Victim Advocate

About YWCA South Hampton Roads

YWCA South Hampton Roads (YWCA SHR) is the oldest and largest multicultural womens organization in the world. YWCA SHR is dedicated to the fullness of its mission to eliminate racism empower women and promote peace justice freedom and dignity for all.

Serving approximately 8000 individuals each year YWCA SHR is a source of strength courage and empowerment for women and families facing crisis. We are a community catalyst for meaningful change and the advocate for shaping vital impact through quality services responding to the critical needs of survivors of sexual violence and domestic violence. YWCA SHR works across racial gender religious and social lines with organizations-partners in all sectors to educate about disparities advocate for change and provide resources and tools to dismantle oppressive systems.

YWCA SHR is in the midst of a rapid transformation from a well-established direct service provider for women and families facing crisis to an organization working at the intersection of eliminating racism empowering women standing up for social justice helping families and strengthening our community.

About the Position

Under general supervision of the Director of Survivor Services provides victim advocacy services victim advocacy accompaniment legal education crisis intervention counseling emotional support and community referrals to primary and secondary victims of interpersonal violence.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES

The essential functions include but are not limited to the following:

• Provide in-person and telephone communication with clients providing; crisis intervention legal victim advocacy personal safety planning service planning and community referrals
• Work collaboratively with YWCA staff law enforcement units Commonwealth Attorney and Victim Witness staff to provide immediate and ongoing communication regarding clients while maintaining YWCA confidentiality policies
• Maintain documentation of clients requests for services intervention initiatives service plans and services provided through the ECM and VADATA systems
• Provide advocacy and accompaniment services during legal proceedings during law enforcement interviews emergency rooms local jails magistrate offices and during forensic exams to primary and secondary victims of interpersonal violence
• Provide advocacy and accompaniment services during forensic PERK exams to victims of sexual assault
• Assist with facilitating sexual assault support group meetings
• Act as a resource person for staff. Prepare and deliver in-service programs and training for agency staff interns and volunteers
• Provide community and allied professional training regarding YWCA services and interpersonal violence
• Pursue ongoing training and education regarding interpersonal violence legal issues community resources and other related topics
• Attend staff meetings and attend related professional activities as assigned
• Other duties as assigned

QUALIFICATIONS

We will consider exceptional candidates who demonstrate a strong combination of the specific qualifications and skills described below.

Minimum Requirements

• Must be 18 years of age
• Must complete the training programs of YWCA SHR
• Must complete a successful background check

Education and Experience

• Bachelors degree in Social Work Criminal Justice or a related Human Services field required
• Two (2) years of experience in the field

Knowledge Skills and Abilities

• Must possess a strong understanding of interpersonal violence
• Demonstrate knowledge of interpersonal violence and a strong commitment to ending violence against women men and children
• Must possess strong organizational skills
• Must be able to work independently and manage multiple priorities and respond to participants in a professional and reassuring manner
• Demonstrate ability to act as an advocate on behalf of clients with a working knowledge of legal medical and social service systems
• Demonstrate ability to function as part of a team with co-worker
• Demonstrate ability to work well with people of various ethnic racial and socioeconomic backgrounds
• Demonstrate ability to communicate clearly and effectively both verbally and in writing
• Must complete the YWCA Onboarding and Advanced Training
• Requires willingness to work and travel alone
• Travel is required; must have and maintain reliable transportation
• Must have an excellent driving record and have a valid drivers license; certificate of insurance from an insurance carrier licensed in the State of Virginia

CORE VALUES

The Victim Advocate is expected to model YWCA SHR Core Values:

Compassion

Honesty

Integrity

Ownership

Responsibility

Empowerment

WORKING CONDITIONS: Work is performed in a typical office environment with a high standard of confidentiality.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS AND WORK ENVIRONMENT: The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential duties and responsibilities of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the functions. Must have the use of sensory skills to effectively communicate and interact with other employees and the public through the use of the telephone and personal contact as normally defined by the ability to see read talk hear handle or feel objects and controls. While performing the duties of this job the employee is required to: Frequently walk use hands to finger handle or feel objects tools or controls and talk or hear. Often required to stand and sit; reach with hands and arms; and stoop kneel crouch bend squat or crawl. Ability to lift and carry up to 20-25 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision distance vision color vision peripheral vision depth perception and the ability to adjust focus. The noise level in the work environment is moderately loud. Physical capability to effectively use and operate various items of office-related equipment such as but not limited to a personal computer calculator copier and fax machine.

COMPENSATION: This position offers a hiring range of $ that is based on experience and a full benefits packet to include health vision and dental insurance 17 paid holidays vacation sick leave retirement and other benefits. We actively welcome all candidates from a wide range of backgrounds who have the skills to fulfill this role regardless of compensation history. This is a full-time exempt position.

START TIMEFRAME

The position will be open until filled. Interested applicants are requested to submit a cover letter and resume to the job posting at

AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT (ADA) REQUIREMENTS

YWCA SHR is an Equal Opportunity Employer. ADA requires YWCA SHR to provide reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities. Prospective and current employees are invited to discuss accommodations.