The Annie E. Casey Foundation’s Juvenile Justice Strategy Group (JJSG) is seeking new members of its Youth Advisory Council. Council members will support and contribute to a national juvenile justice reform movement. The ideal candidates are young adults ages 18 to 25 who are interested in strengthening their leadership and advocacy skills as emerging leaders in juvenile justice reform. In addition, they will have lived experience in the juvenile justice system themselves — either currently or formerly (e.g., probation, detention, commitment, residential placement, incarceration and/or aftercare/parole) — and be eager to work in partnership with JJSG to inform and strengthen reform efforts with state and local juvenile justice systems.
Council members’ work includes contributing to the development of a guide on youth engagement for state and local juvenile justice systems. Council members also will give input on publications and other material, participate on panels and deliver presentations and conduct field research related to probation, detention, residential facilities and dispositional decision-making reform, among other roles and responsibilities.
In addition to the criteria referenced above, ideal candidates should have problem-solving and critical thinking skills and a willingness to listen and learn. Strong writing and public speaking skills, political awareness, interpersonal skills and knowledge of JDAI or the Juvenile Justice Strategy Group’s work are a plus.
Members of the Youth Advisory Council are compensated for their time and expected to commit an average of four hours per month toward the Council’s work and professional development opportunities. In addition, council members are expected to attend in-person meetings in Baltimore a minimum of three times per year, which are each scheduled for two full days on a Friday and Saturday, and participate in conferences, such as the 2017 JDAI National Inter-Site Conference. Travel costs are covered by the Foundation.
Council members serve for a two-year term and may be considered for reappointment. To apply, candidates must submit the application form, which requires a personal statement and letters of recommendation, by Friday, January 20, 2017 at 11:59pm ET.
A limited number of candidates will be selected for an interview during the review process. If a candidate is selected for an interview, he or she will be contacted directly. Candidates who are interviewed will be notified of a final decision by the end of February 2017. The full complement of the Council is twelve members who will represent the diverse populations within the juvenile justice system.
Please contact either of the following individuals with any questions about the Youth Advisory Council: Corryne Deliberto, the executive director of Community Law in Action, atcorryne@cliayouth.org or 410-706-3875 or Toni Lemons, JJSG program associate, attlemons@aecf.org or 410-547-3657.
