Community Advocate, Sexual Assault

Lever, Inc.; Seattle (WA); On-site; USD 58,000 - 60,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical insurance

Retirement plan

Vacation, holiday, and sick leave

Fidelity 403b Plan

YWCA Retirement Fund

Job summary

YWCA Seattle King Snohomish is seeking a Community Advocate to provide trauma-informed advocacy for adult survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, and exploitation. The role involves navigating protections orders, family law, CPS, and housing, with a strength-based approach.

The position is fully onsite at YWCA offices and supports survivors, with a focus on racial equity. Responsibilities include client intakes, crisis intervention, and collaboration with community partners.

Qualifications

• One year of Direct Social Service experience or translatable lived experience in lieu of a social services degree.
• Strong orientation toward system navigation across municipal, superior courts, legal systems, and 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 at using Microsoft Office Suite including Outlook, Calendar, Teams, Excel and Zoom.

Responsibilities

• Provide support to clients in navigating various institutions (legal systems, CPS, housing, protective orders).
• Respond to referrals and calls within required time frame.
• Conduct intakes with new clients to determine eligibility and essential needs.
• Perform housing assessments for emergency shelter move-ins.
• Provide crisis intervention advocacy to clients.
• Collect reporting and quarterly narratives using data.

Skills

Direct Social Service

System navigation

Survivors support

Microsoft Office

Driver's license

Training compliance

Tools

Zoom

Outlook

Calendar

Teams

Excel

Job description

Why work with YWCA Seattle King Snohomish?

YWCA SKS is the region’s largest non‑profit organization with a 120+ year legacy, focused on the needs of women, with programs serving 7,000 people each year. When you work with YWCA, you make a difference.

We’re women and BIPOC‑led, family‑centered, and supportive of employees. As a full‑time YWCA employee (30+ hours), you’ll enjoy a benefits package including medical insurance, generous vacation, holiday, sick leave plans, and an outstanding retirement plan. Put your passion for racial equity and social justice to work –

What You’ll Do

The Community Advocate works within Gender‑Based Violence Services at YWCA and provides culturally relevant services that are designed to meet the needs of survivors of domestic violence/sexual assault and commercial sexual exploitation (CSE).

As a Community Advocate you will provide trauma informed advocacy to adult survivors which may include support with protections orders, family law, CPS, housing navigation, safety planning and life skills, employment, etc. You will use a model of best practice trauma‑informed advocacy with a strength‑based approach.

Note: This position is fully onsite at YWCA Offices.

Expectations of your role:

• Provide support to clients in navigating various institutions (i.e. Support clients and legal systems including assistance with filing protection orders, breaking leases, relocations, CPS, and interactions with law enforcement
• Responds to referrals and calls within required time frame
• Conducts intakes with new client, including screening for eligibility and to determine essential needs
• Housing assessments for new move‑in for emergency shelter
• Provide crisis intervention advocacy
• Collects and completed reporting and quarterly narratives using data and statistical information
• Develops and maintains relations with community partners and attend community meetings.
• Facilitate and create presentations that are relevant to associated partners and offers services
• Engage in community networking activities to both increase access to services for survivors furthest away from opportunity specifically Black and African American survivors.
• Maintain 20 hours of continued education hours about advocacy‑based Domestic Violence
• Actively engages in agency‑wide Race and Social Justice Initiative (RSJI) and strives for racially equitable outcomes; takes responsibility for creating and maintaining a safe and welcoming community by making room for populations who routinely encounter system oppressions

Must have’s to be successful:

• One year of Direct Social Service experience or translatable lived experience in lieu of a social services degree
• Strong orientation and familiarity toward system navigating multiple systems (i.e., municipal, superior courts, legal systems, and law enforcement)
• Experience working with survivors from marginalized communities, specifically African American communities.
• Knowledgeable about gender‑based violence, such as sexual assault, domestic violence, intimate partner violence and human trafficking
• Skilled at using Microsoft office suite including Outlook, Calendar, Teams, excel and virtual meeting technology such as 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 that covers: advocacy‑based counseling, history of domestic violence, safety planning and crisis intervention

Physical Requirements

• Continuously exchanges information through listening and talking with clients, agency staff, employers, representatives of community organizations and other individuals in the community
• Frequently stands, walks, sits and climbs in performing duties in the workspace and in the community
• Continuous use telephones, computers, fax machines and other office equipment and supplies
• Occasionally must access personal living spaces within multi‑level apartment complexes
• Frequent travel up to 50% of the time by personal vehicle

Hours, Rate, and Benefits

• Hourly Rate: $28.50 per hour
• Excellent benefits package including medical insurance, retirement plan, plus generous vacation, holiday, and sick leave plans
• At the time of hire, employees may enroll voluntarily in the Fidelity 403b Plan. After two years of employment, employees are eligible to participate in the YWCA Retirement Fund

YWCA encourages applicants with a variety of experiences

At YWCA, we recognize that lived expertise is a powerful asset. This refers to the insights, knowledge, and skills developed by those who have navigated systems and experienced inequity.

Valuing lived expertise helps build trust with program participants, develop culturally responsive programs, and break down barriers to equity. It enriches our collective understanding and enhances our ability to serve communities that are furthest from opportunity.

Mental Health Considerations

All employees of the YWCA interact with clients who have experienced or are experiencing trauma in various forms, including but not limited to, racial trauma, domestic violence, sexual violence, homelessness, unemployment, and financial hardship. As a result, employees are at risk of secondary trauma. We encourage employees to seek support inside and outside the workplace and maintain self‑care routines.

Equal Opportunity Employment

YWCA Seattle King Snohomishis an Equal Opportunity Employer. To read more about this, view EEO is the LawPoster and this EEO is the Law Poster Supplement.

For more information

Contact us at [e-mail] with any questions or if you need accommodation for your application.