Project STARFISH Team Leader

CASA Nashville

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Job Summary

The CASA Project STARFISH Team Leader’s primary responsibility is to lead a team of advocate volunteers that will serve the needs of children and youth who have both neglect and dependency concerns. The Project STARFISH Team Leader develops and leads “Project STARFISH” – Serving Teens At Risk and Families In need of Support and Hope – providing training to staff and volunteers related to the specialized needs of children and youth who are involved in both sides of the Juvenile Justice system and helps oversee the referral and intake process of each youth.

This Team Leader will develop and lead “Project STARFISH” by working closely with the Juvenile Justice team to ensure effective advocacy is provided to those children/youth most in need of a CASA Volunteer Advocate, developing processes and protocols to support the project, addressing diversity, equity, inclusion and justice (DEIJ) needs so that Volunteer Advocates represent the youth they serve, and ensuring the project is sustainable and effective. The role also involves leading a team of up to 30 CASA Volunteer Advocates who are serving both foster care and juvenile justice-involved youth and supporting the Volunteer Advocates in their work in a way that meets the needs of the Volunteers, the Davidson County Juvenile Court, CASA Nashville, and the children we serve.

Job Responsibilities

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Essential duties and responsibilities include the following: other duties may be assigned:

Supervisory Duties and Responsibilities

• Act as project manager, team lead, and court liaison to develop Project STARFISH, working in partnership with the Juvenile Court to serve up to 60 juvenile justice-involved youth each year.
• Support family reunification and/or prevention of children and youth coming into state’s custody, preserving family units and kinship bonds, and working with specially trained CASA Volunteer Advocates to employ non-biased, strengths-based, child-centered, and family-focused advocacy for youth at risk.
• Effectively lead and develop a team of up to 30 Volunteer Advocates in advocating for the best interests of the child using a coaching/mentoring approach and adhering to National CASA, TN CASA, and CASA Nashville service delivery standards.
• Assist the Program Director and Director of Training and Community Engagement in recruiting and assigning specially trained volunteers to Project STARFISH cases through bi-weekly staffing meetings.
• Represent CASA in court hearings and related case meetings, supporting Volunteer Advocates and coaching and developing them as specialists in working with dual-status youth.
• Serve as an agency representative in developing working partnership relationships with agencies and organizations also serving juvenile justice-involved youth throughout Tennessee and in other states, bringing new information, resources, and partnerships to the Program Team.
• Maintain regular, effective communication with Juvenile Justice team staff, the District Attorney’s office, and Probation Officers to facilitate joint working and collaboration between the Juvenile Court and CASA Nashville.
• Oversee the intake and referral process and meet weekly with the Court and District Attorney’s office to ensure qualifications are met for the youth in question.
• Support and participate in the development and running of the Youth Advisory Board, working closely with Volunteer Advocate Mentors leading this Board.
• Directly supervise, coach, and support Volunteer Advocates to ensure the child’s best interest is being met and all CASA Standards are met in the delivery of services to children.
• Write and facilitate the writing of court reports or status updates for court hearings with Volunteer Advocates and ensure these are submitted to the court in a timely manner.
• Contribute to each assigned staff-monitored case as a member of the child and family team and participate in all meetings and court hearings related to the case.
• Support Volunteer Advocates in presenting recommendations to the court by accompanying them to court hearings and related case meetings.

• Assist with compiling information for reporting monthly data for all grants and funders, including regular information collection in our client services system, Optima.
• Assist in creating and delivering training, resources, and processes for an Advocate Academy to provide specialized training to staff and volunteers around the unique needs of dual-status youth, delivered virtually through a Learning Management System and in person when appropriate.
• Facilitate and participate as an assistant facilitator for CASA Volunteer Advocate pre-service training sessions. (Typically held outside normal business hours.)
• Participate in regular supervision with Volunteer Advocates and Program Director to discuss any problems or needs involving volunteers or cases.
• Attend and contribute to program team meetings to determine and discuss any problems or plans involving volunteers or cases.
• Attend and contribute to regular all-staff meetings to keep leadership apprised of relevant program and training information.
• Participate in 12 hours of relevant professional development annually, as required by National CASA and TN CASA Standards.
• Work closely with the Adolescent Advocacy Specialist to develop joint training, and assist in advocating for youth stepping down and out of residential care, when they are most vulnerable.

Leadership

• Lead and manage the development of Project STARFISH, working with internal and external stakeholders to ensure timely, effective outcomes for youth served through this project.
• Facilitate supportive, effective monthly Volunteer Advocate team meetings.
• Regularly communicate and ensure compliance with the mission, vision, strategic objectives and goals, and a strengths-based and systems-service philosophy.
• Contribute to the development and delivery of agency diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice (DEIJ) strategies and model these in the delivery of all aspects of the role.
• Contribute to the delivery of coaching culture and learning organization principles.
• Cultivate and support an agile and nimble organizational culture by working across functions and roles as required to best deliver services to children.
• Assess, analyze, and identify solution strategies as program and organizational issues arise.
• Model and promote healthy interpersonal relationships with and among employees, nurturing psychological safety among the team and among Volunteer Advocates; manage conflict effectively and in line with organizational culture as it arises.
• Take ownership of, navigate, and lead program and organizational change as required by the agency and stakeholders; deploy and execute program and agency projects as assigned.
• Initiate recommendations and possible strategies to improve program and overall agency operations; model and promote flexible and systemic thinking.
• Represent the agency in the community. Participate in community activities as assigned; work with community partners.
• Model, promote, and ensure agency atmosphere and service delivery are culturally and linguistically competent and sensitive.

Qualifications

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily in accordance with CASA Nashville and National and TN CASA delivery standards, and in a manner that supports the values of the agency.  The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.

Education and/or Experience

Bachelor’s degree in social work or a related field preferred or at least five (5) years of related experience and/or training or certifications in juvenile justice, substance abuse/recovery, mental health, child welfare, or education/training. An equivalent combination of education, community engagement, and experience will be considered in lieu of formal educational qualifications. Experience working with volunteers or experience working within an agency supporting volunteers is preferred.

Additional Information

Benefits

How to Apply

Cover letter, resume, and salary requirements may be emailed to casa@casanashville.org.

Details

• Date Posted: October 6, 2023
• Type: Full-Time
• Job Function: Programs and Service Delivery
• Service Area: Children / Youth
• Working Hours: 40 hrs/wk; M-F, 8:00am- 4:30pm