Distance Advocacy Specialist

Are you looking for a meaningful career in a position that allows you to make a difference in your community?

Come work at Voices for Children in this exciting new position:

Distance Advocacy Supervisor

$31.25 per hour

(approximately $65,000 annualized)

Come part of a team that makes a difference in the lives of children and families in our community and takes pride in serving our children with the highest level of excellence and care.

Voices for Children is a respected, local nonprofit organization focused on fulfilling our mission to advocate for the needs of children in foster care. Consistently considered a top CASA program out of 1,000 programs nationwide, our team takes pride in serving our children with the highest level of excellence and care. Come to work at Voices for Children and you’ll enjoy a friendly, warm culture with the following generous benefits for our full-time employees:

• 12 vacation days
• 13 paid holidays
• 5 additional days of paid time off after Christmas Day through New Year’s Day
• Medical (one plan is free), Dental, Vision
• Flexible spending account
• 403b plan for retirement savings
• A welcoming work environment
• Alternate Work Schedule: Choose from a 4/10 schedule (4 days a week/10 hours a day ) or 5/8 schedule (5 days per week 8 hours per day)
• And more.....

About Us

Voices for Children is the Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) program for San Diego and Riverside Counties. The mission of Voices for Children is to transform the lives of abused children by providing them with Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASAs). VFC believes that every child deserves a safe and permanent home, and to that end, our vision is to provide a CASA to every child in foster care who needs one, monitor every court file in the system, and advocate to improve the lives of San Diego County’s foster children.

Recruited, trained, and supervised by VFC, our volunteer CASAs interface with key agencies, legal counsel, and community resources to identify and protect the best interests of each foster child. CASAs act as fact finders for the juvenile court judge to ensure decisions are based on the most current and pertinent information about each child’s situation. CASAs also provide emotional support as they guide their case children through the complex foster care system. CASAs strive to ensure that each child’s unique needs are met.

ABOUT THE POSITION

Distance Advocacy Specialist (DAS) reports to the Managing Director and provides direct support and advocacy to serve Riverside County dependents. The DAS interacts with foster youth, their caregivers, families, and with professionals in the child welfare community, writes court reports, and completes a myriad of administrative tasks. The DAS is expected to maintain high levels of personal and professional integrity in their day-to-day work and uses their insights about human behavior to tailor support and advocacy for foster youth, caregivers, and families.

The DAS is responsible for:

ESSENTIAL DUTIES

Direct Service

• Maintain an ongoing caseload involving a total of approximately 20-30 Riverside County dependency cases.
• Establish at least monthly in-person contact with all case youth.
• Appear at court hearings to advocate for the youth’s best interests.
• Make recommendations for specific appropriate services for the youth and, when appropriate, the youth’s family.
• Interface with mental health, educational and other community systems to assure that the youth’s needs in these areas are met.
• Provide a monthly update on all cases to the Managing Director.
• Attend all Child and Family Team meetings, Team Decision Making meetings, and Individualized Education Program meetings for case youth.
• Adhere to all VFC Policies and Procedures including but not limited to VFC’s Mandated Reporter Policy.
• Attend court hearings as necessary to advise the court as to status of a child.
• Refer all requests for information that could be construed as legal advice to the counsel representing the child in the relevant case.
• Refrain from providing legal consultation, legal representation and/or preparation of legal documents intended to secure rights for children at all times. Refer all requests of this nature to the counsel representing the child in the relevant case.
• Refrain from giving case information to anyone except as permitted by law and defined by Voices for Children policies. (All information concerning children and families, including nonminors, in the juvenile court process is confidential.)

Documentation

• Maintain detailed records concerning all contact (e.g., monthly in-person contacts) with youth and other parties involved in each case.
• Provide reports at every post-dispositional, non-contested hearing or when ordered by the court. Reports include observations and recommendations, when appropriate. Submit reports for second editing in a timely and accurate manner. Route reports as necessary.
• Maintain accurate records concerning upcoming Court datesOrganizational / Program Support
• Provide support to Advocacy Supervisors and the volunteer recruitment and training staff as needed and as assigned by the Managing Director.
• Assist in the development, implementation, and evaluation of the VFC strategic plan.
• Provide support to the Managing Director.

Training & Professional Development

• Maintain substantial knowledge regarding the CASA concept and Voices for Children policies and procedures.
• Participate in development and evaluation of volunteer training and continuing education curriculum.
• Sustain a working knowledge of court policies and procedures.
• Is open to learning and professional growth. Uses feedback to develop and fine tune their work-related knowledge, skills, abilities, and behaviors.

