that support their needs and interests related to justice and youth rights.
  • Expand the network of member-partner organizations associated with ActionDignity.
  • Recruit and engage participants from diverse ethnocultural communities for agency-wide events and activities.

Capacity Building

  • Conduct community asset mapping to identify and document existing resources, integrating these strengths into community development efforts.
  • Collaborate with and guide youth in creating Community Action Plans (CAPs) that address common legal issues faced by youth.
  • Assist in the implementation and monitoring of CAPs, ensuring that activities are executed, and progress is tracked.
  • Identify and recruit youth participants for the self-learning module, providing necessary support.
  • Facilitate the formation and operation of peer and natural support groups (Youth Justice Navigators) to serve as intermediaries, connecting youth with resources, services, and legal professionals.
  • Support workshops and training sessions for youth, parents, and community leaders, focusing on building literacy around legal rights and responsibilities.
  • Provide information on understanding and navigating the justice system, particularly for marginalized and racialized communities.

Systems Change and Policy Advocacy

  • Participate in policy advocacy training to enhance personal capacity for systems change and policy advocacy.
  • Assist in planning, organizing, and facilitating activities such as community conversation circles (CCCs), focus group discussions (FGDs), surveys, and community-based research to address legal and social challenges that youth face.  This includes documenting or taking notes during these engagement sessions.
  • Contribute to advocacy campaigns and provide support materials for policy engagement.
  • Identify and build relationships with youth policy advocates, mobilizing them for policy dialogues.

Program Support

  • Provide logistical support for training and events.
  • For events/activities, coordinate with Admin for logistical requirements (e.g. venue, food orders, technical).

Admin

  • Prepare payment requests, as applicable
  • Compile regular reports, such as bi-weekly reports, event participants list, expense reports.
  • Attend and participate in trainings (core and function-specific).
  • Attend and participate in staff meetings.
  • Perform other duties as assigned to support the organization’s objectives.

Qualifications: 

Asset

  • A minimum of 2 years of experience and knowledge in justice and youth rights, with a focus on relevant legal and social issues affecting youth, particularly in marginalized and racialized communities.

Essentials

  • Post-secondary education in a relevant field (e.g., sociology, community development, law, social work) or 2 years of equivalent work experience in community engagement, outreach, or advocacy.
  • Strong understanding of the ethnocultural communities in Calgary, including their specific needs and challenges.
  • Proven experience in community outreach, engagement, mobilization, and organizing with diverse ethnocultural communities.
  • Knowledge of community resources, including legal aid, social services, and youth-focused support networks, especially for those facing legal challenges or interacting with the justice system.
  • Excellent communication skills with the ability to work cross-culturally and effectively communicate complex legal concepts.
  • Fluency in a second language (aside from English) is an asset.
  • Flexibility to work occasional evenings and weekends as needed.

Kindly submit both the cover letter and resume specifying Job Posting No. 2024-15 through any of the following channels:

Human Resources Department,
Action Dignity Society
915 33 Street NE, Calgary, AB T2A 6T2

This post will remain open until January 6, 2025, or until we find a suitable candidate.
 
We thank all applicants for their interest, however, only those being considered for an interview will be contacted. Thank you.