Parole Success Advocate - Oakland, United States - UnCommon Law

Description

Parole Success Advocate (Oakland)

The Parole Success Advocate is a core driver of Home After Harm, an energetic and interdisciplinary team at UnCommon Law.

The Parole Success Advocate works to create a therapeutic community inside prisons by facilitating group spaces and one on one support for people inside who are preparing for parole and life success.

The Parole Success Advocate will lead weekly groups with participants inside the prison and participate in workshops, legal visits, or other trainings inside the prisons as needed.

In the event that in-person programming is halted (because of COVID-19 or other restrictions), the Parole Success Advocate will support Home After Harm participants through written letters, phone calls, and/or video conferencing.

Home After Harm:

UnCommon Law's Pathways to Parole Success (Home After Harm) is a program that helps people prepare for the discretionary parole process.

Informed by people who have been through the parole process themselves, this program will support participants in taking accountability for past actions, while healing from past trauma.

Home After Harm also provides limited legal support with a team of attorneys who will provide individual case feedback.

This program focuses on two prisons in which participants will be led through a written curriculum in small group, large group, and individual settings.

This position is exempt, will have a salary of $77,450, and require regular travel to Salinas Valley State Prison in Soledad, with travel to other prisons as needed.

Examples of Duties and Responsibilities:

Facilitate Group Meetings and Trainings (in-person or remotely as needed)

• Prepare for and facilitate weekly inperson groups, and complete related documentation and case notes
• Frequent collaboration with other Parole Success Advocates and team members
• Contribute to and participate in legal workshops
• Conduct oneonone meetings with program participants, including reviewing relevant documents to prepare for individual meetings, taking notes, and entering relevant information into a database
• Contribute to and participate in weekly collaborative interdisciplinary participant support meetings that involve regular case discussions, including creating agendas and facilitation
• Conduct Peer Mentor (inside facilitator) training and provide ongoing support through a collaborative working relationship
• Assist in reviewing hearing transcripts and drafting assessments
• Conduct phone or video calls with program participants
• Draft and respond to participant correspondence, including individual letters and reviewing and providing feedback on participant writings

Administration and logistics

• Schedule phone/video calls and obtain access to prison files as needed
• Maintain participant record management system
• Assist in development and modification of program materials and calendar management
• Communicate with prison/parole officials, and other service providers in the community
• Frequent travel to inprison and other settings throughout the state
• Organization-Wide_
• Perform and develop technological proficiency with UCL's online platforms
• Participate in regular staff meetings
• Occasionally participate in inperson team building activities and retreats
• Occasionally participate in UCL events in the community or inside prisons to educate or train attendees on parole hearing preparation or on trauma experiences or responses
• Occasionally assist in crossteam collaborative opportunities, such as policy, nonclient mail, and fundraising

Who Should Apply

All individuals who have experience living in a correctional setting, personal experience navigating California's discretionary parole process, strong facilitation skills with trauma-informed and person-centered approaches, and a willingness to work collaboratively with teams.

Experience

• Experience living in a correctional setting, and personal experience navigating California's discretionary parole process
• Experience facilitating group settings, with a focus on personcentered and traumainformed approaches
• Experience with and willingness to continue to develop proficiency in writing

Abilities and Attributes

• Passionate about the mission of UnCommon Law
• Excellent facilitation and leadership skills that include kindness, nonjudgment, and sensitivity to confidential matters
• Compassionate and culturally sensitive
• Selfreflective and attentive to vicarious trauma
• Organized, prepared, and able to operate under pressure Ability to use technology platforms such as Zoom and Google Suites (Gmail) and ability to get up to speed on new technologies (including online participant record management system)

About UnCommon Law
UnCommon Law supports people navigating California's discretionary parole process through trauma-informed legal representation, mental health counseling, legislative and policy advocacy, and in-prison programming led by those who h