Victims Advocate (2) Positions

Hourly Wage: $20.10 / Regular / Full-Time

About the role

Victim advocates are professionals trained to support victims of crime. Advocates offer victims information, emotional support, and help finding resources and filling out paperwork. Sometimes, advocates go to court with victims. Advocates may also contact organizations, such as criminal justice or social service agencies, to get help or information for victims. Some advocates staff crisis hotlines, run support groups, or provide in-person counseling. Victim advocates may also be called victim service providers, victim/witness coordinators, or victim/witness specialists.

Responsibilities

• Provides training, education, and awareness to local schools, agencies, and businesses on victimization, crime prevention, victims' legal rights & protections, criminal justice processes and other subjects such as sex trafficking, date rape, and domestic violence.
• Walks together with victims/survivors of sex-trafficking providing emotional support, connecting them to needed services, and walking alongside them on their journey of healing.
• Provides innovative, trauma-informed, wrap-around-based, intensive case management for victims identified through local agencies, outreach, referral, or the hotline.
• Assists victims with intake(s), creates individualized safety planning & goal setting, and maintains progress notes for each client; including follow-up interviews every six (6) months.
• Maintains case notes and files in an orderly, up-to-date manner, and assists in improving efficiency of reporting, maintaining clear confidentiality policies.
• Assists clients in accessing resources to help meet their individualized goals. Advocates on their behalf with government organizations and community services to increase their opportunity for success.
• Attends applicable training (local, travel, & on-line).
• Supports clients as they progress through the medical and legal systems, providing advocacy-based counseling, referrals, and safety planning in a sensitive and supportive manner.
• Facilitates group sessions, assists with training & mentoring volunteers, and provides presentations & training to community partners.
• Provides assistance to victims with Victim Compensation applications, helps victims find emergency shelter, and notifies victims of inmates' release or escape.

Requirements

• High school diploma.
• Two years of experience working with victims of crime or other vulnerable populations.
• Required to pass pre-employment drug test.
• Required to pass pre-employment background check.
• Must not have any criminal record against women, children, youth, or vulnerable populations.
• Must possess a valid Washington State Driver's License with the ability to obtain a Tribal Driver Permit with Defensive Driving Course certificate (to be updated every 2 years).
• Capacity to work non-customary work hours.
• Successful completion and certification of Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault trainings.

Skills

• Knowledge of Historical Trauma and Intergenerational Trauma, and knowledgeable on complex trauma and the impact of complex trauma on the brain.
• Knowledge of Advocacy work as it pertains to victims of crime.
• Knowledge of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, sex trafficking, and stalking and how it affects victims.
• Knowledge of basic Case Management principles and how to apply them in case notes and goal setting with clients.
• Knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite.
• Ability to demonstrate and implement trauma-informed care.
• Ability to be flexible and respond to leadership directives in a timely manner.
• Ability to conduct presentations and training to large groups.
• Ability to communicate effectively both orally and in writing.
• Ability to work with women, children, youth, and vulnerable populations, and respond to crisis and/or escalated behavior with calm and confident demeanor.
• Ability to give oral testimony in court on behalf of clients.
• Ability to organize, discern, and problem-solve creatively and under pressure.
• Demonstrate initiative with researching and accessing relevant resources in the community.

Preferred Qualifications

• Enrolled Yakama Preference, but all qualified applicants are encouraged to apply.