Prevention Advocate

Rebuilding Hope Sexual Assault Center is seeking to hire a passionate and capable individual to serve as a Prevention Advocate. Rebuilding Hope’s mission is to provide support, promote healing, and partner to end sexual violence. Rebuilding Hope aspires to build communities that do not tolerate oppressive social norms, behaviors, or systems that promote sexual violence or exploitation. Communities where those who have been harmed are believed and supported in pursuit of their individual paths of healing. Communities where sexual violence does not exist, and their people are educated and empowered to center full choice, consent, and safety. For 50 years, Rebuilding Hope has served as the sole community sexual assault center and only state-accredited Community Sexual Assault Program to Pierce County and, since 2023, to Kitsap County. We are seeking candidates for this position who are passionate about enacting positive social change toward reducing instances of sexual violence in our community and who have the capacity to serve survivors seeking support following sexual assault or abuse. Rebuilding Hope is committed to developing a team of staff who reflect the diverse demography of our community and who represent the populations who are disproportionately impacted by violence. We strongly encourage members of our Black, Indigenous, 2SLGBTQIA+, culturally diverse, and differently-abled communities to apply. Nature of Work: This is a full-time position involving extensive contact with sexual assault victims, their families, and their friends. This is an in-office position with the potential for hybrid work upon the approval of the Education Department Manager. Please note that, for this position, “in-office” is also intended to mean ‘primarily based in the community, delivering services, and developing community relationships.’ Primary Objective: To directly provide live and in-person prevention education, community education, professional training and technical assistance, and community outreach as a member of the Rebuilding Hope Education Department in Pierce and Kitsap Counties. Responsibilities of this position are supervised and directed by the Education Department Manager, the Advocacy Department Manager, and, in the absence of Department Managers, the Deputy Director or other designee. Responsible to: Education Department Manager Salary & Benefits: $28.50 - $31.75 hourly (DOE) Agency pays 100% of premiums for health, dental, and vision care plans for full-time employees as well as a 2% contribution of eligible employee’s salary to the Agency’s SIMPLE IRA retirement plan. The Agency offers generous accrual rates for paid personal, sick, and vacation time off in addition to 13 paid holidays. Location: This position is based out of the Agency’s Tacoma offices but travels regularly throughout Pierce and Kitsap Counties for on-site facilitation of assigned responsibilities. This Position may occasionally be required to drive longer commutes within Washington State for work purposes, with mileage reimbursed per Agency policy. Education Responsibilities: Building and maintaining relationships throughout the community, including systems- and community-based professionals as well as community members at-large (Pierce andKitsap County); Remaining current with the principles and standards of sexual violence prevention and developing prevention literature, research, and practices; Creating, updating, and maintaining prevention curricula and educational materials to ensure compliance with prevention standards according to the Office of Crime Victim Advocacy Database (“OCVA”) and relevant grant funders; Presenting prevention curriculum and educational materials to the community (including schools, youth programs, community members, etc) in person and virtually as requested; Facilitating and co-facilitating virtual and in-person survivor support groups and drop-in spaces on topics related to sexual trauma prevention, response, and recovery; Responding to and following up with community partners in a timely manner; Developing and improving methods of targeted outreach, the success or efficacy of prevention services, and program initiatives; Documenting prevention education activities into the agency’s internal database, OCVA Infonet, and supporting reporting required by any additional Agency funding sources; Providing support in the facilitation of Advocate and Therapist Core Training as assigned up to four times per year; and Ensuring that all mandatory reports are made as required. Advocacy Responsibilities: Supporting Rebuilding Hope’s 24/7 Helpline(s), as needed, through live telephone and chat advocacy as well as through email advocacy and in-person hospital response to contracted hospital emergency departments; ** Coordinating sexual assault advocacy services with community professionals in accordance with client confidentiality policies; ** Assisting in communicating appropriate referrals to the STEP advocate and Therapy Programs; ** Working collaboratively with other agency staff to provide support to clients and programs; and ** Responding to contracted Pierce and Kitsap County hospitals, law enforcement agencies, or other approved facilities to provide support and assistance during forensic rape exams, law enforcement interviews, and court hearings; Accepting and processing external and internal referrals to provide core sexual assault advocacy services (to include but not limited to walk-ins, crisis intervention; information and referral; general, medical, and legal advocacy) to primary and secondary victims of sexual assault and abuse, as needed; Assisting Pierce County residents in filing for civil orders of protection (remote or in-person) and providing any scheduled or assigned follow-up to clients, as needed; Following up with clients as scheduled for personalized service referral, including but not limited to Safety Planning, Housing, Mental Health, Legal, Clothing, and/or Transportation; Completing all paperwork and required data reporting as assigned in a timely, thorough, and accurate manner; Responding to and following up with clients in a timely manner; Notifying the Advocacy Coordinator and/or chain of support when a conflict of interest arises in responding to a client call or in-person response; and Ensuring that all mandatory reports are made as required. Leadership Responsibilities: Attending community awareness/outreach events when scheduled and assigned (sometimes including nights, weekends, and holidays), presenting information regarding agency history and services (in both Pierce and Kitsap Counties); Assisting the