Victim Advocate

The Omaha Tribe of Nebraska; Macy (NE); On-site; USD 42,000 - 64,000; Full time

Job summary

Laura House/Omaha Family Violence Program seeks a full-time Victim Advocate to collaborate with social services, tribal court, law enforcement, and behavioral health to coordinate victim services.

The advocate will work with victims of family, domestic, and dating violence, providing information, emotional support, safety planning, and connection to resources both in shelter and out. Training may lead to crisis hotline staffing and counseling.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree preferred; high school diploma or GED accepted.
• Minimum of two years' experience working with victims of crime or abuse or related field.

Responsibilities

• Oversee planning and implementation of the Omaha Family Violence Program.
• Direct services at Laura's House DV shelter; maintain confidentiality and safety; be on call 24/7.
• Educate residents; prepare shelter handbook; assist with meals, laundry, schedules, and appointments.
• Provide information on victimization, legal rights, protections, and criminal justice process.
• Offer emotional support and assist with safety planning and court/probation activities.
• Assist victims with shelter placement, transportation, and referrals to other services.
• Provide group and individual education on domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking.
• Coordinate with partnering programs and agencies for prevention and awareness activities.
• Develop assessment tools and contribute to program evaluation and reporting.

Skills

Public speaking

Computer skills

Cultural understanding

Community education

Education

Bachelor's degree

AA degree

High school diploma or GED

Job description

SUMMARY: The Victim Advocate is a full-time position and will work in collaboration with social services, tribal court, law enforcement, probation, and behavioral health in providing victim service coordination. The Victim Advocate will work directly with victims of family violence, domestic violence, and dating violence including adults and youth, both while in shelter and out of shelter. The Advocate will offer victims information, emotional support, and assistance finding resources and developing safety plans and transition plans. The Advocate may go to court with victims and will work with partnering programs or organizations, such as criminal justice, social service, or behavioral health, to connect victims with direct or support services. Once trained, certified, or credentialed, Advocates may staff a crisis hotline, run support groups, or provide in-person counseling. Advocates will work with private non-profit organizations such as sexual assault crisis centers, shelters, or related domestic violence services not available locally.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES and/or RESPONSIBILITIES include the following:

• The primary duties/responsibilities of the Victim Advocate/Laura House Advocate will be to oversee the planning and implementation process of the Omaha Family Violence Program.
• Primary duties include direct services at "Laura's House (DV shelter); maintain confidentiality of services for the victim and safety in the shelter including advocacy and accompaniment. Must be available 24 hours a day/ 7 days a week, willing to be on call, after hours, holidays and weekends.
• Assist and educate the residents in maintaining a clean and neat environment during their stay in the shelter. Including issuing the shelter handbook and going over the information, preparation of meals, laundry, schedules, and appointments.
• Provide information on victimization, crime prevention, victims' legal rights and protections; and information on the criminal justice process;
• Provide emotional support to victims;
• Assist victims with safety planning, victim compensation applications, submitting comments to courts and probation;
• Intervening with creditors, landlords, and employers on behalf of victims;
• Assist victims find shelter (Surrounding Area) and transportation;
• Provide referrals for other services for victims;
• Provide group and individual community education services primary to educating victims on domestic violence, sexual assault, date-rape, and stalking;
• Serve as the community contact point for victims of violence planning and program development will serve as a member the Planning Team;
• Work closely with partnering programs and agencies to provide prevention and awareness activities;
• Assist victims in completing their treatment and/or case plan goals, objectives, and activities;
• Collaborate on the system assessment and project evaluation process to address programmatic strengths and weakness to ensure formative improvement through the duration of the project;
• Assist in creating assessment tools that give detailed information regarding the number of victims served and documentation of services provided;
• Develop protocols that will further promote partnerships and collaborations, describe their purpose and relevance to the project goal, and clearly define the roles and responsibilities of each;
• Responsible for leading on-going review and up-date of victim services, policies, and procedures that currently exist and those that may be needed to be implemented;
• Work in partnership with the criminal justice system (in police stations, prosecutor's offices, courts, probation or parole departments, or prisons);
• Must report any type of threat to a person (such as clients threatening to hurt themselves or someone else) and report the abuse or neglect of children;
• Maintain records and data on a computer soft-wear system for the purpose of reporting and building a statistical database and management information system(Record the days residing in the shelter and hours and minutes with each client)
• Assist in preparing monthly, semi-annual, and annual reports as required.
• Performs other duties as assigned

QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS:

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the duties.

EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE:

• Bachelor's or AA Degree preferred, high school diploma or GED accepted;
• Minimum of two years' experience in working with victims of crime or abuse or have experience in a related field

CERTIFICATES, LICENSES, and/or REGISTRATIONS:

• Have a valid driver's license and be insurable

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, and/or ABILITIES:

• Possess an understanding of Omaha culture, tribal systems, and tribal referral process;
• Possess quality computer skills and public speaking skills, able to provide community lectures and education on topics such as trauma, domestic violence, strengthening families, sexual assault and stalking.

PLEASE NOTE: P.L. 93-638, Indian Preference and Tribal Employment Rights Ordinance, (TERO), will be practiced, however all qualified applicants will be considered.