Bilingual Advocate
About The Position
The Bilingual Advocate provides mobile support and advocacy to survivors of domestic and sexual violence, connecting them with community resources to help them overcome barriers to safety and self-sufficiency. The role provides case management, including intake, safety planning, and meetings to develop and update goals, as well as crisis intervention, referrals, and support for people seeking shelter, housing, legal advocacy, counseling, and other community resources. The Advocate accompanies survivors to appointments and legal proceedings as needed, provides legal referrals and information about the legal system, and assists with service documentation and referrals to other social service agencies. The position also conducts community support groups and education, responds to crisis needs, collaborates with community organizations and police departments, maintains current resource information, and provides transportation or transportation connections when necessary. Services and documentation must comply with grant objectives. The position is full-time, non-exempt, and scheduled for 36 hours per week, with a flexible schedule adjusted to program needs. It includes on-call duties.
Requirements
- Bachelor's degree in Social Sciences from an accredited college or university, or a high school diploma with at least two years of demonstrated experience in a related environment.
- Ability to work a flexible schedule adjusted as necessary to meet program needs.
- Ability to accompany survivors of sexual or domestic assault to hospitals within the agency's southeast Harris County service area.
- Own reliable transportation.
- Bilingual English/Spanish.
- Good verbal and written communication skills.
- Ability to quickly establish rapport and communicate effectively with diverse populations.
- Ability to document clearly and concisely.
- Pass a criminal background investigation check.
- Provide and maintain a current Texas driver's license.
- Provide and maintain a clean driving record and update it annually.
- Provide and maintain current auto liability insurance.
- Be authorized to work in the United States.
- Ability to lift and carry 40 pounds and ascend and descend stairs in an emergency shelter setting.
Responsibilities
- Provide mobile support and advocacy to survivors of domestic and sexual violence and connect them with community resources.
- Conduct intake, safety planning, case-management meetings, and goal development and updates.
- Provide crisis intervention, referrals, and support for survivors seeking shelter, housing, legal advocacy, counseling, and other community resources.
- Accompany survivors to appointments and legal proceedings, provide legal referrals and information about the legal system, and assist with service documentation and referrals.
- Prepare timely documentation of services in compliance with grant objectives.
- Collaborate with community organizations to develop capacity-building opportunities for the agency and maintain up-to-date community resource information.
- Attend agency meetings and be available for on-call duty to provide direct services.
- Provide community education with the Education and Prevention Department, including mobile advocacy, onsite crisis intervention for outcries, and participation in fairs.
- Conduct weekly support groups in the community or onsite to empower survivors.
- Provide sexual assault advocacy services under the OVAG and OAG-SAPCS grants, including case management, support and education groups, benefits and entitlements applications, job-readiness programs, housing assessments, financial literacy, legal advocacy, and assistance with CVC, ACP, VINE, protective orders, and child support.
- Provide accompaniments, safety planning, information and referrals, and coordination with law enforcement.
- Participate in roll calls at service-area police departments, adjusting schedules as needed, and support victim liaisons at those departments.
- Provide transportation or connect survivors with transportation when needed to remove barriers.
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
