SafePlace Job Description
Job Title: Legal Advocacy Specialist
Reports to: Community Services Program Manager
FLSA Status: Non-Exempt
Number of Hours/Week: 35 hours per week
Normal Work Schedule: Monday through Thursday with possibility of working shortened days Monday through Friday
First and third Thursday evenings each month may be required. Occasional
Week-end and overnight work required.
Salary Range: Schedule C
Benefits: Medical, dental, and vision insurance; paid holidays and paid time off leave are provided as per SafePlace personnel policies. Employee Assistance Program provided. Retirement benefits will be available when SIMPLE Plan qualifications have been met.
SUMMARY
Provide legal advocacy to survivors of sexual and domestic violence, perform crisis intervention and ongoing advocacy in person and on the phone, and provide clients with referrals and other information in a culturally relevant manner.
ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
The Essential Duties and Responsibilities of this position include the following. Other duties may be assigned.
A. Provide and assist with legal advocacy services to our emergency shelter residents, legal clinic attendees, and court clients. Those services include accompaniment during legal proceedings in preparation for courtroom activities, as requested.
▪ Provide advocacy and assist clients in gathering information connected to immigration.
▪ Assist clients with anti-harassment, sexual assault and domestic violence protection orders, as requested.
▪ Ensure current statistics on clients are maintained and are entered into InfoNet.
▪ Maintain networking with the community legal systems with oversight by the Community Services Program Manager.
B. Maintain and assist in the on-going development of culturally appropriate legal resources.
C. Provide information to clients about safety planning.
D. Organize and attend bi-monthly legal clinics as needed.
E. Be available for on-call shifts as needed. This includes Sexual Assault Response and DV Non-Fatal Strangulation.
F. Organize, conduct, and participate in legal resource outreach and education to rural communities, legal service providers, Thurston County courts, and other SafePlace program employees and clients with oversight by the Community Services Program Manager.
G. Provide support during walk-ins at the Community Services Building, with the 24-hour help line, and collaborate with the Community Services Advocate with the Domestic Violence support group, as assigned.
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H. Work with the Community Services Program Manager in identifying potential changes to current operational systems when needed.
I. Attend community services, direct services, and all-staff meetings, as required.
J. Work with the Volunteer Program Coordinator to prepare, update and deliver the Legal Advocacy I and II classes for SafePlace’s Advocate Core Training.
K. Perform duties as described in a culturally responsive manner.
QUALIFICATIONS
To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed are representative of the knowledge, skill and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
• High School diploma or general education degree (GED) or equivalent educational background.
• One year’s experience (minimum of 1560 hours) providing crisis intervention and/or sexual and domestic violence advocacy.
• Demonstrated understanding of sexual and domestic violence issues and legal protections.
• Working knowledge of the court system, law enforcement systems, and legal procedures.
• Basic computer skills, including word processing, and knowledge of Internet and e-mail.
• Experience in prioritization and problem solving.
• Experience with effective communication, both verbally and in writing.
• Ability to organize effectively.
• Experience establishing and maintaining working relationships with co-workers and community organizations.
• Ability to work independently.
• Ability to handle stress effectively.
• Ability to maintain a positive attitude in a crisis intervention work environment.
• Have (or be willing to obtain) a car, current automobile liability insurance and telephone.
• Commitment to the need for client and agency confidentiality.
• Agreement with the SafePlace philosophy statement.
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
• Bilingual/bicultural in Spanish and English
• Completion of the initial SafePlace ACT training.
EDUCATION and EXPERIENCE
High School diploma or general education degree (GED) required. One year’s experience in crisis intervention and/or sexual and domestic violence survivor advocacy. Demonstrated understanding of, and training in, sexual and domestic violence issues. Specific knowledge, experience and abilities acquired must include the following:
1. Ability to organize effectively.
2. Ability to handle detailed work accurately.
3. Ability to prioritize and handle multiple tasks efficiently and effectively.
4. Ability to work independently.
5. Ability to handle stress effectively.
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LEADERSHIP RESPONSIBILITIES
This position requires support and oversight of legal advocacy volunteers and/or interns.
INTERPERSONAL SKILLS
To perform this job successfully, an individual must possess the following Interpersonal Skills:
1. Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with supervisor, co-workers and volunteers.
2. Ability to effectively work and communicate as a team member with a diverse staff.
3. Ability to respond to crisis, set limits and maintain healthy boundaries.
4. Ability to resolve conflicts in a fair and respectful manner. Ability to interact in a confidential manner that is sensitive to the needs of agency clients.
5. Ability to maintain a positive attitude in a crisis intervention work environment.
VERBAL and WRITTEN SKILLS
To perform this job successfully, an individual must possess the following verbal and written skills:
1. Ability to read and comprehend written and verbal instructions, memos, training material, policies, and procedures.
2. Ability to write objective entries in client records, meeting minutes, and informational memos and log entries.
REASONING ABILITY
To perform this job successfully, an individual must possess the following reasoning abilities:
1. Ability to identify and solve problems and deal with a variety of variables in situations where only limited standardization exists. Ability to interpret a variety of instructions furnished in written, oral, diagram, or schedule form.
2. Ability to identify gaps in standardized procedures and formulate proposed solutions.
MATHEMATICAL SKILLS
To perform this job successfully, an individual must possess the following mathematical skills:
1. Ability to accurately add, subtract, multiply, and divide in all units of measure, using whole numbers, common fractions and decimals.
2. Ability to perform these operations using units of U.S. currency.
COMPUTER SKILLS
To perform this job successfully, an individual must possess the following computer skills:
1. Basic computer skills and basic word processing, including knowledge of Internet and e-mail.
CERTIFICATES, LICENSES, REGISTRATIONS
1. SafePlace initial ACT training certification.
2. Valid driver’s license and current automobile liability insurance
3. CPR/First aid training certifications, preferred.
PHILOSOPHIES
To perform this job successfully, an individual must commit to the following philosophies:
1. Commitment to the SafePlace mission and philosophy.
2. Subscribe to the theory of empowerment.
TRAINING REQUIRED
Employee is required to complete the initial SafePlace ACT Training. After completion of first year, employee must attend 20 hours of on-going direct service training a year, which must include 15 hours advocacy-based counseling and 12 hours sexual assault training.
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PHYSICAL DEMANDS
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk and hear. The employee frequently is required to sit and use hands to finger, handle, or feel. The employee is required to stand; walk; reach with hands and arms; climb or balance; and stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 30 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, and ability to adjust focus.