Organization Description

Youth Justice Network (formerly known as Friends of Island Academy) was founded in 1990 on the school floors of Rikers Island to anchor, support and develop capacity among young people newly released from jail in New York City. Our mission is to break cycles of incarceration and build an equitable justice system by providing young people with individualized advocacy, mentorship, and opportunities to grow, thrive, and lead. Youth Justice Network builds on connections developed with young people whose lives have intersected with the justice system, and leverages those relationships to provide post-release, neighborhood-based supportive services. Young people become members of Youth Justice Network for the long-term and develop personal milestones and goals in health and well-being, education, employment, youth leadership and community participation.

New Initiative

Youth Justice Network is honored and excited to have been selected by the NYC Administration for Children’s Services/Division of Youth and Family Services to offer Workforce Development Services for young people held in secure detention at Crossroads, and limited secure and Close to Home placement settings in Brooklyn and Queens. The award represents an investment in the promise of so many of the City’s most resilient young people and reflects YJN’s experience in supporting justice-involved young people in and out of custody. This initiative will launch September 1, 2026. Youth Justice Network is building a team to provide young people in ACS custody with high quality career exploration, work readiness, vocational training, tutoring, and related supports. The vision and goal of this initiative is to leverage young peoples’ time in detention and placement by offering relevant, necessary skills and tools to build self-efficacy and agency. In collaboration with ACS, DOE, and key community partnerships, this initiative will provide justice-impacted young people with individualized advocacy, mentorship, coaching, and opportunities to grow, thrive, and lead.

Position Overview  

The Outreach and Engagement Coordinator is a frontline position designed to ensure that justice involved youth are authentically engaged in Youth Justice Network’s (YJN) ACS-funded Career and Education Pathways initiative. Serving as a trusted credible messenger, the Coordinator leverages lived experience, community connections, and restorative approaches to build authentic relationships with young people.  

This role is critical to reducing barriers to participation and ensuring that youth not only enroll in programming but sustain their involvement over time. Outreach and Engagement Coordinators are often long-time or former YJN Youth Leaders, or individuals with lived experience in child welfare or juvenile justice custody, who bring deep understanding of the challenges faced by participants. Their credibility and mentorship serve as powerful tools for motivating young people to pursue academic, career, and personal growth.  

Key Responsibilities  

Youth Outreach and Relationship Building  

• Serve as a credible messenger, developing authentic and trusting relationships with justice  impacted youth.  

• Conduct outreach in ACS secure and non-secure facilities and in community settings to   engage and recruit young people into tutoring, workforce, and mentoring programs.  

• Support individualized engagement strategies that respond to each young person’s   circumstances, strengths, and goals.  

• Co-develop Career Readiness Portfolios with Coaches to ensure youth progress is   documented and portable across settings.  

Program Engagement and Support  

• Encourage and support youth participation in tutoring, career readiness training, workforce   development, and enrichment activities.  

• Facilitate group discussions and workshops that promote healing, accountability, and   leadership.  

• Collaborate with Coaches, Tutors, and ACS/DOE staff to address barriers to participation,   including housing, school re-enrollment, and mental health needs.  

• Provide ongoing mentorship and encouragement, sustaining relationships beyond release   from ACS custody.  

Collaboration and Case Coordination  

• Actively partner with Coaches, Tutors, and case managers to ensure that youth receive   wraparound support services.  

• Represent YJN in facility-based meetings, community engagement activities, and   collaborative sessions with ACS and DOE partners.  

• Provide feedback from youth to inform program improvement and elevate youth voice in   organizational decision-making.  

Tracking and Accountability  

• Document outreach, engagement, and youth progress in YJN’s Efforts to Outcomes (ETO)   database in alignment with ACS reporting standards.  

• Track participation levels, barriers identified, and successful strategies used to sustain   engagement.  

• Support quality assurance efforts by providing on-the-ground insights into youth   engagement and program accessibility.  

Qualifications  

• Required: Long-time or former YJN Youth Leader and/or lived experience in child welfare or juvenile justice custody.  

• 2–4 years of experience in youth development, mentoring, community engagement, or outreach (professional or volunteer).  

• Knowledge of ACS systems, NYC youth justice landscape, and community-based resources strongly preferred.  

• Strong communication, relationship-building, and conflict-resolution skills.  

• Ability to navigate in-custody and community-based environments with empathy, flexibility, and respect.  

• Commitment to equity, restorative justice, trauma-informed care, and ACS’s LGBTQAI+ best practices.  

• Reliable and adaptable, with a deep belief in the capacity of young people to thrive and lead. 
 

Youth Justice Network is privileged to have a profoundly committed and caring staff – one  

which believes unconditionally in our members’ ability to do right and do well. We take our  

work very seriously, but we strive to make time for self-care and joy. We look for staff from all  

walks of life who have integrity, humor, a strong work ethic, are passionate about our mission  

and work, and who are committed to address the harms caused by mass incarceration.  

Depending on full or part-time status, benefits include a competitive vacation/sick leave policy  

including three days off between Christmas and New Year's Day, four-day summer weeks  

through July and August, generous health insurance, 403b match.  

Salary Range: $50,000-55,000k  

Target start date: September 1, 2026  

For purposes of internal equity, we are unable to go outside of the salary posted.