Outreach Support Specialist

OUTREACH SUPPORT SPECIALIST

BACKGROUND

REST exists to expand pathways to freedom, safety, and hope in order to end sex trafficking. REST offers programs that are centered on the strengths, needs, and individual choices of each survivor we serve. We offer a continuum of care that includes outreach, a 24/7 hotline, community advocates, a drop-in center, an economic empowerment program, emergency shelter, residential program, and housing services. We are inspired by our faith as a Christian organization, are dedicated to serving people of all faith backgrounds, and do not require faith engagement. Our culture is influenced by our values of belonging, honor, trustworthiness, and tenacity.

All applicants will be considered for employment without attention to race, color, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran or disability status. As a Christian organization, this position must work in harmony with the organization’s statement of faith and support the spiritual health of the organization. REST is committed to building a diverse workforce. We strongly encourage survivors of sexual exploitation and people of color to apply.

I Important Information: This role is supported by grant funding that is expected to continue through December 31, 2026. While there may be opportunities for funding renewal or extension, employment beyond that date is dependent on the availability of future grant funding.

ROLE SUMMARY

The Outreach Support Specialist is a key member of REST’s Outreach Team and reports directly to the Outreach Supervisor. The primary responsibility of this position is to increase access to services for survivors of commercial sexual exploitation and sex trafficking through proactive, relationship-based outreach and engagement.

This position will have a primary geographic focus on the Aurora/North Seattle corridor and identified areas of South Seattle, where the Outreach Support Specialist will maintain a consistent field presence, build relationships with individuals and community partners, and strengthen pathways to REST and other supportive services. While these areas will serve as the position’s primary outreach focus, the Outreach Support Specialist should be prepared to conduct outreach throughout Seattle and other identified service areas as survivor needs, referrals, emerging trends, community conditions, and program priorities require. Outreach locations and schedules may change over time to ensure REST remains responsive to where survivors are living, working, or accessing services.

Using person-centered, strengths-based, trauma-informed, and harm-reduction approaches, the Outreach Support Specialist proactively engages individuals who may be experiencing or at risk of commercial sexual exploitation, including individuals who may not otherwise seek services through traditional service systems. The specialist provides immediate support, basic-needs and harm-reduction resources, safety planning, information and referrals, and short-term resource navigation based on each survivor’s self-identified needs.

The Outreach Support Specialist also develops relationships with businesses, community organizations, service providers, and other outreach teams to strengthen identification and referral pathways and to help REST understand emerging needs, trends, and service gaps within the communities it serves. When a survivor is actively fleeing trafficking, experiencing imminent danger, or requires immediate crisis intervention, the Outreach Support Specialist coordinates a warm handoff to REST’s Crisis Team.

This role serves as a bridge between community-based outreach and longer-term services, helping survivors connect to REST and community-based advocacy, shelter, behavioral health, substance use services, housing, and other stabilization resources while maintaining clear boundaries between short-term outreach support and ongoing case management.

RESPONSIBILITIES

FIELD OUTREACH & SURVIVOR ENGAGEMENT

• Maintain a consistent and visible presence along the Aurora corridor and identified priority areas in South Seattle, adjusting locations and outreach times based on observed trends, survivor needs, safety considerations and program priorities.
• Conduct scheduled street, hotline and community-based outreach using relationship-based, trauma-informed, person-centered and harm-reduction approaches.
• Proactively engage survivors who may be experiencing commercial sexual exploitation, recognizing that relationship and trust may need to be developed over multiple encounters before survivors accept services.
• Provide immediate basic-needs and harm-reduction resources, including food, hygiene supplies, harm-reduction supplies and other approved outreach supplies.
• Provide emotional support, safety planning, resources navigation and information and referral to REST and other community services.
• Maintain appropriate professional boundaries while creating a welcoming, nonjudgmental environment where survivors can determine what supports they need and want.
• Ability to recognize when a survivor is experiencing imminent danger, active trafficking, medical crisis, overdose risk and other high-risk experiences and the ability to respond quickly and appropriately
• Coordinate with Outreach Supervisor regarding outreach locations, emerging concerns, safety issues and changes in field conditions.
• Follow up with hotline and outreach responders in order to meet immediate needs and referrals to services

