Senior Safe Home Advocate

SENIOR SAFE HOME ADVOCATE Full Time

Family Shelter Service, an agency providing help and hope for victims of domestic violence and their children for 40 years, is looking to hire an experienced Senior Safe Home Advocate.

This full time, 40 hour a week position is responsible for providing short-term crisis intervention services to adult and child clients in the residential facilities within our agency. The Safe Home Advocate will work alongside the client and other advocates to foster a safe living environment by providing formal and informal relationship building and life skills programming.

Duties and Responsibilities: 1. Provide direct services to victims of domestic abuse and their children including crisis intervention, safety planning, domestic violence supportive services, life skills, relationship building, advocacy, parenting support, information, and referrals. a. Hotline: Assess and complete intake and request for residential services to those seeking to stay in our residential facility as well as back up when necessary.

b. Provide a warm welcome to clients entering the residential facility, provide a tour, arrange for client’s accommodations in shelter, provide basic personal needs, etc.

c. Model and actively promote positive, nurturing interactions between adults and children in shelter.

d. Interactions may be formal or informal and individual or in group settings.

2. Implement the Life Skills Program curriculum and ensure completion of workshops as well as daily informal interactions with clients. Ensure this programming is provided on a regular basis, both formally and informally. 3. Ensures client is seen within the first 48 hours of stay to complete necessary assessments, address adjustment to shelter, immediate needs, immediate safety concerns, and immediate referrals. 4. Maintain a safe environment by providing immediate interventions, as appropriate, including conflict resolution/mediation. Also, perform routine checks to ensure the safety, health and security of the building.

5. Attend mandatory individual and group supervision, and program/agency meetings. 6. Participate in a team oriented approach by collaborating with other programs and departmental staff as needed as well as shift change reports. 7. Complete paperwork in a timely manner, including case notes and other documentation needed for a client’s file. 8. Act as a liaison to the Safe Adult and Safe Children teams to ensure communication and service collaboration. 9. Collaborates with Safe Compliance Specialist to bridge communication within the Safer Living team. 10. On call duties on a rotation basis. 11. Distributes and collects survey data from shelter clients. 12. Provides services in accordance with the Illinois Certified Domestic Violence code of ethics.

Relationships: 1. Directly supervised by the Safe Home Coordinator, under the direction of the Director of Safer Living Program. 2. Partners directly and ongoing with Safe Adults Advocates and Safe Children Advocates, and may collaborate with other departments as needed. 3. Works with agency interns as needed. 4. Maintains working knowledge of community resources.

Qualifications and Characteristics: 1. Education: Required: Bachelor’s degree in Social Work or Human Services or related field. Preferred: Bachelor’s degree in Social Work or Human Services or related field with 2 years social service experience 2. Training: 40-hour Domestic Violence training preferred but required at first opportunity 3. Service Delivery: Must be able to respond appropriately in varied situations and be able to function with minimal supervision. 4. Personal: Demonstrates self-awareness, insight and commitment to ongoing professional growth. Ability to work independently and within a team environment and exercise mature judgment. Understands and demonstrates the importance of compassion and non-violent communication, healthy boundaries, understanding of needs towards self, other staff and clients. Demonstrates high level of empathy and sensitivity to client’s trauma/situation. 5. Technical: Demonstrates excellent verbal and written communication skills. 6. Demonstrates understanding and effectiveness in working with diverse populations. 7. Leadership: Demonstrates professionalism, flexibility and good judgment. Demonstrates commitment to teamwork and collaborative decision-making. Demonstrates ability to problem solve individually and with a team to effectively deliver service.

Special Conditions: 1. Must have reliable transportation. May have to travel to different locations within agency. 2. Bilingual/bicultural preferred but not required. 3. Must have flexibility in working daytime, evenings and weekends. 4. Must be able to operate general office equipment and have basic computer knowledge. 5. Must be able to lift at least 30 lbs.

Measurable Outcomes: 1. 90% of qualified participants will have completed a Trauma Impact Assessment within the first 48 hours of arrival to shelter. 2. Increase in percentage of clients exiting the shelter program that report “often” or “ always” to following categories: I trust my ability to solve difficult problems, I am confident about the decisions I make, and I feel like I am in control of my own life. 3. Increase client knowledge of community referrals given.

Located in Wheaton, Illinois, Family Shelter Service offers a competitive salary and flexible work schedule.

To apply for this position, please email a cover letter and your resume to: [email protected] For more information about Family Shelter Service visit our website at: www.familyshelterservice.org

Family Shelter Service is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age or disability.