Outreach Support Specialist

Real Escape From The Sex Trade•Seattle, WA

10d•$0 - $29•Onsite

About The Position

REST is a Christian organization working to expand pathways to freedom, safety, and hope and end sex trafficking. Its survivor-centered programs include outreach, a 24/7 hotline, community advocacy, a drop-in center, economic empowerment, emergency shelter, residential services, and housing. REST serves people of all faith backgrounds and does not require faith engagement. The organization’s culture is influenced by belonging, honor, trustworthiness, and tenacity. The Outreach Support Specialist is a member of REST’s Outreach Team and reports directly to the Outreach Supervisor. The role increases survivors’ access to services through proactive, relationship-based outreach and engagement. Its primary geographic focus is the Aurora/North Seattle corridor and identified areas of South Seattle, with outreach potentially occurring throughout Seattle and other identified service areas as needs and program priorities change. Using person-centered, strengths-based, trauma-informed, and harm-reduction approaches, the specialist engages people who may be experiencing or at risk of commercial sexual exploitation, including those who may not use 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 role builds relationships with businesses, community organizations, service providers, and outreach teams to strengthen referral pathways and identify community needs and service gaps. For imminent danger, active trafficking, or a need for immediate crisis intervention, the specialist coordinates a warm handoff to REST’s Crisis Team. The role bridges community outreach and longer-term services while maintaining clear boundaries between short-term outreach support and ongoing case management. The position typically works Tuesday through Saturday with varying hours. Occasional night hours, some holidays, and in some seasons more than 40 hours per week may be required. The position is based at REST’s South Seattle office and includes field outreach throughout assigned areas. The role is grant-funded through December 31, 2026; continued employment after that date depends on future grant funding. Compensation is up to $28.50 per hour. The role is eligible for benefits offered to full-time non-exempt employees.

Requirements

Demonstrated experience providing street outreach, community-based services, advocacy, harm reduction, crisis support, or other direct services to individuals facing significant barriers to stability.
Demonstrated ability to build trust and rapport in nontraditional, community, and street-based environments.
Ability to recognize safety concerns, maintain situational awareness, and respond to or escalate high-risk situations appropriately.
Advanced interpersonal, communication, problem-solving, and relationship-building skills.
Ability to work independently in the field while remaining collaborative, communicative, and accountable to the team.
Ability to maintain 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, accurate client documentation and maintain organized records of outreach, referrals, and follow-up.
Willingness and ability to work a flexible schedule, including occasional evenings and weekends, and conduct outreach throughout Seattle and other identified service areas as program needs require.
Ability and willingness to work outdoors in varied 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 values and willingness to work in harmony with the organization’s Statement of Faith.
Ability and willingness to successfully complete required drug screening and national background check.
Relevant combinations of professional, volunteer, lived, and/or educational experience will be considered.

Nice To Haves

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

Responsibilities

Maintain a consistent, visible presence along the Aurora corridor and identified priority areas in South Seattle, adapting locations and outreach times to survivor needs, observed trends, 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 trust and service engagement may take multiple encounters.
Provide immediate basic-needs and harm-reduction resources, including food, hygiene supplies, harm-reduction supplies, and other approved materials.
Provide emotional support, safety planning, resource navigation, and information and referrals to REST and community services.
Maintain professional boundaries and a welcoming, nonjudgmental environment in which survivors determine what supports they want and need.
Recognize imminent danger, active trafficking, medical crisis, overdose risk, and other high-risk situations, and respond or escalate appropriately.
Coordinate with the Outreach Supervisor about locations, emerging concerns, safety issues, and changing field conditions.
Follow up with hotline and outreach responders to address immediate needs and service referrals.
Assess immediate, self-identified needs and connect survivors with appropriate internal and external resources.
Refer survivors to shelter, housing, behavioral health, substance use treatment, harm-reduction services, medical care, food, transportation, legal assistance, identification or documentation help, and other stabilization resources.
Facilitate warm handoffs when consent and circumstances allow, and connect survivors interested in ongoing services to appropriate REST programs.
Coordinate with the REST Crisis Team when someone is actively fleeing trafficking, facing imminent danger, or requiring immediate crisis intervention.
Provide appropriate short-term follow-up and help resolve immediate barriers to referrals, including transportation, communication, scheduling, and uncertainty about the referral process.
Distinguish short-term outreach support from ongoing case management and transition survivors to appropriate longer-term providers when needed.
Develop and maintain relationships with community organizations, businesses, service providers, outreach teams, harm-reduction providers, healthcare organizations, shelters, and other partners.
Identify community organizations and resources that can strengthen REST’s referral network and increase survivor access to services.
Participate in coordinated outreach and community events with partner organizations when appropriate.
Educate community partners about REST’s outreach, hotline, crisis-response, and survivor-support services and appropriate referral processes.
Communicate resource changes, service gaps, and referral opportunities to the Outreach Team and support a practical resource network for assigned areas.
Document outreach contacts, services, referrals, warm handoffs, follow-up, and other required information accurately and objectively in the data system and within program timelines.
Track outreach activity and outcomes as required by program and grant expectations, and assist with grant reporting, performance measures, and program evaluation.
Conduct assigned follow-up with people engaged through street outreach, hotline referrals, Crisis Team handoffs, or community partners.
Protect confidentiality and share survivor information only in accordance with consent, safety, and minimum-necessary-information standards.
Participate in case consultation and coordinated service discussions when connecting participants to other REST programs.
Follow outreach safety protocols, including buddy-system requirements, staff check-ins, communication procedures, situational awareness, and escalation procedures.
Participate in outreach planning and debriefing, especially after high-risk or unusual encounters.
Maintain outreach supplies and prepare materials before scheduled activities.
Participate in supervision, team meetings, case consultations, training, and professional development.
Collaborate with the Outreach Supervisor, Crisis Team, Hotline Team, and other Survivor Services programs to support continuity of care.
Communicate field trends and contribute ideas for adapting outreach strategies as engagement patterns and community conditions change.