JOB QUALIFICATIONS

Essential Criteria

• College Degree or equivalent combination of education and experience (e.g., social work, case management, program development, or related field in the public and/or non-profit sector) .
• Proficient with current Microsoft Office Suite, including Excel, Word, and Outlook
• Excellent writing, editing, and proofreading skills.
• Passion for serving and supporting foster youth, caregivers and families.
• Willing and able to learn and desire to grow professionally.
• Willing and able to work in a team environment.
• Access to reliable transportation as extensive travel is required. Valid California driver license and automobile insurance required.
• Willing and able to travel extensively throughout Southern California, including but not limited to Riverside, San Bernardino, Kern, Ventura, Imperial, Los Angeles, San Diego, and Orange Counties is required.
• Willing and able to travel occasionally to Northern California or other US locations.
• Must meet all screening requirements as set forth in the California Rules of Court, Rule 5.655

Preferred Criteria

• Bachelor’s Degree (or equivalent) and 2 years’ relevant work experience.
• Experience working in a non-profit.
• Relevant volunteer work experience.
• Prior volunteer experience as a CASA or significant understanding / knowledge of the role of a CASA.
• Bilingual Skill in a threshold language (e.g., Spanish).

COMPENSATION, WORK LOCATION & WORK SCHEDULE

$31.25 per hour (approximately $65,000 annualized)

This is a community-based / home-based position. This position provides direct service as required throughout Southern California, including but not limited to Riverside, San Bernardino, Kern, Ventura, Imperial, Los Angeles, San Diego, and Orange Counties.

Standard workweek is 40 hours; however, employees are expected to work any additional time necessary to meet deadlines and complete assignments. Evenings and weekends may be required. Additional hours are subject to overtime pay. The VFC office shall be open for business during the following hours, except as hereinafter noted: Monday through Friday: 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Coverage at the office by the program and office staff shall be according to such schedule as developed by the President/CEO.

Physical Demands & Work Environment

The physical demands and work environment described are representative of those that must be met to successfully perform the essential function of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals to perform the essential functions.

Physical Demands

• Able to occasionally lift, carry, push, pull 25 lbs.
• Able to regularly bend and stoop
• Able to constantly sit for prolonged periods (up to 8 hours per day).
• Able to drive long distances.
• Able to constantly sit at a desk and view a computer screen for up to two hours at a time / 7 hours per day.
• Able to consistently speak into and use a telephone for long periods.

Work Environment

• Professional office environment
• Small team environment
• Fast paced working with multi-level distractions

Special Conditions

• Able to regularly work extended hours as needed, including nights and weekends during special events.
• Extensive daily travel throughout Southern California, including but not limited to Riverside, San Bernardino, Kern, Ventura, Imperial, Los Angeles, San Diego, and Orange Counties is required.
• Occasional travel to Northern California or other US locations.

HOW TO APPLY

Please go to the following link and click “Apply for this Job” to apply: https://jsco.re/eyz2c

No phone calls, please. Position open immediately and will remain open until filled.

NOTE: Your application should include:

• Cover Letter
• Resume
• **500 Word Essay (Uploaded with Cover Letter as one document)

**PLEASE NOTE ESSAY REQUIREMENT: In addition to your cover letter and resume, you must submit an essay. In no more than 500 words, describe what you anticipate would be an ideal or typical day in this role.

The person who is offered the position will undergo a background check, including a DMV record review, FBI and DOJ fingerprinting, and a check of the Child Abuse Central Index. Our hiring process includes an initial phone interview and at least 2-3 in-person interviews with current VFC staff. Please submit all application materials to be considered.

EEO STATEMENT

Voices for Children (VFC) is an equal opportunity employer and an inclusive organization whose staff and volunteers value, represent, and serve individuals of diverse backgrounds, identities, cultures, and abilities. All aspects of employment including the decision to hire, promote, discipline, or discharge, will be based on merit, competence, performance, and business needs. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, marital status, age, national origin, ancestry, physical or mental disability, medical condition, pregnancy, genetic information, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, veteran status, or any other status protected under federal, state, or local law.”

We embrace the guiding principle that all children should be safe, have a permanent home, and have an opportunity to thrive. Inclusivity and equity are essential components of the advocacy for and protection of the children and families we serve. In order to provide high quality advocacy and serve the best of interests of children, we are similarly committed to advancing diversity and inclusion in our workforce. We celebrate and value our differences and are committed to providing an inclusive and welcoming environment.