Family Advocate

WHO WE ARE

Since 1993, The Pathfinder Network (TPN) has been providing justice-system impacted individuals and their families the tools and support they need to be safe and thrive in our communities. We serve individuals experiencing incarceration, those reentering the community, those on forms of community supervision, their families, and their children, within 9 of Oregon’s 11 corrections facilities and in the community in Multnomah, Jackson, Marion, and Clackamas Counties. We develop and deliver a comprehensive scope of evidence-based, trauma-, gender- and culturally-responsive cognitive behavioral-based programs, including our proprietary, evidence-based curriculum Parenting Inside Out, which is the highest-rated parenting skills curriculum for parents involved with the criminal justice system. Our community programs feature holistic wraparound individual and group support and services. We serve an average of 3,000 people a year agency-wide.

We show up for our employees by providing support and resources in six key areas that make up our total package, and we always strive to expand on what we offer: compensation, development, wellness, benefits, recognition and service. This includes:

Generous paid time off (12 accrued vacation days + 12 accrued sick days during your first year of employment, mental wellness hours)

17 paid days of significance each year

Extended holiday days of significance with a week off at the end of the year and 3 4-day weekends

Paid 30-minute lunch breaks

Employer-paid employee-only medical, vision and dental coverage starting first day of employment

Flexible Spending Account, Dependent Care Assistance Program, and employer-funded Lifestyle Spending Account

401k retirement plan with 3% employer match, fully vested immediately

Employer-paid short-term disability and accidental death and dismemberment

Employment with TPN may mean you are eligible for Public Service Student Loan forgiveness

Employee recognition program, staff appreciation awards and swag store

Bilingual pay differential for eligible positions

Shared Leadership model and opportunities to contribute to agency success and growth

Development opportunities and trainings

We are intentional about building a healthy and thriving organizational culture and envision a community of staff, partners, volunteers, and donors who are deeply committed to equitable, just and anti-racist practices in every facet of our organization. We engage in continual learning and seek ways to operationalize equitable and inclusive practices. We believe every member on our team enriches our diversity by exposing us to a broad range of ways to understand and engage with the world, identify challenges, and to discover, design, and deliver solutions.

At TPN, we envision communities that welcome all people, provide second chances, and create pathways to change. We believe all people have the capacity to change. We honor the dignity and worth of every individual, engage our clients and employees with compassion, and bring excellence to all we do. To learn more, go to The Pathfinder Network About Us.

HIRING PRACTICES

We admit that there is no such thing as the perfect candidate. Don’t be discouraged if you don’t meet each and every position requirement – instead, use your application to let us know what excites you about the role and what transferable skills or other qualities you would like to bring to TPN!

If reasonable accommodation or an alternative form of this application are needed to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and/or to receive other benefits and privileges of employment, please contact our Director of People & Culture at ewatson@thepathfindernetwork.org or 503.892.5396.

TPN hires a workforce representative of the communities we serve, understanding that a diverse workforce strengthens our organization. We value diversity and support a positive and welcoming environment where all employees can thrive.

In practice, this means we do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity, status as a parent, marital status or political affiliation. We also take seriously the idea that our work benefits from a genuine commitment to diversity, by considering applications from individuals representing all kinds of backgrounds.

TPN is offering a $250 referral bonus for community members who refer a new employee to one of our open positions!

WHAT YOU WILL BE COUNTED ON TO DO

Studies have shown that women and people of color are less likely to apply for jobs unless they believe they meet every one of the qualifications as described in a job description. We are most interested in finding the best candidate for the job, and that candidate may be one who comes from a less traditional background.

This full-time Family Advocate will provide culturally specific and responsive holistic wrap-around support and group intervention services to system-impacted individuals and families to support family reunification, stabilization and resiliency. We are looking for individuals with lived experience with the criminal justice system and/or child welfare system to do this important work.

What does this look like?

Advocacy

Case management

Basic needs assistance

Connecting participants to culturally specific agencies through referrals

Facilitating Parenting and Trauma Coping Skills classes

Collaborating with outside agencies

Working as a bridge between other professionals and the family

Your role is to ensure the learner’s understanding of the materials and the development of skills while role modeling appropriate thinking, emotional regulation, choices, and behaviors and encouraging and evaluating progress.

You will work closely with child welfare, parole/probation, community service providers, and families to help individuals succeed by remaining in the community, staying connected with their families, enhancing relationships with their children, and increasing positive parenting behaviors.

Your lived experience, relational and collaborative skills, capability to work well under high-stress emotional experiences, high-level of empathy and ability to keep strong boundaries will enable you to thrive in this position and consistently deliver high quality services with impact and excellence.

Responsibilities

Provide wraparound support to parents in the community or in facilities.

