Careers, Internships & Volunteering
The Center’s staff helps individuals be safe from domestic violence, sexual violence and child abuse in the six communities we serve.
Join our team and help us provide our community vital support!
We work in a climate of mutual respect and teamwork, supported by the CEO/President and administrative staff. CFJ takes part in national demonstration projects and studies and has established best practices in its client services. It has grown to a $2.8 million agency with more than 50 employees who have earned the respect of their peers.
Careers
Check out our list of current job opportunities.
Provides intake, crisis intervention, advocacy, short- term counseling, case management and referrals for victims of sexual and domestic violence.
Provides client-centered, trauma informed services that include advocacy, crisis intervention, safety planning, and referrals to primary and secondary victims of domestic and sexual violence who call our crisis hotlines as well as residents of The Center’s domestic violence safe house.
Provide individual and group trauma focused therapy to children that have been impacted by sexual violence, physical abuse, or have witnessed violence that are referred to the Child Advocacy Center. Provide clinical services to non-offending caregivers of children who have experienced sexual violence and/or physical violence. Provide clinical support and guidance to all direct service staff. Represent CFJ clinical services on the Greater Bridgeport Multidisciplinary Team.
MDT/CAC Bilingual Family Advocate
Date: February 2024
Reports to: Chief Program Officer
Status: Full-Time, Non-Exempt
Provides information, advocacy, referrals and case management services to children and their non-offending care givers referred to the Multidisciplinary Investigative Team (MDT) and Child Advocacy Center (CAC). Referrals to the MDT/CAC are in response to abuse allegations reported to law enforcement and/or the Department of Children and Families.
Provides intake, crisis intervention, advocacy, short- term counseling, case management and referrals for Spanish speaking victims of domestic and/or sexual violence. Also provides outreach and education to community partners and agencies that work with underserved populations.
See Job Description
Internship Opportunities
Interns play a vital role to the work we do at The Center for Family Justice and are part of a collaborative effort to bring hope and healing to adults and children impacted by domestic and sexual violence and child abuse. Because of the nature of the work with clients impacted by trauma, CFJ requires a high level of training and commitment for interns.
Because of the structure of our program, the majority of our interns are typically placed for a full academic year and span the traditional fall and spring semesters or two consecutive semesters, such as summer/fall. CFJ often works with interns who are studying in majors including social work, psychology, criminal justice and pre-law, although we consider students from many academic disciplines. CFJ’s internships are unpaid and offered for college credit only.
Any intern offered a role in which she engages directly with our clients is required to attend CFJ’s 40-hour certification training. We encourage intern prospects to reach out at least six months before the semester for which they are seeking placement.
How to Apply: To inquire about internships and certification training, please submit a resume and brief cover letter elaborating on your interest in CFJ’s mission to Kayte Cwikla-Masas, CFJ’s Chief Program Director, at kcwikla@CenterforFamilyJustice.org. Please let us know if you are bilingual as we have many opportunities for Spanish-speaking candidates.
We have many opportunities for Spanish-speaking candidates!
Because of the structure of our program, the majority of our interns are typically placed for a full academic year and span the traditional fall and spring semesters or two consecutive semesters, such as summer/fall. CFJ often works with interns who are studying in majors including social work, psychology, criminal justice and pre-law, although we consider students from many academic disciplines. CFJ’s internships are unpaid and offered for college credit only.
Any intern offered a role in which she engages directly with our clients is required to attend CFJ’s 40-hour certification training. We encourage intern prospects to reach out at least six months before the semester for which they are seeking placement.
How to Apply: To inquire about internships and certification training, please submit a resume and brief cover letter elaborating on your interest in CFJ’s mission to Kayte Cwikla-Masas, CFJ’s Chief Program Director, at kcwikla@CenterforFamilyJustice.org.
CFJ often welcomes current law school students to join us as interns supporting our Pro Bono Legal Center, which provides free legal services to our clients impacted by domestic and sexual violence. This is a wonderful opportunity to work with our staff attorneys and engage in social justice-focused legal service and training.
How to Apply: To inquire about these internships please reach out to our Manager of Civil Legal Services Jennifer Ferrante, J.D. at jferrante@centerforfamilyjustice.org.
Volunteers
There are several ways you can volunteer at The Center for Family Justice. We have two types of volunteers: certified and non-certified. For questions about current volunteer opportunities please email Julie Banks at JBanks@CenterforFamilyJustice.org.
Working with adults and children impacted by trauma requires special skills, a high-level of training and extreme sensitivity to the experiences of adults and children who have experienced abuse.
Certified volunteers are the only CFJ volunteers who may have direct, one-on-one contact with our clients. Often, certified volunteers participate in an additional period of training under staff supervision before they assume independent client interaction. Our current certified volunteer opportunities include:
- Working with our walk-in crisis clients.
- Providing child care during support group meetings.
Because we are committed to offering our clients support that recognizes their unique situations, we require that all volunteers and interns who wish to engage in face-to-face client work complete a 40-hour, state-mandated certification course. CFJ offers this virtual course three times a year in January, September, and June.
Note: All of the above roles require weekday availability between the hours of 9 a.m. and 5 p.m.
Our non-certified volunteers often help us with tasks which can include:
- Pitching in at key fundraising events including our annual Golf Classic, Walk a Mile in Her Shoes fundraising and awareness walk and Speaking of Women luncheon.
- Serving as a member of one of administrative advisory committees including Finance, Sustainability, PR & Marketing and Programming as well as our White Ribbon Task Force, an initiative which works to engage men and boys in the efforts to end gender-based violence.
- Helping with administrative tasks including data entry, copying, organizing and mail preparation in our Development Office.
- Supporting the private practice attorneys working in our Justice Legal Center with research and administrative tasks.
- Helping us staff information tables at community outreach events.
Please note the majority of the above volunteer opportunities are available on weekdays between the hours of 9 a.m. and 5 p.m.
The Center for Family Justice works closely with youths and young adults from area high schools and colleges who want to help our clients either through awareness events or by helping out at the center’s Fairfield Avenue building.
We treasure the engagement of our youth volunteers so much that, at our 2023 Annual Meeting, CFJ started a new tradition by honoring two of our younger volunteers as our first Youth Volunteers of the Year.
Among some of the ways youth volunteers can help:
- Helping staff and participate in our Walk A Mile and Boo Bash events;
- Organizing food in our food closet;
- Organizing food and toiletry drives at their schools to benefit our clients;
- Leading fund drives;
- Participating in specific advocacy campaigns including healthy relationships and bullying
How You Get Involved:
To learn more email about how you can get involved, contact Marketing and Volunteer Coordinator Julie Banks at jbanks@CenterforFamilyJustice.org or call (203) 334-6154.
Other Ways To Help
Not everyone has the flexibility to volunteer on site at CFJ, but there are so many ways to make an impact in the lives of victims and survivors we serve.
Supporting Patti’s Place
Pitching in to support the completion of our domestic violence safe house, scheduled to open in 2024, with the donation of goods or services.
Being an event sponsor!
Organize a donation drive of gift cards, toiletries, or non-perishable items for our client pantry.
Join a CFJ Event
Take part in Golf Classic, Walk a Mile in Her Shoes event and Speaking of Women luncheon and Domestic Violence Awareness Month vigil.
Volunteer for a day on-site!
