Crisis Advocate (On-Call)

Ywcaworks; Seattle (WA); On-site; USD 33,062 - 41,328; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical insurance

Vacation/holiday/sick leave

Retirement plan

Job summary

The Crisis Advocate position at YWCA Seattle King Snohomish is a full-time role supporting homeless women through intake, assessment, and services connections to promote stabilization.

You will welcome clients, staff the front desk, and assist with housing applications, benefits, and crisis intervention while collaborating with Housing Support and RSJI initiatives to ensure equitable outcomes.

Qualifications

• At least two years of direct social service experience in shelter or homelessness context.
• Respond effectively in emergencies and follow safety procedures.
• Engage empathetically and build professional rapport with clients.
• Commitment to diversity and sensitivity to varied backgrounds.
• Maintain accurate records with strong organizational discipline.
• Obtain CPR/First Aid certification within 30 days after hire.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team, with sound judgment.
• Maintain confidentiality.

Responsibilities

• Provides welcoming environment by building trust with clients.
• Staffs front desk, welcomes women, monitors space and responds to calls.
• Supports clients transitioning out of homelessness with action plans.
• Navigate social services, obtain IDs, apply for benefits, enroll in Medicaid.
• Assist housing applications and coordinate with landlords and housing search.
• Provide crisis intervention and de-escalation as needed.
• Coordinate group activities and community meetings.
• Read internal documents and stay updated on policies and events.
• Engage in RSJI initiatives to promote racially equitable outcomes.
• Contribute to a safe, supportive community for people of color and diverse populations.

Skills

Empathy

Diversity commitment

Organizational skills

CPR/First Aid

Confidentiality

Computer skills

Cultural competency

Tools

Microsoft Office

Job description

As a full‑time YWCA employee (30+ hours) you’ll enjoy a benefits package including medical insurance, generous vacation, holiday and sick leave plans, and an outstanding retirement plan.

What You’ll Do

Angeline’s is a Day Center for homeless women serving 75 women daily based on a harm reduction, housing first model. The Crisis Advocate will provide supportive services that help participants identify strengths, assess their needs and develop action plans to encourage stabilization.

• Provides a welcoming, safe environment by building trust and professional rapport with clients.
• Staffs the front desk to welcome women into the space, monitor cameras and respond to callers and visitors.
• Offers support and encouragement to clients transitioning out of homelessness.
• Assists in navigating the social service system, obtaining personal identification, applying for public assistance benefits, enrolling in Medicaid Benefits, and connecting clients to Employment Specialists at WorkSource.
• Assists with housing applications, advocates by connecting with landlords, and assists in housing search.
• Provides crisis intervention and de‑escalation as needed, and models positive behavior.
• Coordinates group activities and community meetings with the clients.
• Reads relevant documents to stay current with internal events, policies, and procedures (logs, newsflashes, and previous night’s records).
• Monitors outside activity, ensures sidewalks are safe and clear.
• Participates in staff meetings and trainings as directed and collaborates with Housing Support Specialist and Rapid Rehousing Case Manager.
• Encourages a supportive community environment by coordinating activities and workshops to meet the needs of clients.
• Actively engages in agency‑wide Race & Social Justice Initiative (RSJI) and strives for racially equitable outcomes; creates and maintains a safe and welcoming community by making room for people of color, trans and gender‑non‑conforming folks and other populations who routinely encounter systemic oppressions.
• Incorporates the YWCA’s Social Justice Initiative by understanding how racism, sexism, classism and other oppressions intersect and are embedded in institutions.

Qualifications

• At least two years of direct social service experience working in a shelter setting or with a homeless population strongly desired.
• Ability to work effectively and empathically with clients who have mental health and chemical related issues.
• Must be able to respond in an emergency situation, ensuring correct emergency and safety procedures are followed.
• Ability to engage with, possess a positive attitude around, and provide an empathy‑client‑centered approach, building professional rapport and helping relationships with our client group.
• Commitment to diversity, including sensitivity to the needs of clients, staff and volunteers from diverse cultural and economic backgrounds.
• Strong organizational and record‑keeping skills, maintaining accurate and complete records.
• Obtain CPR/First Aid certification within 30 days after hire.
• Ability and willingness to work independently, be proactive, solve problems and take initiative as well as work in and add value to a team environment, pitching in as needed to get the job done and to make sound judgments without on‑site supervision.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality.
• Basic level of computer skills, critical including use of database, word processing, spreadsheet software (Microsoft Office Suite including Word, Outlook and Excel).
• Experience working with communities of color and people from different cultures than your own.

Compensation & Hours

• Hourly Range: $27.00
• Hours: on an "as needed" basis.
• For On‑call Staff, you qualify for sick and safe leave.
• At the time of hire, employees may voluntarily enroll in the Fidelity 403b Plan.

Benefits

All positions at YWCA of Seattle King Snohomish are exposed to clients who have experienced or are experiencing trauma in various forms including domestic violence, sexual violence, homelessness, unemployment, and financial hardship. Staff are at risk of secondary trauma. Employees are encouraged to seek external support and maintain self‑care when working indirectly or directly with clients.

Physical Requirements

• Continuously uses speech and hearing abilities in exchanging information with clients, agency staff, employers, representatives of community organizations and other individuals in the community.
• Frequently sits for extended periods while performing desktop activities.
• Continuously stands and walks while performing duties in the Center.
• Frequently uses hands and wrists, fingering, handling, grasping, and reaching in using telephones, computers, kitchen equipment, donations and supplies.
• Occasionally pushes and pulls up to ten pounds.
• Frequently lifts and carries supplies weighing up to 50 pounds.
• Continuously = Over 80% of the time; Frequently = 20-80%; Occasionally = Under 20%.

Health & Safety

All positions involve close interaction with clients who have experienced or are experiencing trauma. Employees are encouraged to seek support inside and outside the workplace and maintain self‑care routines.

Mental Health Considerations

All employees of the YWCA interact with clients who have experienced or are experiencing trauma, including 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.

Equal Opportunity Employment

YWCA Seattle King Snohomish is an Equal Opportunity Employer. View the EEO is the Law Poster and the EEO is the Law Poster Supplement for more information.

Additional Information

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

YWCA encourages applicants with a variety of experiences to apply!