RESOURCE NAVIGATION & REFERRALS

• Assess immediate, self-identified needs and connect survivors to appropriate internal and external resources.
• Provide referrals for shelter, housing, behavioral health, substance use treatment and harm-reduction services, medical care, food, transportation, legal assistance, identification/documentation, and other stabilization needs.
• Facilitate warm handoffs rather than relying solely on providing contact information, when survivor consent and circumstances allow.
• Connect survivors interested in ongoing services to REST advocacy, housing, behavioral health, shelter, and other appropriate programs.
• Coordinate directly with the REST Crisis Team when an individual is actively fleeing trafficking, facing imminent danger, or requires immediate crisis intervention.
• Provide short-term follow-up after outreach contacts when appropriate to support successful connection to services.
• Clearly distinguish outreach support from ongoing case management and transition survivors to the appropriate longer-term provider when continued support is needed.
• Assist survivors in overcoming immediate barriers that may prevent them from accessing a referral, including transportation, communication, scheduling, or uncertainty about the referral process.

COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS

• Develop and maintain relationships with community organizations, businesses, service providers, outreach teams, harm-reduction providers, healthcare organizations, shelters, and other partners serving individuals along Aurora and in South Seattle.
• Identify organizations and community resources that can strengthen REST's referral network and increase survivor access to services.
• Build relationships with community partners who regularly encounter individuals experiencing commercial sexual exploitation but may not specialize in trafficking services.
• Participate in coordinated outreach activities and community events with partner organizations when appropriate.
• Educate community partners about REST's outreach, hotline, crisis-response, and survivor-support services and how to make appropriate referrals.
• Communicate resource changes, service gaps, and new referral opportunities to the Outreach Team.
• Support the development of a current, practical resource network specific to the needs encountered in assigned outreach areas.

OUTREACH FOLLOW UP & DOCUMENTATION

• Document outreach contacts, services provided, referrals, warm handoffs, follow-up activities, and other required information in data system according to REST documentation standards.
• Complete documentation within established program timelines and ensure records are accurate, objective, and survivor-centered.
• Track outreach activity by location, type of engagement, referrals provided, and outcomes as required by program and grant expectations.
• Conduct assigned follow-up with individuals previously engaged through street outreach, hotline referrals, Crisis Team handoffs, or community partners.
• Maintain appropriate confidentiality and share survivor information internally and externally only according to consent, safety, and minimum-necessary-information standards.
• Participate in case consultation and coordinated service discussions when an outreach participant is being connected to other REST programs.
• Assist the Outreach Supervisor with collecting information needed for grant reporting, performance measures, and program evaluation.

OUTREACH SAFETY

• Follow all REST outreach safety protocols, including buddy-system requirements, staff check-ins, communication procedures, situational awareness, and escalation protocols.
• Participate in pre-outreach planning and post-outreach debriefing, particularly following high-risk or unusual encounters.
• Maintain outreach supplies, identify inventory needs, and ensure outreach materials are prepared before scheduled activities.
• Participate in supervision, team meetings, case consultations, training, and professional development.
• Collaborate closely with the Outreach Supervisor, Crisis Team, Hotline Team, and other Survivor Services programs to ensure continuity of care.
• Communicate emerging trends observed in the field, including changes in outreach locations, survivor needs, trafficking patterns, substance-use concerns, safety conditions, and barriers to services.
• Contribute ideas for adapting outreach strategies when engagement patterns or community conditions change.
• Maintain flexibility in schedule and outreach locations based on program needs, including occasional evening or weekend outreach.

