Outreach & Housing Advocate

Cherokee Family Violence Center, Inc.; Canton (GA); On-site; USD 42,000 - 54,000; Full time

Job summary

Cherokee Family Violence Center, Inc. is seeking an Outreach & Housing Advocate to provide non-judgmental support, validations and strength-focused guidance.

The role gathers family information to develop plans addressing domestic violence, teen dating violence, financial empowerment and housing, using motivational interviewing and problem-solving approaches. The advocate facilitates groups, discusses safety, maintains client records and collaborates with local service providers to ensure

Qualifications

• Degree in Social Services field or related discipline.
• Minimum 2 years’ experience in social services addressing poverty and homelessness as it relates to domestic violence.

Responsibilities

• Provide case management for community, shelter and housing clients.
• Meetings with clients to define goals, locate resources, identify barriers and options to resolve barriers.
• Maintain regular attendance and reliability.
• Develop a rapport that supports clients’ freedom of choice.
• Assist clients in identifying safety concerns, establishing a home, personal growth and emotional needs.
• Complete statistics required by the agency and grantors.
• Keep tally of all funds clients receive through this program.
• Facilitate group trainings and discussions on topics such as Intimate Partner Violence, Financial Empowerment, Teen Dating Violence, Understanding Feelings, Getting Along with Others.
• Complete request forms for all monies requested.
• Answer crisis calls and respond to walk-ins in crisis.
• Establish community partnerships and attend meetings with local service providers.

Skills

Motivational Interviewing

Effective communication

Crisis management

Community resources

DV crisis intervention

Trauma-informed care

Diversity engagement

Education

Degree in Social Services field or related discipline

Job description

The role of the Outreach & Housing Advocate is to provide non-judgmental support, validations, encouragement and acknowledgement of strengths for all individuals who seek our services. The advocate gathers information about the family to utilize in developing plans with the family members in reference to domestic violence, teen dating violence, financial empowerment, and housing. The advocate utilizes motivational interviewing techniques and problem solving. Facilitates groups, discusses safety, and maintains client records.

The following is a summary of the essential functions of the job. The employee may perform other duties, both essential and non-essential, not mentioned below; and specific responsibilities may change from time to time.

• Provide case management for community, shelter and housing clients
• Meetings with clients that will include but not limited to defining goals both long and short term, helping clients to locate resources needed, identifying barriers as they arrive and options to resolve the barriers.
• Maintain regular attendance.
• Develop a rapport that supports the clients’ freedom of choice.
• Assist clients in identifying safety concerns, establishing a home, personal growth and emotional needs
• Complete statistics required by the agency and grantors.
• Advocate will keep a tally of all funds clients receive through this program.
• Advocate will facilitate group trainings and discussions on topics such as Intimate Partner Violence, Financial Empowerment, Good Neighbor, Teen Dating Violence, Understanding and Expressing Feelings, Getting Along with Others, etc.
• Advocate will complete request forms for all monies requested.
• Advocate will be responsible for answering crisis calls and responding to walk-ins who are in crisis.
• Advocate will establish community partnerships and attend meetings with local service providers.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities Needed:

Proficient in Motivational Interviewing techniques.

Ability to communicate effectively orally and in writing.

Ability to handle crisis situations in a calm & deliberate manner.

Familiarity with community resources and service providers

Knowledge of the basic dynamics of domestic violence and crisis intervention techniques

Organizational, problem-solving and conflict resolution skills

Knowledge on trauma informed care

Ability to work with a diverse group of children and their parents.

Education and Formal Training:

Degree in Social Services field, Counseling, Women’s Studies, Human Services or Psychology.

Work Experience:

Minimum 2 years’ experience in a social service agency working around issues of poverty and homelessness as it relates to domestic violence.