Education Department in networking and outreach to external agencies and community professionals; Providing any necessary internal programmatic support; and Assisting with the ongoing development of this position. Administrative Responsibilities: Upholding All agency and Departmental Policies, including Confidentiality Policy and Mandatory Reporting Policy; Completing all client paperwork and documentation, including call sheets, ROIs, and consent forms, in a timely, thorough, and accurate manner; Submitting all timesheets and reimbursement requests to the Education Program Manager in accordance with the predetermined deadlines/due dates; and Responding in a timely manner to all program staff requests when scheduled for regular work hours. Meeting and Training Requirements: Completing 30+ hours of OCVA-mandated sexual assault training (provided by Rebuilding Hope or other approved Core training); Maintaining 12+ hours of ongoing training annually, to be approved by the Education Department Manager; Attending monthly advocacy and prevention meetings and trainings with advocacy/prevention staff; Attending scheduled Rebuilding Hope staff meetings and additional Rebuilding Hope staff requirements, including staff retreats or internal staff training requirements; and Committing to an individual training and development plan with your supervisor that centers on cultural sensitivity, community diversity, equity, access, and inclusion concepts and practices relevant to your position and your representation of Rebuilding Hope to the community and clients we serve. Distinguishing Characteristics The Prevention Advocate must demonstrate competency in working with individuals impacted by sexual violence, behavioral health concerns, and trauma, including an understanding of the dynamics and impacts of commercial sexual exploitation and human trafficking. The position requires strong communication, active listening, and interpersonal skills, along with the ability to demonstrate leadership, exercise sound and independent judgment, and respond appropriately to changing client and organizational needs. The employee must be able to work effectively with individuals from diverse backgrounds, collaborate with community partners and other agencies, and maintain a flexible, client-centered approach to service delivery, and be able to implement prevention strategies and principles to increase awareness and prevention skills throughout the community. The Prevention Advocate is expected to demonstrate a strong commitment to Rebuilding Hope’s mission, values, philosophy, and goals, as well as to trauma-informed care, victim/survivor empowerment, confidentiality, and respectful, equitable service delivery. Qualifications The Prevention Advocate must have extensive working knowledge and awareness of the foundational issues related to sexual violence, child sexual abuse, commercial sexual exploitation and sex trafficking, and trauma as well as how to work with multidisciplinary professionals relevant to child abuse intervention and investigations. This employee must demonstrate an ability to effectively engage and communicate with clients, Rebuilding Hope staff, and community partners and professionals, with excellent oral and written communication skills. Effective time management, excellent organizational skills, attention to detail, and the ability to prioritize and manage multiple responsibilities are essential. Prior professional experience working with survivors of sexual assault, individuals impacted by behavioral health concerns, or other trauma-related services, and working with children in a professional setting is preferred. Strong computer skills, including experience with Microsoft Office and Google Drive/Google Workspace applications, are also preferred. The successful candidate must demonstrate professionalism, sound judgment, cultural responsiveness, and the ability to maintain confidentiality when working with clients and sensitive information. The employee must be comfortable presenting information on sensitive topics to youth and adult community members in a variety of settings, both formal and informal. The desired experience and training for the Client Access Specialist includes: bachelor’s degree in Psychology, Social Work or Human Services (or equivalent, AND at least one year of experience in providing advocacy, counseling or direct human services; OR a combination of four years of relevant education, training and experience to include direct client or human services. Past or current graduate-level assessment/ counseling training is a plus but not required. Transportation: The candidate must have their own means of reliable transportation in order to ensure County-wide and cross-county medical responses; mileage and other direct transportation expenses are reimbursed for this position per the Agency’s policy. The candidate must be able to provide a valid driver’s license and proof of current, personal automobile insurance valid for Washington State. Position Details: This is a full-time, non-exempt, hourly position. This position pays $28.50-$31.75/hour depending on qualifications, experience, and longevity. This is a grant-funded position and is secured through December 2027 with a strong likelihood that funding will be sustained through 2028. This position will require occasional work after-hours and weekends. Rebuilding Hope Sexual Assault Center is an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to cultivating a staff that reflects the communities we serve. We aim to attract candidates who broaden our diversity of race, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, age, ethnicity, religion, cultural experiences, skills, and community representation. We seek employees who value collegiality, respect, and pride in the workplace. We believe the inclusion and amplification of our differences creates a more effective workplace and a more compassionate world. NOTE: All applicants with Agency client history are subject to a minimum 2-year separation period to be considered for the position. All new hires are subject to a 90-day review period and, upon successful completion of that review period, will earn benefits including paid leave in accordance with the Agency’s adopted policies and procedures. Full-time employees may choose to opt into the Agency’s policies for medical, dental, short-term disability, and retirement benefits upon satisfaction of eligibility and enrollment periods. All candidates will be subject to a multi-agency background check with fingerprinting. This position will remain posted until filled. #J-18808-Ljbffr CPC Clinical Research