Are you driven by the power of purpose? Do you strive to empower women, eliminate racism and promote peace, justice, and dignity for all? If so, YWCA of Metro St. Louis is the place for you!

YWCA of Metro St. Louis provides our employees with opportunities to make a positive impact in the community while gaining the skills and confidence to have a fulfilling and successful career. 

Purpose:

The On-Call Advocate will provide advocacy, emotional support, and safety planning to those who identify or are identified as survivors of sexual assault, domestic violence, and sex trafficking. Primarily, the advocate will provide support services to survivors at hospitals, police departments, or other locations in the community as appropriate. Advocates will need to keep an open flexible schedule to meet the needs of the community, survivors, and agency.

The advocate will work, as part of a rotation, on weekends starting on Friday evening and ending on Monday morning. Advocates will receive base pay for standby hours for the weekend, regardless of whether they are dispatched to a hospital or police department. When the advocate is dispatched to the hospital and/or police department, the advocate will receive an hourly rate of pay, in addition to their base pay, for time spent providing services.

Job Responsibilities

• Responsible for client outcomes, and service documentation, as related to crisis intervention program goals, objectives, and agency and funder requirements for clients enrolled in Crisis Intervention services designated for victims of sexual assault, domestic violence, sex trafficking, and other victimizations.
• Maintain strict adherence to the YWCA Metro St Louis policies, procedures, professional standards of conduct, and codes of ethics and those that govern applicable fields of human service practice.
• Provide advocacy (80%): Provide crisis intervention, emotional support, safety planning, information, and referral services to survivors of sexual assault, domestic violence, and/or sex trafficking in hospitals and local police departments and during follow-up. Services will be primarily provided face-to-face, voluntary intervention, providing support on an emergency basis to survivors and their families, friends, and significant others, as appropriate.
• Work as part of a coordinated community response, including, but not limited to SANE’s local law enforcement agencies, and local universities. Must keep work cell phone on their person throughout their on-call weekend, and answer/return all phone calls in a timely manner. Arrive at the local hospital or police department within 45 minutes of being dispatched. Provide medical advocacy. Be present at the hospital while medical procedures, such as the evidence collection kit, are being performed to explain each part of the process to the survivor, as well as provide emotional support. Explain and clarify the workings and processes of the criminal justice system. Provide legal advocacy for survivors before, during, and after the police report.
• Data and record management (10%): Complete initial intake paperwork and survivor demographic data, weekly statistics reports, time sheets, and all other required paperwork.
• Advocates must have clear communication with the Lead to ensure continuity of services for survivors.
• Answer 24-hour crisis hotline calls (5%), on an as-needed basis.
• Training and Supervision (3%): Participate in all required organizational, program-specific, and position-related professional development, in-service training, and direct supervision meetings.
• Mandated Reporter Guidelines (2%) Follow all Missouri State Mandated Reporter Guidelines, including child abuse and neglect reporting, elderly abuse and neglect, and duty to warn.
• Perform other duties as assigned by the Supervisor. The omission of specific statements of duties does not exclude them from the position if the work is similar, related, or is a logical assignment to the position.

Formal Education/Experience:

• Associate's degree with 2-4 years applicable experience.
• Bachelor's degree preferred in the field of social work, psychology, criminal justice or related field, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Experience working with survivors of domestic violence and/or sexual assault including dating violence, stalking, human trafficking, or other dangerous or life-threatening conditions that relate to violence against the individual or a family member, including a child.
• Experience in community networking, case coordination for multi-disciplinary teams, providing a safe environment for victims/survivors, and demonstrated organizational skills required.
• Additional consideration will be given to candidates who are bilingual or possess related advanced certifications or licensure.
• Completion of forty- eight (48) hours of domestic and sexual violence training including safety planning, lethality, and suicidal assessments. 
• Must have reliable, personal transportation.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Outlook).
• Must comply with the rules and regulations of the YWCA, local hospitals, and law enforcement agencies.

YWCA of Metro St. Louis is an equal opportunity employer and provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.