Perform case management, including but not limited to, assessment, intake, service planning, implementation and monitoring, advocacy, and care coordination. Meet individually with parents in the office or the community and provide individualized intervention and case management.

Facilitate classes using a standardized curriculum and delivery model.

Transport clients, as necessary, in the community to appointments and/or services.

Teach, coach, and model positive parenting skills and other cognitive and social skills.

Provide information and referral for employment, housing, food, clothing, and transportation to parents and their families.

Coordinate services with other providers, including child welfare, mental health, and other social services. Maintain communication with other providers as necessary. As well as attend meetings with clients.

Work with the Family Support Coordinator to ensure parents have access to child care and meals when they attend classes.

Assist parents with developing and maintaining positive relationships with family members and other support persons.

Maintain up-to-date and accurate case notes and client files. Enter all required data by deadlines and ensure all required progress reporting and completion certificates are sent to clients and referral sources.

Advertise and share information about upcoming parenting groups and programming, and complete community outreach activities to ensure referrals and program engagement.

Attend meetings and events with community partners and outside agencies.

Assist and plan family engagement events.

Plan, review, and prepare materials for the facilitation of classes.

Attend staff meetings to engender a team environment and support personal professional development, as well as co-workers’ professional development.

Participate in all mandatory training, observations, and coaching, and work towards ongoing professional development goals. Complete all curriculum training.

Continually increase level of cultural sensitivity, awareness, and competency in self and team members.

Act as a mandatory reporter of child abuse.

Other duties as assigned.

Participation in Shared Leadership (=5% of your time)

Be a champion in the shaping and sustaining of a diverse, equitable, inclusive and just workplace, with a focus towards creating racial equity.

Participate on cross-departmental teams or committees regarding organizational policies, processes and work environment

Participate in Temporary Teams, Equity Team, Employee Resource Groups, and other teams

Contribute individualized skills, knowledge, experience and expertise to help the agency reach its mission

WHO YOU WILL BE COUNTED ON TO BE

Required Cultural Values: Staff are expected to embody certain cultural values to support TPN’s mission: communicate effectively, value one another, show respect, demonstrate accountability, display a high level of self-awareness, participate in shared leadership and continuous growth and learning, live values of diversity, equity, inclusion, justice, and belonging and engage in personal work to further DEIJB values and impact.

Commitment to Racial Justice. Staff are expected to interact effectively across racially diverse teams, partners, and experiences, apply a racial equity lens in their work and commit to the ongoing work required to move TPN toward a more diverse, equitable, and inclusive and just organization.

Requirements

Experience and skills we are interested in:

A high school diploma or equivalent is required

One year of related experience

Basic level computer capabilities in use of databases, web-based environments, word processing, email, and spreadsheets

Excellent written and verbal communication skills, and ability to present and work with diverse audiences, specifically racial, ethnic, gender expression, socioeconomic, education, spiritual and other cultural backgrounds.

Must pass a background check, employment verification, and drug screen (which does not include testing for marijuana)

Must possess a valid driver’s license and have access to a motor vehicle during work hours that is covered by adequate car insurance

Must pass a Motor Vehicle Report (MVR) check that meets the organization’s underwriting criteria

Valued Education and Experience

Associate’s degree

Two or more years of related experience

Lived experience with the criminal justice system and/or child welfare system

Strong cultural competency and experience working with BIPOC or Latinx communities

Presentation and group facilitation skills

Experience as a parent

Bilingual in Spanish

Non-profit experience

Referral bonuses are payable after 60 days of employment to new employees in good standing. New candidates should specify in the job application who they were referred by, and the community member will also complete this form.

OTHER INFORMATION

Working Conditions/Travel Requirements

This job operates within a community service delivery setting. This is largely a sedentary role and this role routinely uses standard office equipment such as computers, phones, photocopiers, filing cabinets, and fax machines.

The Pathfinder Network follows public health guidance for any public health emergencies and will remain in compliance with any vaccination or isolation requirements from partner agencies.

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk or hear. The employee frequently is required to use hands to finger, handle or feel; and reach with hands and arms.

This is a full-time, non-exempt position. Typical days of work are Monday through Friday, including afternoon and evening hours.

Some travel is required in the community and to meetings and trainings.

Please note this position description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties, or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice.

Compensation and Benefits: This is a non-exempt, full-time position. The hiring rate for this position is $23.33 - $24.03 per hour, DOE. For bilingual candidates, the hiring range is $24.75 - $25.49 per hour. Salary offers are determined in conjunction with an internal pay equity assessment.

To apply: https://recruiting.paylocity.com/recruiting/jobs/Details/2777263/The-Pathfinder-Network/Family-Advocate