Victim Advocate

General Responsibilities: Provide crisis and follow-up support , medical and legal advocacy to survivors of sexual violence and human trafficking. Coordinate HOPE Works support groups and educational support groups. Collaborate with other agencies in the community to strengthen the coordinated community response to sexual violence. Represent and embody the Mission Statement and Statement of Beliefs of HOPE Works.

Minimum Qualifications: The Victim Advocate is preferred to have experience working with sexual or domestic violence issues and providing victim and systems advocacy. Candidate must have experience collaborating with community partners and working with volunteers or interns. Candidate must have strong oral and written communication skills.

Specific Responsibilities:

On-going educational and support groups and events

• In collaboration with the Director of Advocacy Services, assist in ensuring grant funded programs are successful, which may include assisting in the coordination or completion of federal, state or foundation grant objectives.

• Advertise, complete intakes, and coordinate facilitators’ schedules to ensure the smooth running of HOPE Works’ support groups, which may include The Healing Journey, Male Survivors support group, Drop-In Group and others.

• Help facilitate HOPE Works educational support groups, which may include Howard Center groups, COTS support group and others.

• Help provide emotional support at educational events or conferences such as Take Back the Night, Clothesline Project displays and workshops and other survivor participant events.

Support and advocacy work with survivors

• Provide crisis counseling, emotional support, advocacy, information and referrals to survivors of sexual violence and human trafficking and their loved ones through hotline and in-person contact.

• Cover on-call hotline and/or chatline shifts as needed; provide backup coverage for the hotline in a rotation with other staff at HOPE Works.

• Attend court on a weekly basis with clients, provide legal advocacy, act as a liaison between the legal system and survivors.

• Provide other assistance which may support the immediate and long-term safety and healing of survivors.

• Provide assistance and support to survivors in community settings such as the hospital, Community Health Center, Planned Parenthood, Department of Children and Families, Community Action, Economic Services, CUSI/Law Enforcement Howard Center, COTS, etc.

• Assist survivors in securing needed resources in the community within the systems of emergency assistance, child welfare, and emergency and low-income housing.

• Complete all contact sheets and paperwork in a timely and accurate way; participate in any and all hotline meetings.

• Follow all Advocacy Protocols and Procedures outlined by the Director of Advocacy Services.

• Other tasks as assigned by the Director of Advocacy Services; the HOPE Works Victim Advocate is supervised by the Director of Advocacy Services.

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $24.00 - $26.00 per hour

Expected hours: 32 per week

Benefits:

• Dental insurance
• Employee assistance program
• Health insurance
• Paid time off
• Vision insurance

Patient demographics:

• Adolescents
• Adults
• Children
• Older adults

Willingness to travel:

• 50% (Preferred)

Work Location: Hybrid remote in Burlington, VT