Domestic Violence Advocate

Title: Domestic Violence Advocate Main Function: The Domestic Violence Advocate will provide emotional support, advocacy and case management services to domestic violence survivors, as well as to other agency clients. Services are provided individually, via groups, in person, by phone, on the hotline and virtually as per client need. Duties and Responsibilities of all Advocacy Center staff Create welcoming, affirming, and safe work and client spaces by: ○ Following agency procedures including those relating to safety, harassment, client confidentiality, mandated child abuse reporting, and building related problems; ○ Performing office tasks such as answering the phone and door, cleaning, and responding to office needs; ○ Regular attendance and meaningful use of staff, department, and supervision meetings, as well as other formal and informal means of communication to better agency culture, work relationships, and services. Client Services: ● Provide crisis intervention, ongoing emotional support, information, referrals, safety planning and advocacy services including, but not limited to accompaniment to meetings and appointments, assist with preparation of victim impact statements; emergency lock changes; accompaniment to file for Orders of Protection and other relevant petitions, assist in reporting crimes and accompaniment to interviews with law enforcement and/or child protective services caseworkers; court accompaniment ● Assist survivors with completing and submitting Office of Victim Services crime victim compensation forms. Follow up with clients who may have started but not completed the OVS application. ● Attend sessions of the Integrated Domestic Violence Court and other court sessions with survivors ● Attend multi-disciplinary Domestic Violence Case Review Team meetings ● Provide services to other agency clients (youth and adult sexual assault) as assigned. ● Facilitate support groups for domestic violence survivors ● Respond to calls on our 24 hour hotline after-hours (weeknights, weekends, and holidays); shared rotation with advocates. This includes responding in person to requests for forensic or post assault medical exam accompaniment or other hospital calls, shelter assessments, and law enforcement accompaniments. ● Transportation when necessary to meet client needs. ● Participate in shared daytime coverage of 24 hour hotline and client call response. ● Perform duties as a mandated reporter of child abuse and neglect. Collaboration: ● Attend bi-monthly Domestic Violence Case Review team meetings ● Maintain professional communications/working relationships with other service providers and agencies Administrative: ● Enter all contacts with clients and services provided into the database in a timely manner Supervision: ● Attend regular supervision meetings with the DV Services Manager ● Participate in annual performance review with the DV Services Manager ● Inform supervisor of difficult, dangerous and unusual situationsOther: ● Attend in-service training provided by the agency, and conferences/workshops as needed to enhance and develop knowledge and skills ● Attend regular staff meetings and occasional staff and/or team retreats ● Attend selected agency events per Executive Director mandate ● Perform shared office tasks such as phone answering and community cleaning ● Perform other reasonable duties as requested or assigned by any supervisor. QUALIFICATIONS Required ● One year of counseling and/or advocacy experience in working with Domestic Violence and/or Sexual Assault Services. ● One years of experience with crisis hotline for domestic violence, sexual assault or other translatable setting. ● Ability to work independently as well as in a team, with a willingness to appreciate different points of view and problem solve in a constructive manner. ● Sensitive to the impact of sexual and domestic violence in diverse and marginalized communities ● Commitment to working from an anti-oppression, harm-reduction, and strengths based trauma-responsive approach ● Good communication, organizational and time management skills ● Ability to establish and maintain effective professional working relationships ● Flexible schedule - must be able to work some after-hours evenings, weekends and holidays ● Must be able to respond in person to Cayuga Medical Center in Ithaca, NY within 45 minutes. ● Valid driver’s license, clean driving record, and use of car. Desired ● BA in human services, social work or related field desired. Equivalent professional experience considered. ● Working knowledge of domestic violence, child sexual abuse, sexual assault and community & legal systems Physical Requirements ● Periods of sitting ● Standing and movement ● Daily computer use The physical requirements described here are representative of those needed to perform essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions if no undue hardship is posed to the agencyLearn about The Advocacy Center of Tompkins County and the services we provide at https://www.actompkins.org/#