Dual Domestic/Sexual Violence Advocate

FRIENDS, Inc.; West Bend (WI); On-site; USD 40,000 - 55,000; Full time

Job summary

FRIENDS, Inc. is seeking a Domestic Violence/Sexual Violence Advocate to provide crucial support and advocacy services to survivors in both shelter and community settings.

The Advocate will assist clients in crisis by offering emotional support, safety planning, and advocacy during legal and medical processes. A Bachelor’s degree in social work is required, along with experience in case management and advocacy.

This full-time role offers standard coverage hours that may fluctuate and requires strong communication skills and flexibility.

Qualifications

• Experience working with domestic violence and/or sexual assault victims.
• Experience with case management.
• Ability to work flexible hours.

Responsibilities

• Provide one-on-one advocacy to adult survivors.
• Assist with Safe at Home applications and Crime Victim Compensation.
• Answer the 24/7 crisis line during scheduled work hours.

Skills

Crisis intervention

Advocacy for survivors

Cultural competence

Communication skills

Organizational skills

Education

Bachelor’s Degree in social work or related field

Job description

The Domestic Violence/Sexual Violence Advocate provides direct advocacy, crisis support, safety planning, and case management services to survivors of domestic violence and sexual violence. This position works with both shelter and community-based clients, supports survivors through short-term goal planning and resource connection, responds to crisis line calls, completes required documentation, and participates in offsite advocacy responses such as SANE exams, Child Advocacy Center appointments, law enforcement advocacy, and other partner-based services.

The Advocate also assists with Safe at Home applications, Crime Victim Compensation, support group facilitation, and community collaboration. This role requires strong boundaries, timely documentation, flexibility, and the ability to support survivors through crisis while honoring client choice and confidentiality.

Standard shift coverage is as follows, however, these hours may fluctuate as needed:

Monday 8:00AM – 4:30PM

Tuesday 8:00AM – 4:30PM

Wednesday 8:00AM – 4:30PM

Thursday 12:00PM – 8:30PM

Friday 8:00AM – 4:30PM

Essential Functions

• Provide one-on-one advocacy to adult survivors of domestic violence and sexual violence in shelter and community-based settings.
• Offer emotional support, crisis intervention, safety planning, education, resource connection, and short-term goal support.
• Help survivors understand the dynamics of abuse, power and control, trauma responses, healthy relationships, coping skills, and available options.
• Support survivors in identifying their own goals and creating realistic steps toward safety, stability, healing, and independence.
• Provide advocacy in person, by phone, and at offsite locations as appropriate.

Shelter Advocacy and Case Management

• Meet regularly with shelter clients to provide case management, emotional support, and service planning.
• Assist shelter clients with identifying barriers related to housing, employment, transportation, benefits, childcare, legal needs, safety, and other stability needs.
• Help shelter clients complete Coordinated Entry and related housing processes.
• Collaborate with the Shelter Manager and shelter team regarding new arrivals, client progress, safety concerns, discharge planning, and ongoing needs.
• Assist with client intakes, exits, service plans, and follow-up needs in collaboration with the shelter team.

Crisis Line and Crisis Response

• Answer the 24/7 crisis line during scheduled work hours and provide immediate emotional support, safety planning, resource linkage, and appropriate documentation.
• Participate in rotating on-call coverage for sexual assault and violence-related response needs, which may include:
  • SANE exams at hospitals
  • Law enforcement advocacy
  • Child Advocacy Center forensic interview support
  • Other urgent advocacy needs as assigned

Systems and Community-Based Advocacy

• Accompany and support survivors during offsite appointments or systems interactions when appropriate, including medical, legal, law enforcement, court-related, CAC, or community partner settings.
• Serve as backup support for legal advocacy-related needs, including charging conferences when assigned.
• Build and maintain professional relationships with community partners while advocating for survivor-centered responses.
• Participate in committees, workgroups, or community meetings as assigned.
• Represent FRIENDS, Inc. professionally and in alignment with the agency’s mission and values.

