Shelter Services Advocate

Job Description

Job Description

Available Positions: 1-- Priority for Bilingual Spanish speaking

Full-time, non-exempt, 36 hours weekly. Monday -Thursday 7:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

About SafePlace Olympia  

SafePlace is a nonprofit organization providing crisis intervention, advocacy, and support services to survivors of domestic and sexual violence. We are committed to anti-oppression work, social justice, and trauma-informed care in all aspects of our services. 

Benefits: Medical, dental, vision; paid holidays and paid time off in accordance with agency policy and procedure; Employee Assistance Program; retirement benefits upon meeting eligibility requirements. 

Position Summary  

The Residential Services Advocate
is responsible for providing confidential, survivor-centered support and advocacy to individuals who have experienced domestic and sexual violence. This includes crisis intervention, safety planning, emotional support, information and referrals, shelter intake, answering crisis line calls, and providing system navigation support for housing, medical, or other needs. The advocate also works collaboratively with community partners to improve survivor access to resources and ensures that the daily living needs of clients residing in emergency shelter are met. This position requires occasional flexibility to cover phone advocacy needs for sexual assault response shifts outside of the regular work schedule.  

Key Responsibilities  

• Provide trauma-informed, culturally responsive support to domestic violence and sexual assault survivors of all genders and backgrounds. 

• Staff the 24-hour crisis line and participate in coverage for phone advocacy for sexual assault response program. 

• Conduct intakes for emergency shelter and ongoing advocacy in person with shelter residents, supporting day-to-day living needs and system navigation for housing and other resources. 

• Assist with safety planning, housing navigation, coordinated entry connection and resource referrals. 

• May assist with shelter unit turnover and ensuring that all program spaces are safe, clean, functional and trauma-informed. 

• Maintain accurate knowledge of relevant community resources.  

• Maintain accurate and confidential documentation in accordance with organizational policies and state/federal guidelines. 

• Accurately record time worked and partner with manager and teammates to ensure program coverage. 

• Accurately log service hours with each client. This position is expected to log a minimum of 18 hours of direct client advocacy per week.  

• Collaborate with staff and community partners to improve trauma-informed response systems. 

• Participate in regular supervision, team meetings, and ongoing training. 

• Provides occasional transportation for shelter residents using a company vehicle to medical, legal, employment, and other essential appointments as needed as staffing and coverage allows.  

Qualifications  

Required:  

• Associate’s degree in social work, social services, criminal justice, or related field. One year’s experience working with survivors of trauma, sexual violence, or marginalized communities, or any equivalent combination of education and experience. 

• Commitment to social justice, anti-oppression, and survivor-centered practices. 

• Strong communication and emotional resilience skills. 

• Ability to maintain confidentiality and clear boundaries. 

• Completion of 30+ hours of domestic violence and sexual assault advocacy core training (or willingness to complete upon hire). 

• Valid driver’s license and reliable transportation. 

• Familiarity with Thurston County resources and social service systems. 

• Adherence to SafePlace mission, vision, values and philosophy. 

Preferred:  

• Bilingual Spanish speaking. 

• CPR/First Aid certification. 

Interpersonal & Communication Skills  

To perform this job successfully, an individual must possess the following interpersonal skills: 

• Brings and maintains
  high level of enthusiasm and employee engagement to the
  organization. 

• Ability to respond to crisis, set limits and maintain healthy
  boundaries. 

• Ability to manage personnel issues and conflicts with confidentiality, fairness, and respect with a diverse
  staff. 

• Ability to maintain a positive attitude in a fast-paced work
  environment. 

• Open to being part of a collaborative team environment with a diverse
  staff. 

• Flexibility and the ability to accommodate both staff and
  clients. 

• Engages with supervisor, teammates, staff, volunteers, and clients in a positive
  manner. 
• Embraces the following SafePlace values in all interactions with staff, volunteers, and
  clients: 

Reasoning, Math, and Technical Skills  

To perform this job successfully, an individual must possess the following reasoning abilities: 

• Ability to identify and solve problems and deal with a variety of variables in situations
  where only limited standardization exists. Ability to interpret a variety of instructions furnished in written, oral, diagram, or schedule
  form. 

• Ability to identify gaps in standardized procedures and formulate proposed
  solutions. 

• Ability to accurately add, subtract, multiply, and divide in all units of measure, using whole numbers, common fractions and
  decimals. 

• Ability to compile statistics and report them in an understandable
  form. 

• Basic computer skills using Office 365 

• Knowledge of Publisher and Power Point programs
  preferred. 

Certificates, Licenses, Registrations  

• SafePlace initial ACT training certification. 

• Valid driver’s license and current automobile liability
  insurance. 

• CPR/First aid training certifications
  preferred. 

• Language Proficiency Certification preferred. (Must pass written language proficiency
  test) 

Functional Area Breakdown 

• 70% Direct delivery service to DV/SA survivors that includes drop-in advocacy, advocacy off-site at partner locations, system navigation and advocacy and back up support for education and outreach activities. Includes after-hours SARP response.
• 10% Representing SafePlace at relevant task forces and partner meetings, maintain systems advocacy relationships, and community collaboration.
• 5% Data tracking (InfoNet), create and maintain client files, contribute to other data or reports.
• 5% Participating in required training and ongoing professional development related to advocacy, management, and compliance.