Job Description

WHO WE ARE 

The Vera Institute of Justice, founded in 1961, envisions a society that respects the dignity of every person and safeguards justice for everyone. 

• We study problems that impede human dignity and justice. 

• We pilot solutions that are at once transformative and achievable. 

• We engage diverse communities in informed debate. 

• We harness the power of evidence to drive effective policy and practice.

We work with others who share our vision to tackle the most pressing injustices of our day—from mass incarceration, racial disparities, and the loss of public trust in law enforcement to the unmet needs of people who are vulnerable, marginalized, and harmed by crime and violence. Vera has a staff of almost 300 people with offices in New York City, Washington, DC, Los Angeles, and New Orleans. Vera is an equal opportunity employer with a commitment to diversity in the workplace. We hire employees that reflect our values: respect, independence, collaboration, commitment, and race equity. If you want to learn more about life at Vera click here. 

JUSTICE SCHOLAR SUMMER PROGRAM 

The Vera Institute of Justice 2021 Justice Scholars summer program is a paid summer program focused on learning about the American criminal justice system, created and hosted by the Vera Institute of Justice, at our Industry City, Brooklyn location. The program is designed to give students an overview of the criminal justice system and to learn about criminal justice reform through guest speakers, class lectures, field trips, and group projects. Students will learn from various subject matter experts and will participate in field trips.  You will be encouraged to think critically about values and ethics, the concept of justice, and major social issues such as racial bias and economic inequality. Through challenging conversations, new experiences, and coursework, students will develop their critical thinking, writing and analytical skills, as well as gain a new perspective on the world we live in.   

WHO YOU ARE 

You don’t have to be an expert in criminal justice, but you should be committed to awareness, anti-racism work, youth, and education.  Optimally, you have work experience in social justice. 

You are deeply committed to the missions of racial justice and ending mass incarceration and will be able to draw from a strong knowledge base in developing this program’s curriculum.  Your knowledge and skills will ensure that throughout the summer you will lead the students through productive conversations and exercises, such as essays focused on specific elements of field trips, or brief, analytic summaries of presentations made by Vera’s thought leaders. 

You have strong social and emotional intelligence, exercise sound judgement, and are adept at problem solving.  You have strong logistics and organizational skills, and a temperament well-suited to planning and escorting teenagers on local field trips, navigating visits to courts and other locations.  You have a deep appreciation for the value of relationship-building, clear communication, and effective management of resources, such as the program’s budgets and supplies.   

The hallmarks of your teaching style include a passion for meaningful content that is well-explored, patience, and the ability to think on your feet. 

WHAT YOU’LL DO 

As the Program instructor and leader, you will develop and teach a highly engaging curriculum that builds students’ knowledge of America’s criminal justice system. You will plan, prepare for, and lead daily activities, including field trips, in alignment with lesson plans. Throughout the program you will provide proper, and continuous, supervision of all students. 

You’ll develop and implement a one-day orientation for parents/caretakers at the beginning of the summer, hosted at Vera, and intended to preview the program’s content and support parents’/caretakers’ abilities to support the youth through the program. 

To be successful in this job, you will excel in the following areas: 

1. Curriculum development: You will be experienced in creating, editing and disseminating a rich social justice-focused curriculum appropriate for a summer program for high school students. 

2. Pre-program activities:  You will be able and willing to assist with pre-program activities such as logistical coordination, admissions and selection process, pre/post-program survey development. 

3. Cultural competence and commitment to equity: You will bring real commitment to these values and a thoughtful perspective on how best to advance them within the summer program. 

4. Interpersonal skills: You will be able to engage effectively with talented and diverse students, and their parents/caretakers, external partners in the criminal justice system, community-based organizations, and others.  Additionally, you must be able to coordinate with Vera’s internal subject matter experts and ensure that their time engaging with the students and program, via presentations, Q&A, and/or short interviews, is efficiently and effectively managed. 

5. Collaboration, problem-solving skills, and the ability to act quickly: Collaboration is a core Vera value—and the Justice Scholars Program is an extraordinary opportunity to demonstrate our commitment to learning from and building on each other’s ideas, respecting others’ experiences and thoughtful exploration.  You will be called upon to solve challenges before and during the Program and to move it from development to fruition quickly. (Please be advised that this role may be remote)

WHAT QUALIFICATIONS DO YOU NEED? 

• You are an experienced instructor, who has taught middle or high school students, and can provide clear evidence of student learning and growth. 
• Enthusiasm for criminal justice reform. 
• A desire to expand the minds and lives of students in and out of a classroom setting. 
• At least 4 – 6 years of working with youths in an educational environment.

SALARY 

Based on experience and including excellent benefits. Vera believes in compensating its staff members at or above market. 

HOW TO APPLY 

Please submit a cover letter with salary requirement and your resume. Applications will be considered on a rolling basis until position is filled. Online submission in PDF format (through Vera’s careers page) is preferred. 

However, if necessary, materials may be mailed or faxed to  

ATTN: People Resources/ Justice Scholars, Summer Program Instructor 

Vera Institute of Justice  

34 35th street, 4-2A   Brooklyn, NY 11232  

Please use only one method (online or mail) of submission.  

No phone calls, please. Only applicants selected for interviews will be contacted. 

Vera is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer.  All qualified applicants will be considered for employment without unlawful discrimination based on race, color, creed, national origin, sex, age, disability, marital status, sexual orientation, military status, prior record of arrest or conviction, citizenship status, current employment status, or caregiver status. 

Vera works to advance justice, particularly racial justice, in an increasingly multicultural country and globally connected world. We value diverse experiences, including with regard to educational background and justice system contact, and depend on a diverse staff to carry out our mission. 

For more information about Vera’s work, please visit www.vera.org. 

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