Youth Advocate

The Louisiana Center for Children’s Rights (LCCR) seeks a Social Worker for the Baton Rouge Client Services Team. The role's primary responsibility is to provide high-quality, zealous mentorship and case management to help clients reach their goals in court and in the community.

The Community You Will Join

The Louisiana Center for Children’s Rights (LCCR) is a non-profit law office that fights to keep children out of the justice system so they can thrive in their homes and communities. We both represent individual children in their court cases and address the systemic issues that trap mainly poor, Black youth in the justice system.

Youth Defense: As the youth public defender in New Orleans, our Children’s Defense Team represents over 90% of children in the city who come into contact with the juvenile justice system. We provide each child with a holistic team – a lawyer, social worker, investigator, and youth advocate – to address both the causes and consequences of an arrest. In Baton Rouge, our Client Services Team works in collaboration with the East Baton Rouge Public Defenders Office to provide that same holistic advocacy.

State and Local Advocacy: We advocate for policies that reduce the number of children in the justice system and provide better alternatives to arrest and incarceration. For the kids who do enter the system, we support policies that keep them safe, protect their rights, and get them home as soon as possible.

The Difference You Will Make

The Youth Advocate will assist in the implementation of social service plans – including release and disposition plans that offer the court compelling alternatives to incarceration, and plans for provision of services upon release, driven by each client’s expressed interests and goals. Youth Advocates communicate with school staff regularly to support clients in school environments and become familiar with relevant service providers – including community-based providers of mental health care, job training, counseling, and housing. Youth Advocates assist social workers in making referrals, finding placements, and assisting with logistics and enrollment to help clients and their families access needed services and benefits. Most importantly, Youth Advocates maintain regular contact with clients, their families, and programs providing services to monitor service quality and client participation. Youth Advocates evaluate client progress towards service plan goals, and counsel clients to help ensure that goals are met. At the direction of the Social Worker, Youth Advocates also collect of medical and school records, and attend school meetings, disciplinary hearings and medical appointments as needed for client success. Youth Advocates also provide transportation of clients as needed and as directed by client case plan.

Your Expertise

Excellent interpersonal and communicative skills, and the ability to develop rapport with a wide range of people are required for this position. Other position requirements consist of excellent written and oral communication skills. Car ownership or daily access to a car with a valid driver’s license and insurance is required. Candidates must be willing to submit to a background check. Ideal candidates will demonstrate an understanding of sociological, psychological, medical, economic, and legal factors that affect adolescent behavior and will be creative and flexible problem solvers and team players.

Salary and Compensation

The position offers a salary of $40,000- $65,000, depending on years of experience and based on an established pay scale. LCCR offers employee benefits that include unlimited flexible time off, employer-covered health insurance (including dental and vision) for employee spouse or children, and paid parental leave. This position is a hybrid of remote and in-office work. This position is full-time, and no other compensated work is permitted.

To Apply

Please provide a resume, cover letter, and three professional references, explaining your interest in the position and your connection to Black youth or incarceration to jobs@lakidsrights.org. In the subject line of the email, please write “Youth Advocate Baton Rouge.” Applications will remain open until 5/15/2026.

LCCR values diversity and is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer. People of color, women, LGBT persons, people with disabilities, and those directly impacted by the justice system are encouraged to apply for all positions.