QUALIFICATIONS

Required

• Demonstrated experience providing street outreach, community-based services, advocacy, harm reduction, crisis support, or other direct services to individuals experiencing significant barriers to stability.
• Demonstrated ability to build trust and rapport with individuals in nontraditional, community, and street-based environments.
• Ability to recognize safety concerns, maintain situational awareness, and appropriately respond to or escalate high-risk situations.
• Advanced interpersonal, communication, problem-solving, and relationship-building skills.
• Ability to work independently in the field while remaining collaborative, communicative, and accountable to the larger team.
• Ability to maintain appropriate professional boundaries and confidentiality while working with vulnerable populations.
• Demonstrated reliability, initiative, adaptability, and follow-through in a changing work environment.
• Ability to complete timely and accurate client documentation and maintain organized records of outreach activities, referrals, and follow-up.
• Willingness and ability to work a flexible schedule, including occasional evenings and weekends, and to conduct outreach throughout Seattle and other identified service areas as program needs require.
• Ability and willingness to work outdoors and in a variety of community environments and weather conditions.
• Valid driver's license and ability to meet REST's driving requirements if driving is an essential function of the position.
• Alignment with REST's mission and organizational values and willingness to work in harmony with the organization's Statement of Faith.
• Must be able and willing to successfully complete required drug screening and national background check.
• Relevant combination of professional, volunteer, lived, and/or educational experience will be considered.

Preferred

• Experience engaging individuals impacted by commercial sexual exploitation, trafficking, homelessness, substance use, interpersonal violence, or other forms of trauma preferred.
• Knowledge of trauma-informed, person-centered, strengths-based, and harm-reduction approaches.

CORE COMPETENCIES

• Relationship Building & Engagement: Ability to naturally approach individuals, build trust, and maintain respectful relationships in street and community-based settings.
• Trauma-Informed & Harm-Reduction Practice: Provides nonjudgmental, person-centered support that respects survivor autonomy, choice, and self-identified needs.
• Safety Awareness & Sound Judgment: Demonstrates acute situational awareness, assesses risk, and knows when to seek support or escalate to crisis response.
• Professional Boundaries: Builds authentic relationships while maintaining clear, healthy, and consistent professional boundaries.
• Adaptability & Problem-Solving: Remains flexible, resourceful, and able to pivot quickly as survivor needs, outreach environments, and priorities change.
• Initiative & Follow-Through: Proactively identifies opportunities for engagement, takes ownership of responsibilities, and reliably completes commitments and follow-up.
• Coachability & Growth: Responds positively to constructive feedback and demonstrates the ability to incorporate coaching into practice.
• Collaboration & Communication: Works effectively with survivors, colleagues, and community partners while communicating clearly and contributing positively to a team environment.

SCHEDULE

This position typically works Tuesday through Saturday with hours that vary. Occasional night hours may be required. Some holidays may be required, and some seasons may require more than 40 hours/ week.

LOCATION

REST’s office is located in South Seattle.

COMPENSATION

The pay range for this position is up to $28.50/hr. REST has adopted a structured salary scale as part of its compensation plan; a range indicates the intention to accommodate candidates with varying years of relevant experience, as determined by the salary scale. REST targets salary-range midpoints at or above the applicable King County nonprofit market median, subject to organizational scale, job value, internal equity, and organizational affordability.

BENEFITS

This position is eligible for all benefits offered to full-time non-exempt employees. This currently starts at up to 15 days (120 hours) accrued vacation, 10 days of accrued sick time, 12 holidays, 100% employer paid medical/dental/vision premiums for employee, one paid mental health hour each week, and a 403b retirement plan.

JOB CONDITIONS

This position encounters a variety of daily work situations, including complex situations that require immediate attention and decision making. There may be both routine and complex interpersonal interactions to navigate with care and thoughtfulness. Processes may change based on changing needs of the organization, new technology, or new ideas for efficiency. Position operates as part of a team and engages in on-site work that may require time spent sitting, standing, walking up and down stairs, driving, transporting items. Position works under occasional time constraints to meet objectives, and performs computer work, including using a keyboard, looking at a screen, using the internet, email, phone, and video conferencing.