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Child Advocate

Job Description

Job Title: Child Advocate

FLSA Status: Non-Exempt

Reports to: Children’s Program Coordinator

Job Purpose

Provide information, activities, support, and assistance to women and their children who are survivors of domestic and/or sexual violence.

Primary Duties and Responsibilities

Serve as the primary Case Manager for children in the shelter.
Provide developmentally appropriate activities for children.
Safety plan with children.
Provide recreational and educational opportunities/activities for children.
Provide the child’s mother with non-violent options for disciplining her child.
Provide or assist the child’s mother with accessing childcare options/child groups during the mother’s support group, counseling or other appointments/meetings in which caring for the child could be disruptive or the child might overhear the mother talking about her abuse.
Assist in arranging transportation for the child to attend school.
Assist in children’s food program implementation and documentation.
Facilitate evening child support/educational groups.
Maintain confidentiality of all service recipients in compliance with state and federal law and YWCA policy.
Provide information and assistance to victims in filing for Crime Victims Compensation.
Document all services provided and enter information into the database within 3 days of service provision.
Maintain required statistics and complete necessary reports as assigned.
Provide services in accordance with organizational policy, woman-defined services model, and MOCADSV Service Standards.
On-call duties as assigned
Attend staff meetings and training as required and/or assigned.
Commitment to the YWCA mission of Eliminating Racism and Empowering Women.
Other related duties as required and/or assigned.

Qualifications

Bachelor’s degree in human services field or equivalent education and/or experience.
Understanding of the nature and dynamics of domestic/sexual violence.
Prior experience working with children.
Knowledge of community resources preferred.
Good communication skills with groups and individuals.
Ability to maintain confidentiality.
Ability to relate to diverse groups of people.
Ability to work flexible hours, which may include evenings and weekends.
Ability to travel
Must be able to pass State Child Abuse/Neglect screening & Criminal Background Check.

Working Conditions

Forty (40) hour workweek with flexibility to meet client needs and/or deadlines.
Work schedule includes evening hours.
Employee works in an office environment and is protected from weather conditions and contaminants.
Some on-call responsibilities are required on a rotating basis.

Physical Requirements

Standing or sitting for long periods, bending, stooping, and occasional lifting.
Repetitive hand motion (such as typing)
Ability, on a consistent basis, to perform activities requiring cooperation, instruction, persuasion, or speaking with others
Ability to communicate effectively in person with consumers

Personal Characteristics

The successful individual will demonstrate the following:

Behave Ethically: Understand ethical behavior and professional boundaries and ensure your own behavior is consistent with professional ethical standards.
Build Relationships: Establish and maintain positive working relationships with others both internally and externally to achieve the organization’s goals of empowering women and eliminating racism.
Communicate Effectively: Speak, listen, and write in a clear, thorough, and timely manner using appropriate and effective communication tools and techniques.
Focus on Client Needs: Anticipate, understand, and respond to the needs of consumers.
Make Decisions: Assess situations to determine the importance, urgency and risks and make clear decisions that are timely and in the best interests of the consumer and the organization.
Organization: Set priorities, develop a work schedule, monitor progress towards goals, and track details/data/information/activities.
Technological Aptitude: Understand software applications and maintain skills necessary to effectively perform key responsibilities through the use of company-utilized programs.

***YWCA St. Joseph provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.***

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