Free Minds recognizes that books and creative writing have the incredible power to teach, build community, inspire individuals, change lives, and change society. We are seeking an avid reader and writer with excellent facilitation skills to provide essential support for our Jail Book Club program. This includes multiple book club/writing workshop programs at the DC Jail complex (including the Correctional Treatment Facility and Central Detention Facility) and DC’s juvenile detention facilities.
The Jail Book Club Coordinator will assist with curriculum development, co-facilitation, and evaluation/tracking of book club members for three bi-weekly book clubs: Lead Up (adult men); Women’s Book Club (adult women); and Emerging Adults (young men between 18-24 years old).
You are a fit for this role if you have powerful emotional intelligence, a love of books/reading, and a commitment to racial equity and transformative justice. BIPOC candidates and those who are directly impacted by incarceration are strongly encouraged to apply.
Salary
$50,000-$58,000
Primary Responsibilities
Curriculum Development
- Research book titles that align with Free Minds’ bibliotherapy-centered model to develop book ballots for each club approximately four times/year
- Assist in developing weekly session plans to include a guided meditation, warm up game, discussion questions and writing prompt, employing bibliotherapy and best practices in trauma-informed care
Co-Facilitation
- Read the assigned portion of book in preparation for discussion
- Co-facilitate book club
- Track members’ participation and conduct intake interviews for evaluation purposes
- Assist with typing members’ poems after each session
Evaluation/Tracking
- Write and share report of sessions to staff
- Enter session outcome data into Efforts to Outcome (ETO) evaluation software
- Conduct surveys and enter data into ETO
- Maintain ETO database to reflect current membership
Ongoing
- Act as co-facilitator as needed at Youth Services Center (Incarcerated Youth Book Club), and Mentes Libres (biweekly Spanish-speaking book club at DC Jail and Correctional Treatment Facility)
- Write letters of support for members being sentenced
- Create content as needed for the Free Minds Connect, a bimonthly magazine produced by Free Minds members, staff, and volunteers
- Additional program support as needed
Qualifications and Competencies
- Commitment to advancing antiracism, equity, and inclusion, with a passion for the organization’s mission.
- Keen awareness of multiple group identities and their attendant dynamics and ability to consistently bring a high level of self-awareness, empathy, and social skills to work and interpersonal interactions
- Excellent group facilitation and interpersonal skills
- Avid reader with appreciation for creative writing
- Lived experience with the criminal legal system and/or prior experience working with system-impacted individuals and communities preferred
- Prior experience living/working in DC preferred
- Spanish fluency preferred
- Commitment to trauma-informed care
- Knowledge of bibliotherapy preferred
- Experience with database management (including Efforts to Outcomes), Microsoft Office, and Google Suite