Support Group and Education

• Co-facilitate the Adult Domestic Violence/Sexual Violence Support Group or other survivor support programming as assigned.
• Assist with planning, preparation, and facilitation of group topics related to domestic violence, sexual violence, coping skills, self-care, healthy relationships, and survivor empowerment.
• Contribute to planning and outreach for Domestic Violence Awareness Month (DVAM) and other awareness activities throughout the year.

Documentation and Program Administration

• Complete accurate and timely documentation in Osnium and client files.
• Maintain service plans, case notes, releases of information, intake forms, hotline logs, and other required program paperwork.
• Track client services, outcomes, success stories, and program statistics for reporting purposes.
• Maintain confidentiality and professional boundaries in all documentation and communication.
• Attend regular supervision, team meetings, all-staff meetings, and agency trainings.

Additional Responsibilities

• Assist survivors with Safe at Home applications when appropriate.
• Assist survivors with Crime Victim Compensation applications when appropriate.
• Provide advocacy and support to youth or minors in specific situations, including CAC-related advocacy or juvenile detention advocacy, when assigned.
• Participate in agency events, fundraising activities, outreach efforts, and community awareness initiatives.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Key Performance Indicators

Advocate provides survivor‑centered, non‑judgmental, empowerment‑based support to shelter and community clients through advocacy appointments, crisis contacts, safety planning, emotional support, education, and resource connection. Client appointments and crisis contacts are documented in Osnium. Case notes reflect safety planning, emotional support, education, referrals, and client‑directed next steps. Advocate demonstrates appropriate boundaries, confidentiality, and trauma‑informed communication. Supervisor observation, client feedback, and case review reflect survivor‑centered practice.

Advocate meets with assigned shelter clients consistently and supports client‑identified goals related to housing, employment, benefits, transportation, school enrollment, safety, and other stabilization needs. Shelter clients are contacted regularly, with priority given to weekly contact when actively engaged in shelter services. Service plans are created, updated, and reflect client goals, barriers, progress, and follow‑up tasks. Coordinated Entry, Rapid Rehousing referrals, housing resources, school enrollment support, or other stabilization steps are completed and documented when applicable. Advocate communicates client updates, barriers, and safety concerns with the Shelter Manager and advocacy team as appropriate.

Advocate participates in assigned daytime and after‑hours response coverage and provides professional, survivor‑centered support during medical, legal, law enforcement, CAC, or other partner‑based advocacy responses. Advocate participates in assigned response rotation and communicates availability or barriers in advance. SANE, CAC, law enforcement, charging conference, or other off‑site advocacy responses are documented timely and accurately. Follow‑up needs, referrals, safety concerns, and client‑directed next steps are communicated and documented appropriately. Partner and team interactions reflect professionalism and survivor‑centered advocacy.

Advocate completes required documentation in Osnium, client files, hotline logs, service plans, releases of information, statistics, and other program records according to agency expectations and timelines. Osnium notes, hotline logs, service plans, intakes, ROIs, and other required forms are completed accurately and on time. Documentation is individualized, fact‑based, professional, and free from unnecessary opinion or judgment. Client files are organized, complete, and maintained according to confidentiality standards. File reviews show compliance with agency documentation expectations.

Advocate works collaboratively with internal staff and community partners while maintaining confidentiality, professional boundaries, flexibility, and alignment with agency mission and policies. Advocate attends required supervision, team meetings, all‑staff meetings, trainings, and assigned community meetings. Communication with clients, staff, and partners is respectful, timely, and professional. Advocate participates in support group, outreach, awareness events, committees, and agency activities as assigned. Timesheets, mileage logs, training logs, statistics, and requested program updates are completed on time.

Position Requirements

• Bachelor’s Degree in social work or related field – required.
• Valid Driver’s License and Insurance and reliable transportation – preferred.
• Experience working with domestic violence and/or sexual assault victims – required.
• Experience with case management – required.
• Excellent communication skills; cultural competence and the ability to interact with diverse populations – required.
• Strong self‑motivation and organizational skills to manage a variety of diversified tasks in a timely manner – required.
• Ability to work flexible hours to meet client needs – required.
• Bi‑lingual, Spanish – preferred.