Family Support Network Coordinator

Organization and position description: ICIRR is an over 30-year-old coalition composed of 130 member organizations and allies. Membership is broad-based and includes community-organizing groups, ethnic associations, unions, refugee organizations, churches and mosques, school districts and community colleges, and direct service organizations that work with diverse immigrant communities. ICIRR builds power with our members through local, state, and federal grassroots organizing campaigns. It provides our members with organizing and advocacy strategy, training and technical assistance on issues affecting their respective immigrant constituents, and up-to-date information and policy analysis on immigrant- and refugee-related issues. ICIRR intentionally provides ongoing leadership development opportunities and organizing capacity building for our membership, builds community power, promotes citizenship and civic participation, monitors and analyzes immigrant-related laws and policies, and forms cross-ethnic and intersectional alliances to advance an equitable and pro-immigrant agenda throughout Illinois and the U.S. ICIRR is a justice organization serving vulnerable immigrant communities; excellence in pursuit of ICIRR’s overall mission is expected of all employees.

The Family Support Network Coordinator reports to the Senior Director of Programs, and like all of our staff, he or she will be ultimately accountable to our member organizations and Board of Directors.

Specific Responsibilities

The Family Support Network Coordinator will be responsible for the following tasks:

• Maintain and update the Family Support Network Hotline System (1855-HELP-MY-FAMILY) as needed.
• Recruit and train volunteers to assist with hotline calls and referrals, as well as Deportation Defense and Rapid Response Networks.
• Maintain a weekly schedule of volunteers/interns for the Family Support Network Hotline.
• Ensure a trained staff member, volunteer, or intern responds to hotline calls within 24 hours.
• Collaborates with the Development Department, Programs, and Organizing Team to formulate funding proposals; seeks other support, such as co-sponsors of the hotline and training revenue.[1]
• Link the work of the FSN Hotline with relevant ICIRR campaigns
• Create and support campaigns through social media posts and website information
• Assist directly impacted individuals and advocates with tools that connect them to civic engagement, community organizing, and community building.
• Collect and maintain data on those served and engaged. This may include sign-in sheets, contact information, demographics, or other relevant data.
• Organize a monthly newsletter and other outreach materials.
• Create monthly/quarterly reports on the hotline.
• Build relationships with new institutional members of ICIRR and maintain relationships with existing members through Family Support Network meetings.
• Develop positive relationships with attorneys, ministers, service agencies, and other Hotline partners.
• Connect FSN relationships to federal programs, policies, or campaigns.
• Organize and participate in ICIRR all in moments (marches, meetings, and trainings)
• Convene Regional Family Support Network meetings as necessary.
• Organize, train, and connect with Deportation Defense Networks and Rapid Response Teams throughout the state to ensure they are connected to the FSN Hotline for rapid mobilization.
• Maintain working knowledge of the entire range of issue areas addressed by ICIRR.
• Connect the Hotline (its volunteers, families, and stories) with ICIRR’s other organizing priorities and campaigns.
• Organize and train trainers to run dozens of Know Your Rights workshops annually and incorporate knowledge of new policy updates.
• Identify cases for campaigns.
• Work with ICIRR staff on policy, organizing, and others as needed
• Update Information and referral lists as needed
• Provide information and referrals to Hotline callers and walk-ins
• Other duties as assigned.

Qualifications: We are looking for an individual who is reliable, good at building relationships, and is a self-starter. S/he needs to be willing to take charge of driving her/his own campaigns, meeting tough deadlines, and making her/his own schedule. Additionally:

Additionally

• We seek to hire people with deep experience living or working in immigrant communities, especially immigrants themselves and the children of immigrants.
• Bilingual language capacity in Spanish is required
• Working experience in community organizing and advocacy campaigns, and direct service, with some training preferred
• Excellent interpersonal and writing skills; experience and comfort with public speaking in English and Spanish; excellent leadership abilities and superior organizational skills; detail-oriented with the ability to juggle many different tasks simultaneously and complete them in a timely manner
• Some knowledge and awareness of policies and experience working with immigrants and refugees are preferred,
• Some knowledge of the legislative and public policy processes at the local, state, or federal levels is strongly preferred;
• A car and a valid driver’s license are required. Because the coordinator must be available