Emerging Leader Fellowship:
The Stoneleigh Emerging Leader Fellowship provides a hands-on experience for early career professionals interested in addressing the needs of Greater Philadelphia’s most vulnerable youth through policy analysis, research, or advocacy. Fellows work collaboratively with a host organization to execute a discrete project that simultaneously advances the mission of the organization and provides the Fellow with the opportunity to gain new skills and experiences.
This is a full-time, two-year Fellowship that provides salary, benefits, and a stipend for professional development. Stoneleigh staff work closely with Fellows to amplify the impact of their projects, enhance their professional networks, and grow their leadership skills. Fellows are also supported by their cohort of Emerging Leaders, who together participate in Foundation-led learning opportunities and programming. The Fellow will also become a lifelong member of Stoneleigh’s network of Fellows and alumni – a committed group of social justice leaders working across systems to improve the life outcomes of vulnerable children and youth.
Community Legal Services' Fellowship Project:
CLS is the largest provider of free, civil legal services in Philadelphia. One of the many concerns for CLS is youth homelessness. Youth homelessness in Philadelphia is on the rise. To address these young people's complex needs; CLS created The Youth Justice Project to focus on assisting youth with the outstanding civil legal issues that can present barriers to long-term stability. Too often these youth are left to navigate complex legal bureaucracies without support, and their legal matters – such as custody issues and access to critical public benefits – go unaddressed.
The Fellow will work with Community Legal Services’ Youth Justice Project team and with homeless service providers across Philadelphia to more holistically to meet the legal needs of these young people – recognizing they face unique challenges, such as high levels of system involvement, unstable living situations, and adolescent-specific developmental needs. Through this project, the Fellow will receive supervision, training, and support to accomplish the following goals:
-Conduct interviews and background research to examine the root causes of youth homelessness in Philadelphia;
-Engage in outreach and coalition building with Youth Justice Project partners to strengthen its network, and improve referral processes between legal and social service providers;
-Conduct interviews with legal advocates, service providers, and youth to inform best practices and policy and practice gaps;
-Provide direct legal representation for a limited number of clients navigating civil legal challenges in areas including expungements and public benefits;
-Develop and disseminate a best practice guide and toolkit for representing homeless youth in civil legal matters; and
-Work with stakeholders to identify broader recommendations for systemic reform.
Candidate Qualifications:
Candidates must have completed a JD degree between 2014 and 2017. Additional master’s-level degrees in related fields (such as social work or public policy) are valued, but not required. Applicants should will preferably have experience working with homeless and/or system-involved youth and possess an understanding of trauma, adolescent brain development, racial equity, and homelessness issues. Additionally, the candidate should be comfortable working independently and in collaboration with others; possess robust research, writing, and interpersonal skills; be highly inquisitive; and demonstrate strong leadership potential. Community Legal Services values a diverse work environment and strongly encourages women, people of color, people who are LGBTQ, people with disabilities, and people who have experienced homelessness and/or system involvement to apply.
Application Process:
Send a resume; writing sample; at least two written letters of recommendation (preferably one academic and one professional); and a cover letter that articulates why you would like to participate in the Fellowship (and how it will advance your professional goals), why this project interests you, and what prior experience and training you bring that prepares you to lead this Fellowship project. We welcome information about how your background and/or experiences might contribute to the diversity, vitality and perspective of our staff and legal services practice. Please submit your application online at www.clsphila.org/about-cls/available-positions by December 20, 2016. However, we will review applications that are submitted up to December 28, 2016. Contact Shaneika Patterson at [email protected] or 215-981-3744 if you require assistance.
Candidates chosen for an interview will be contacted directly by Community Legal Services. Community Legal Services will conduct initial interviews on December 28, 2016 and January 3-5, 2017, and finalists will be invited to interview with CLS’s Executive Director the week of January 9, 2017. Community Legal Services staff will recommend one final candidate to the Stoneleigh Foundation by January 16, 2017. He or she will be interviewed by Foundation staff along with his or her proposed supervisor on January 19, 20, or 23. In March of 2017, Stoneleigh staff will present recommended candidates and projects to its Board for approval and notify organizations and candidates about whether the Fellowship has been approved for funding.
If you have questions about CLS or this opportunity please contact Beth Shapiro, Staff Attorney, Chair of the Attorney Hiring Committee or Brenda Marrero, Deputy Director of Operations, Co-Chair of the Attorney Hiring Committee.