JOB ANNOUNCEMENT: PROGRAM COORDINATOR, Fairness for Prisoners' Families, Southern Center For Human Rights

The Southern Center for Human Rights is seeking a Program Coordinator for its Fairness for Prisoners' Families Program. Duties include but are not limited to: conducting on-going workshops and monthly meetings to build leadership and train family members of prisoners in advocating for loved ones; talking with legislators, and speaking to the media; strategizing and implementing an on-going parole reform campaign; expanding campaign efforts state-wide; maintaining day to day operations to sustain connections with leadership committee members, the Georgia Department of Corrections, and general Fairness membership; developing strategies to generate membership; conduct and organize special events, such as Family Legislative Day and Poor Peoples' Day in collaboration with other groups doing similar work; and responding to inquiries made by community members about the program. Salary is $30-33,000 dependent on experience. To apply, please send a cover letter, resume, writing sample and the names and telephone numbers of three references to: Shelby Smith, Associate Director, at 83 Poplar Street, Atlanta, GA 30303, via fax at 404-688-9440, or email ssmith@schr.org .

About the Southern Center for Human Rights:

Since 1976, the Southern Center for Human Rights has defended the civil and human rights of people in the criminal justice and corrections systems of the South. A nonprofit, public interest legal project, the Center advocates for improvements in the legal representation of poor people in the criminal courts; represents people who have been sentenced under the death penalty; represents prisoners in challenges to unconstitutional conditions and practices in prisons and jails; educates the public about injustices in the criminal courts, abuses in prisons and jails, and the importance and value of a fair process, an independent judiciary, and constructive, non-violent and humane responses to crime. The Center is funded primarily by individuals, law firms and foundations. It receives no government funding.

About Fairness for Prisoners' Families:

The Center has developed a program called Fairness for Prisoners' Families to help families and friends of Georgia prisoners to communicate their concerns to the Georgia Department of Corrections, legislators, and the general public and to help empower family members to find solutions. To accomplish this goal, the Fairness for Prisoners' Families program works to:

• Strengthen the growing grassroots movement of families and friends of prisoners through community organizing
• Assist in the development of a network of activists and advocates that family members can access for training and organizing
• Provide opportunities for families and friends of prisoners to express their concerns to the state legislature
• Provide information to decision makers regarding the impact of their policies on families and friends of Georgia prisoners
• Advocate for legislation which addresses issues of concern to the families, friends and greater communities of Georgia's incarcerated citizens.
• The Fairness for Prisoners' Families Program is helping the families and friends of Georgia prisoners become more effective advocates for their imprisoned loved ones, to discover their political power with state elected officials and to develop themselves as social justice activists

Job Responsibilities:

Handle daily operations to maintain membership and sustain program

Phone and email advocacy assistance to members; contact with the Georgia Department of Corrections (GDC) and the Parole Board to obtain answers to some questions, or to ask for emergency assistance.

Maintenance and development of Leadership Committee

Continuing research and information gathering from GDC for updating Advocacy Handbook and from the Parole Board for the Parole Handbook
Conduct ongoing workshops, meetings, and events

Monthly chapter meetings and leadership committee meeting

Begin local chapters through four-part "Organizing for Action" workshop series

Additional meetings: Two-part Parole Education workshop series, Legislative Advocacy Training, fund-raising training, advocacy trainin

Two annual events: Poor Peoples Day, Family Legislative Day, and more as needed.

Publicity, outreach, and material development for events and workshops

Promotion of Fairness/Raising Public Awareness

§ Public-speaking on behalf of Fairness for Prisoners' Families to a variety of organizations to promote awareness of criminal justice reform issues and to spread the word about Fairness.

§ Produce Bi-monthly Newsletter in collaboration with other staff and family members.

Parole Reform Campaign

Development and execution of campaign strategy for Atlanta and Savannah chapters of Fairness

Monthly parole outreach/recruitment, Atlanta and Savannah

Leadership and Chapter development for Atlanta and Savannah

Salary

Besides the program coordinator, the Center is made up of eleven attorneys, ten investigator/paralegals, a public policy coordinator, an associate director, an office manager and two administrative assistants. A varying number of volunteers and interns contribute to the Center's work as well. The Center operates on a small budget (about $1.5 million) and pays modest salaries to all of its staff in order to make the maximum use of its limited re­sources. Salary: $30,000 to 33,000.

To apply, please send a cover letter, resume, writing sample and the names and telephone numbers of three references to: Shelby Smith, Associate Director, at 83 Poplar Street, Atlanta, GA 30303, via fax at 404-688-9440, or email ssmith@schr.org .