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88 people are interested
Volunteer with Unaccompanied and Separated Immigrant Children
ORGANIZATION: Young Center for Immigrant Children's Rights
Please visit the new page to apply.
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88 people are interested
The Young Center for Immigrant Children’s Rights is currently recruiting volunteer Child Advocates in Long Island, NY and Westchester, NY. A Child Advocate is an adult who volunteers to spend time with, and advocate on behalf of, an unaccompanied or separated immigrant child while he or she is subject to immigration/deportation proceedings. We welcome volunteers from all cultures, professions, races, ethnicities and social backgrounds. Advocates must be at least 21 years old. Per federal policy, a background check and tuberculosis screening will be required before beginning on a case. Spanish speakers are strongly preferred.
Before being assigned, Advocates are required to complete a two-day training session on child development, communicating with children, and U.S. immigration law and issues facing unaccompanied immigrant children. Once assigned to an individual child, each Advocate receives continuous training, support, and supervision from the Young Center for Immigrant Children’s Rights.
*Our next two-day training will take place online (via Zoom) on November 7 th and 8th*
As a Child Advocate, you commit to:
-Visit with the child once a week during the duration of their shelter/facility stay. (Per COVID-19 restrictions, all "visits" are being conducted through video conference until further notice.)
- Help the child think through options and decisions.
- Conduct research on the child’s situation in his or her home country.
- Help our staff draft written reports regarding the child’s best interest.
- Maintain close communication with Young Center staff and the child’s Case Manager at the shelter to schedule visits.
- Advocate for the best interest of the child.
If you are interested, please contact New York Volunteer Coordinator Benni Cinkle at bcinkle@theyoungcenter.org or at (646) 978-0888.
More opportunities with Young Center for Immigrant Children's Rights
No additional volunteer opportunities at this time.
About Young Center for Immigrant Children's Rights
Location:
100 Church St., New York,, NY 10007, US
Mission Statement
The Young Center for Immigrant Children’s Rights protects and advances the rights and best interests of immigrant children according to the Convention on the Rights of the Child and state and federal law. The Young Center is a champion for the best interests of children who arrive in the United States on their own, from all corners of the world. We serve as trusted allies for these children while they are in deportation proceedings, advocating for their best interests, and standing for the creation of a dedicated children’s immigrant justice system that ensures the safety and well-being of every child. The Young Center’s goal is to change the immigration system so that children in immigration proceedings are recognized as children, and best interests are made a part of the decision making process.
Description
The Young Center is a human rights organization that advocates for the rights and best interests of immigrant children. Young Center attorneys and social workers, along with bilingual volunteers, are appointed as Child Advocate (guardian ad litem) by the Department of Health and Human Services. Our role is to advocate for their best interests-from custody and release to the ultimate decision about whether the child will be allowed to remain in the U.S. Our goal is to change both immigration policy and practice so that immigrant children are recognized first as children and their best interests are considered in every decision.
CAUSE AREAS
WHEN
WHERE
100 Church St8th FloorNew YorkNew York, NY 10007
DATE POSTED
September 23, 2020
SKILLS
- Mentoring
- English as a Secondary Language (ESL)
- Youth Services
- Child Welfare
- Immigration Law
- Spanish
GOOD FOR
N/A
REQUIREMENTS
- Background Check
- Must be at least 21
- Orientation or Training
- 1 hour/week