Community Organizing Jobs in California (NOW HIRING)

Job Summary

True North is looking for a Community Organizer who is passionate and energetic about

improving local communities, building power with others, and doing leadership development

work with both youth (12-26) and adults.

Organizers are responsible for building individual relationships within communities to identify

leaders, for building and supporting teams of leaders, for moving leaders towards concrete

action on issues, and for making space to evaluate the work being done.

The organizer in this position will be responsible for finding and working with teams of youth

to cultivate their leadership skills at their school sites and in their community; as well as

supporting teams of adults who will work in parallel to and in conjunction with the youth

leadership teams, specifically on the issues that surround substance abuse and prevention.

About True North Community Organizing Network (True North)

True North is a regional community organizing network that works in Humboldt and Del Norte

Counties and Tribal Lands. We are families, elders, youth, and individuals of diverse faith

traditions, races, cultures, and economic capacities who are united by common values and our

desire to achieve dignity and equity for all people in our region. We believe that as everyday

people working together, we are able to courageously address the most pressing problems

affecting our communities. True North is a member of PICO California, one of the largest

organizing networks in CA. and Faith in Action, one of the largest grassroots community

organizing networks in the country.

Job Description/Activities

The Youth and Family Organizer is responsible for working with a variety of schools,

neighborhoods, churches, community groups and tribes, to do the following:

● Find and develop youth and adult leaders, who are enthusiastic about cultivating youth

leadership and mentorship relationships.

● Identify issues important to the local youth members (starting issue will be focused on

building teams of youth and adults within the schools/community to work on reducing

substance use in schools and community)

● Assist in the research, planning, and development of a youth mentorship program.

● Support the implementation of mentorship activities, workshops, and

leadership-building opportunities

● Meet weekly with the Organizing Director (Humboldt) for guidance and supervision and

attend mandatory professional development training with True North organizing staff.

● Hold at least two sessions of the youth mentorship program with all program youth

involved by December 31, 2025.

● Work with youth and adult leaders to design campaign strategies and win policy changes

that improve communities and the quality of life for students and families.

● Collaborate with youth teams to design and plan youth-centered events in the

community at large to facilitate relationship-building among youth and between youth

and adult mentors, and to promote awareness of important local social issues.

● Collaborate with youth to design and plan trainings for the youth leadership teams

● Collaborate with other school, tribal, and community based initiatives/programs that

have youth teams who are prevention focused, particularly for substance abuse issues,

but also address other issues that impact youth

● Collaborate and coordinate activities, trainings, and team and community meetings with

the Del Norte and Tribal Lands Organizer

● Collaborate with regional and state federation partners

This individual is expected to be a full participant in achieving the True North mission, with

specific responsibility to:

● Developing community leadership through the principles and practices of the PICO

model of community organizing

● Building local organizing committees (LOCs) with youth and parents at school sites and in

the community.

● Building relationships with youth and adult leader teams and work with them to set

listening goals, research options, define issues and conduct public actions to resolve

community concerns

● Cultivating intergenerational relationship-building between all ages of leaders who are

committed to demonstrating mutual respect and care for each other and their

communities.

● Working with faith, spiritual and institutional leaders from diverse traditions to build

relationships and to act in the public arena on issues affecting their members

● Conducting one-to-one conversations with youth, adult community leaders, and

community stakeholders on a consistent and frequent basis

● Participating in True North and the PICO National Network initiatives and campaigns to

move policy at regional, state and national levels

● Participating in fundraising, research, and administrative activities as needed

● Participating in staff professional development sessions and other training activities

Qualifications:

We are seeking an individual who excels in relationship-building, particularly with youth; has

strong instincts of how to build teams and build power; and has exceptional follow-through on

tasks and plans.

Strong candidates should have the following knowledge, skills, and abilities:

• Experience working with youth (11-17) and young adults (18-30).

• Strong interpersonal and relational skills, and interest in people; a good listener, and

good communication skills

• Capacity to think strategically and analytically about social, economic, cultural, and

political issues affecting our communities

• Experience/comfort working with people in faith and spiritual communities around

social change issues

• Experience/comfort working with principals, teachers, and other adult staff at schools

• Ability to develop and maintain relationships with youth, young adults, and adult

community members.

• A creative and curious mindset

• An ability to work in a multi-faith, multi-racial, and multi-ethnic contexts

• A commitment towards justice, equity, and wellness in schools and communities

• Desire to learn and openness to challenge

• A self-directed, highly motivated orientation and an ability to provide positive,

disciplined leadership in an unstructured environment

• Experience with and comfort using computers, email systems, and basic office

equipment

Candidates need to:

● Possess a driver’s license, car insurance, and access to a reliable automobile to travel

within Humboldt and Del Norte counties

● Have an up to date TB test

● Complete a LiveScan and any extra background check as required

Preferred/Desired Qualifications, but not required:

• College degree or equivalent work experience

• Spanish fluency is highly preferred

• Experience working with Native American populations and Tribal governments

• Experience with and comfort using web-based video conferencing systems such as Zoom

to conduct virtual meetings and trainings

• Familiarity with Google Docs, Gmail, and the Google calendar system

Physical and Mental Requirements of Job: All job functions listed above involve to a greater or

lesser degree the following physical demands: close vision, hearing/listening, clear complete

speech.

Equal Opportunity Employer

True North Organizing is an equal opportunity employer and makes employment decisions on

the basis of merit and without regard to race, religions creed, color, age, sex, sexual

orientation, gender identity, genetic information, national origin, religion, marital status,

medical condition, disability, military service, pregnancy, childbirth and related medical

conditions, or any other classification protected by federal, state, or local laws or ordinances