Community Advocate, Commercial Sexual Exploitation

Overview

YWCA Seattle|King|Snohomish is seeking a Community Advocate to join their team in South King County, WA. The organization focuses on the needs of women, girls, and families and is committed to racial equity and social justice. This is a full-time onsite position (30+ hours) with a benefits package including medical insurance, vacation, holidays, sick leave, and a retirement plan.

Note:

This position is fully onsite at YWCA Offices.

As part of Gender-Based Violence Services, the Community Advocate provides trauma-informed, culturally relevant services designed to meet the needs of survivors of domestic violence/sexual assault and commercial sexual exploitation (CSE). You will provide trauma-informed advocacy to adult survivors, which may include support with protections orders, family law, CPS, housing navigation, safety planning, life skills, employment, and more.

• Provide support to clients in navigating various institutions, including assisting with filing protection orders, breaking leases, relocations, CPS, and interactions with law enforcement.
• Respond to referrals and calls within required time frames.
• Conduct intakes with new clients, including screening for eligibility and determining essential needs.
• Housing assessments for new move-ins for emergency shelter.
• Provide crisis intervention advocacy
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• Collect and complete reporting and quarterly narratives using data and statistics.
• Develop and maintain relations with community partners and attend community meetings.
• Facilitate and create presentations relevant to partners and offered services.
• Engage in community networking to increase access to services for survivors, especially Black and African American survivors.
• Maintain 20 hours of continued education on advocacy-based domestic violence.
• Actively engage in agency-wide Race and Social Justice Initiative (RSJI) and strive for racially equitable outcomes; work to create a safe, welcoming community for populations who routinely encounter system oppress ions.

• 1 year of Direct Social Service experience or translatable lived experience in lieu of a social services degree.
• Strong orientation toward navigating multiple systems (e.g., municipal, superior courts, legal systems, law enforcement).
• Experience working with survivors from marginalized communities, specifically African American communities.
• Knowledgeable about gender-based violence including sexual assault, domestic violence, intimate partner violence, and human trafficking.
• Skilled in Microsoft Office (Outlook, Calendar, Teams, Excel) and virtual meeting technology (e.g., Zoom).
• Valid Driver’s License and ability to travel independently between multiple work sites within a day.
• Willingness to complete a minimum of 20 hours of initial basic training covering advocacy-based counseling, history of domestic violence, safety planning, and crisis intervention.

• The physical demands described are representative of those that must be met to perform essential functions. Reasonable accommodations may be made for individuals with disabilities.
• Positions involve exposure to clients who have experienced trauma, including risk of secondary trauma. Staff are encouraged to seek external support and practice self-care.
• Continuous information exchange with clients, agency staff, employers, and community partners.
• Regularly stand, walk, sit, and climb as part of duties.
• Frequent use of telephones, computers, and office equipment.
• Occasionally access personal living spaces within multi-level apartment complexes.
• Frequent travel up to 50% of the time by personal vehicle
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* Continuously = Over 80% of the time;
Frequently = 20-80%;
Occasionally = Under 20%.

• Hourly Rate: $28.00 per hour
• Hourly, Non-Exempt
• Excellent benefits package including medical insurance, retirement plan, and generous vacation, holiday, and sick leave.
• At hire, employees may voluntarily enroll in the Fidelity 403b Plan. Typically after two years, eligibility to participate in the YWCA Retirement Fund with 14% employer contribution.

Established in 1894, YWCA Seattle | King | Snohomish is dedicated to eliminating racism, empowering women, and promoting peace, justice, freedom, and dignity for all. We envision a society where all people can thrive and all communities are valued, respected, and self-directed.

EEO & Equal Opportunity

YWCA Seattle King Snohomish is an Equal Opportunity Employer. To read more about this, view the EEO posters and supplements.

For more information, contact us at caree rs with any questions or if you need accommodation for your application.