Court Advocate (2 positions available)
Job Title: Court Advocate (2 positions available)
Pay: $50,000-$65,000 per year
FLSA Status: Full-time with benefits package (health, dental, vision, FSA after 60 days), 80
hours of PTO for the first year with paid company holidays).
Schedule: Full-time: M-F, 9am to 5pm with some flexible late days when there isn’t court
Travel: Local travel required. Personal vehicle recommended.
Details: This position is slated to start April 3, 2023
Summary: Youth Empowerment for Advancement Hangout (YEAH) is a Black-led,
community-based non-profit supporting teens and young adults in West and Southwest
Philadelphia ages 15 to 24 who are impacted by violence. YEAH works to create safe and
authentic hangout spaces by providing culturally relevant engagement and implementing teen led
interventions to address the root causes of violence. Utilizing teen action through peer led
mediation and conflict resolution, community engagement, and economic opportunities, YEAH
interrupts the cycle of youth community violence. YEAH acknowledges teens and young adults
as the experts of their own lives and prioritizes pushing back against oppressive systems and
addressing structural barriers that often lead to violence.
The Youth Empowerment and Violent Crime Initiative (VCI) is a program component within
YEAH that focuses on providing holistic and culturally relevant community support and case
management services to teens and young adults within the juvenile justice system. The main
goals of this initiative include:
● Engaging and supporting teens and young adults both prior to release and when released
from the Juvenile Justice Services Center (JJSC).
● Providing intensive support services as pilot programming to teens and young adults
within the juvenile justice system to address victimization, gaps in services, violence
reduction, continuity of care, and the overall well-being of youth related to culturally
relevant behavioral health & restorative justice services.
● Providing monetary incentives in addition to training, community engagement, and
psychoeducational workshops that improve the quality of life of teens and young adults
in Philadelphia and build skills relevant to life and violence reduction.
● Connecting teens and young adults to sustainable services in and outside of YEAH that
are beneficial to the individual based on their circumstance.
Essential Duties & Responsibilities: The court advocate will focus on providing in person court
support, advocacy, and case management while working in partnership with other VCI staff. This
position is also responsible for maintaining relationships with relevant lawyers and court staff,
note taking in court, conducting assessments and intakes, inputting documentation/notes in
database, obtaining subpoenas, and providing court updates as necessary to VCI staff. This
includes attending all court dates, being a strong advocate in court working with young people,
working in partnership with lawyers, providing monthly court updates to YEAH staff, and
overall assisting young people with getting out of the system. With a heavy focus on the legal
system, the court advocate will assist young people with completing tasks that are beneficial to
them and their individual situation. These responsibilities require case management skills and
include helping young people obtain vital documents, coordinating mental health care,
coordinating school reconnections, conducting home and school visits, assisting with medical
appointments, etc.
Job Requirements: Valid driver’s license and ability to drive are required. Philadelphia
residency or becoming a resident within 3 months is required. High school diploma required;
Bachelor’s preferred. Candidates must have a demonstrated background and expertise of
working with Black identifying teenagers and young adults and outstanding engagement with
youth and young adults, providing outstanding advocacy in systems, specifically the court
system; superior case management skills, demonstrated track record of successfully building
healthy and trusting relationships with this population; candidates should be detail oriented, have
life and professional experience in social work, human services, a strong interest in social justice
and the ability to grasp concepts around violence, race, and systems, as well as the ability to
stand up against systems and advocate for the best interest of young people; excellent verbal and
written communication skills; and excellent time management and organizational skills. Those
who identify racially or ethnically as Black or Brown and have been personally impacted by the
criminal legal system or violence (directly or indirectly) are strongly encouraged to apply.
Primary Responsibilities:
● Develop and build healthy, trusting relationships with teens and young adults and
empower them to learn how to advocate for their needs.
● Attend all court dates and provide ongoing court support and advocacy to improve legal
outcomes.
● Conduct case management tasks such as home visits, school visits, and assisting with
helping young people obtain vital documents, employment, and wrap around services as needed.
● Coordination of care such as mental health care, medical visits, school reconnections, etc.
● Take notes in court, conduct assessments, obtain subpoenas as necessary. Document
progress in database.
● Complete intake assessments and complete progress notes as necessary.
● Maintain all documentation and utilize database to provide written updates on progress.
● Visit teens and young adults who are currently in custody, placements or holding facilities
for ongoing wellness visits.
Additional Responsibilities:
● All other duties assigned
To apply, please email resume/CV and cover letter to teens@yeahphilly.org and use Court
Advocate as the subject line. In your cover letter, please discuss your professional
experience working with Black communities in a court advocacy and case management
role, advocating on behalf of young Black people, and working to dismantle systemic
racism. Qualified candidates will be contacted for an in-person interview. Based on
organizational capacity, unqualified applicants or those providing an incomplete
application will not be contacted.
Youth Empowerment for Advancement Hangout (YEAH) is an equal opportunity employer
committed to assembling a diverse, broadly trained staff. Women, minorities, people with lived
experience, disabilities and veterans are strongly encouraged to apply. In compliance with
applicable laws and in furtherance of its commitment to fostering an environment that welcomes
and embraces diversity, YEAH does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, creed, religion,
national origin, sex (including pregnancy and parenting status), disability, age, veteran status,
sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status or genetic information in its
programs or activities, including employment, admissions, and educational programs.
The above job description is not intended to be an all-inclusive list of duties and standards
of the position. Employees will follow any other instructions and perform any other related
duties as assigned by their supervisor.