Social Worker - Released Representation

**The Organization:**The Florence Project was founded in 1989 to respond to a representation crisis for indigent non-citizens detained at the rural Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Detention Center in Florence, Arizona. Through our programs today, we provide services to thousands of adults, youth, and children detained in Eloy, Florence, Phoenix, and Tucson, Arizona on any given day. In 2001, the Florence Project implemented our Integrated Social Services Program, one of the first of its kind in this field. The Florence Project provides high quality legal and social services and supports initiatives for national changes in immigration law and policy.

Social Worker:

The Children’s Program Social Worker, in collaboration with a team comprised of Social Workers, Managing Social Worker, immigration Attorneys, and Legal Assistants, serves immigrant children who have been released from ORR/Federal care to Arizona. The position has extensive client contact and provides case management, advocacy, and administrative duties to support and link children, including indigenous children and children who have suffered abuse, abandonment, neglect, or other emotional and physical trauma with proper services in the greater Phoenix area.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities:

Casework:

• Create and maintain a case plan with clear and concise case file documentation.
• In collaboration with legal staff, create and implement appropriate case plans and case management for the client’s most pressing social needs.
• Facilitate client referrals to non-legal services, including housing, medical, mental health, vocational, and educational services.
• Act as a liaison between clients and staff attorneys, including assisting clients in scheduling meetings with attorneys and other legal case-related appointments, understand the legal processes, and gather factual information from clients for legal cases, as needed.
• Accompany clients to USCIS or ICE appointments as needed and assist clients in attending medical and social services appointments as it relates to the legal case.
• Communicate with client’s case managers at school or other community agencies, as needed.
• Respond to clients in crisis and refer clients to appropriate agencies.
• Help clients prepare and understand forms and paperwork.
• Teach clients how to use public information resources (i.e., library) and transportation systems.
• Communicate effectively in person and by telephone with clients.
• Under supervision and in collaboration with other social services team members, develop and update a manual of social services available to our clients in Arizona.
• Identify new resources and services in the community.
• Be an effective, supportive team player—collaborate and communicate with FIRRP legal and social services team members, and other providers to coordinate and share knowledge and best practices among our three offices and different programs.
• Actively participate in the design and improvement of the social services program through the creation of best practices, improved assessment, program meetings, and staff development.
• Adhere to the organization's policies, particularly those related to confidentiality and client privacy.
• Participate in all program meetings and staff development activities.

Other Duties & Responsibilities:

• Participate in organizational fundraising and outreach efforts as requested.
• Collaborate and provision of trainings for staff and organizing events for clients.
• Other duties as assigned.

Minimum Requirements:

• Master’s degree in social work (MSW).
• Fluency or advanced proficiency in Spanish is required.
• Ability to assess situations, develop client-centric case plans, and respond to crises and difficult situations.
• Proven skills in achieving focused outcomes.
• Ability to connect clients with appropriate resources and build positive relationships with outside service providers.
• Aptitude for critical thinking, problem-solving, and decision-making.
• Strength of character, ethics, and commitment, and reliability.
• Ability to develop and implement case management documentation processes, organizing and tracking records and other data as needed.
• Demonstrated commitment to advocating for indigent immigrant clients in a respectful and empowering way, zealous support of the Florence Project’s mission, and displays a commitment to diversity and inclusion.
• Must be comfortable working with people with criminal convictions.
• Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to work with diverse populations.
• Ability to communicate effectively verbally and in writing.
• Highly organized, an innovative thinker, and work in high-volume settings with limited resources.
• Accuracy and attention to detail a must.
• Ability to do repetitive tasks for long periods of time.
• Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to work with diverse populations.
• Ability to communicate effectively verbally and in writing.
• Excellent problem solving, research, and analytical skills.
• Effectively manage multiple projects and meet deadlines.
• Demonstrate to be a hardworking, flexible, respectful team player that can work effectively in a collaborative, innovative, and client-centered work environment.
• Ability to work independently, be adaptable, and reliable in the face of conflict, pressure, crisis, or changing priorities.
• Exhibits high ethical standards and the ability to maintain confidentiality.
• Must be able to pass federal and state background checks.
• Travel is required for this position.
• Must have a valid driver’s license and reliable transportation.
• Proven computer skills.  Advanced understanding of basic office applications.

Preferred Requirements:

• Prior experience working with immigrant populations, teens, trauma survivors, or individuals with mental health issues is a plus.
• 2 years of experience working with immigrant children preferred.
• Prior work or internship experience in immigration rights, human rights, LGBTQ rights, criminal justice, experience working with trauma survivors is a plus.

Working Conditions/Physical Demands:

• Frequent visits to detention shelters and centers and exposure to unpredictable environments and unknown potential medical conditions.
• Operate in a professional office environment and requires the ability to sit for long periods of time with intermittent walking, standing, bending, squatting, pulling and pushing.
• Ability to use standard office equipment such as scanners, computers, keyboards, phones, shredders, photocopiers, and filing cabinets. Requires the ability to lift up to ten pounds accommodations may be available.
• Travel regularly between offices and secondary work locations.
• Effective September 1, 2021, FIRRP has implemented a mandatory COVID-19 vaccine policy.   To comply with this policy, active employees must be fully vaccinated by October 15, 2021.  Employees seeking an exemption due to a medical condition or sincerely-held religious belief should contact our Human Resources Department at humanresources@firrp.org.

Salary & Benefits:

This is a full-time position. Salary is competitive for our field and geographical area and is commensurate with experience: $56,000-$67,000 Annually DOE. We strive to create and uphold a positive, supportive, and inclusive work environment for all staff. We offer excellent benefits, including:

• Medical plans including health, dental, vision coverage, subject to plan terms

• Short Term Disability

• Eligibility for group benefits such as voluntary life insurance, subject to applicable waiting periods

• Retirement plan, subject to plan terms

• Paid Time Off earned on a biweekly accrual basis- Twenty-five (25) Days of Vacation Time, annually

• Five (5) Days of Medical/Sick Time, annually

• One (1) Day of Personal Time, monthly

• Eight (8) Week Paid Sabbatical, after three years of employment

• Bereavement leave.

• Company-paid federal holidays, all observed

• Eligible for Parental Leave which includes Twelve (12) paid weeks

• Mileage reimbursement for travel between offices and places of work.

• Relocation Assistance for out of state new hires.

Application Process:

This is an immediate opening. Salary is commensurate with experience. The position will remain open until we receive enough qualified applicants. To apply, please submit a cover letter detailing your interest in the position as well as your resume, three professional references and email a writing sample to jobs@firrp.org (choose a writing sample that you consider will be most relevant to this position). Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, and candidates are encouraged to apply early. Only those selected for an interview will be contacted. The Florence Project values diversity in the workplace and strongly encourages applications from people of color, LGBTQ individuals, persons with disabilities, and members of underrepresented communities.

At FIRRP, we recognize that people come with a wealth of experience and talent beyond just the requirements of a job.  If your experience is close to what you see listed in our current job opportunities, please still consider applying.  Diversity of experience and skills combined with passion is a key to innovation and excellence, which is very much valued at FIRRP.  Therefore, we encourage people from all backgrounds to apply to our positions.  Please let us know if you require accommodations during the interview process.

This job announcement is for informational purposes only and is subject to change and modification without notice. This job announcement includes a non-exhaustive list of responsibilities, qualifications and requirements of the position, but does not necessarily include all the job functions of the position.  This position is eligible for membership in the union Proyecto Solidaridad-FIRRP affiliated with OPEIU Local 251.