InReach Advocate

InReach Advocate

InReach Advocate 150 150 YWCAPDX
YWCA of Greater Portland
Published
May 9, 2023
Location
Portland
Category
Job Type
Contact Name (not public)
Veronica Connolly

Description

Applications to: Employment@YWCApdx.org - Include job title in the subject line

Position Overview
Are you a creative problem solver committed to harm reduction and empowerment? Are you passionate about assisting houseless survivors of domestic and/or sexual violence in securing permanent housing? Are you dedicated to working across organizations and systems to advocate with houseless survivors? YWCA of Greater Portland helps survivors of domestic and/or sexual violence navigate systems and attain safe and stable housing as part of YWCA USA, the largest and oldest provider of domestic violence support services in the world. In this role, you will advocate alongside survivors whose housing stability has been impacted by domestic and/or sexual violence and who are currently residing at indoor and outdoor shelter locations or encampments. The InReach Advocate will contribute significantly to YWCA’s mission by providing trauma- and survivor-informed mobile housing advocacy alongside vulnerable survivors throughout Multnomah County who are impacted by systems of oppression.

YWCA IS ON A MISSION
YWCA is on a mission to eliminate racism, empower women, and promote peace, justice, freedom, and dignity for all. For more than 120 years, YWCA of Greater Portland has invested in our community, supported survivors, and advocated for the most vulnerable among us: women, children, seniors, the unhoused, and the incarcerated. As one of 200 Associations nationwide, we are proud members of YWCA USA, one of the oldest and largest women's organizations in the nation.

Department: Survivor Services

Reports To: InReach Manager

Status: Full time, hourly / non-exempt Wage: $26.48/hour + generous benefits

Application Process
Interviews will be conducted in late May/early June.
Please submit a complete application, which includes:
• Cover letter that highlights what inspires you about our mission, and how your lived experience will strengthen YWCA and support our growing InReach program.
• Resume
• 3 to 5 References
Only complete applications will be considered.

Key Responsibilities & Deliverables/Outcomes

Responsive and Strategic Housing Support

  • Use a housing‐first approach to support survivors of domestic and/or sexual violence to attain or retain safe housing, frequently in emergency and/or chronically houseless situations. This may include, but is not limited to, landlord negotiation/mediation, medical and/or legal advocacy referrals, harm reduction, safety planning, and attendance at formal or informal hearings.
  • Provide ongoing support to program participants by conducting intake assessments, determining eligibility, and coordinating services.
  • Serve program participants consistently and proactively through referrals, waitlists, and similar county‐wide forums.
  • Provide emotional support and basic needs supplies as requested by survivor.
  • Create safety plans alongside survivors using a harm reduction lens.
  • Build rapport with survivors by regularly visiting partnering indoor and outdoor shelter sites and/or encampments.
  • Provide ongoing housing retention support to help survivors with transition as requested.
  • Apply knowledge of Fair Housing and VAWA (Violence Against Women Act) protections and/or landlord/tenant laws and contextualize the survivor’s experience while maintaining confidentiality.
  • Meet all contractual obligations for housing survivors and conduct meaningful outreach activities.
  • Coordinate engagement with other domestic violence, mental health, anti-poverty, and legal service providers at the directive of the survivor.

Conduct data collection, analysis, and programmatic evaluation

  • Collect program data including participant demographics, services delivered, and participant feedback.
  • Complete all data entry, filing, and eligibility requirement tasks in a timely manner. Such activities require adherence to federal, state, and local laws and contract requirements while working within multiple agency systems. All work must be carried out while maintaining absolute participant confidentiality.
  • Track expenditures against program goals and maintain accurate and timely financial records including all credit card receipts.

Participatory Teamwork and Responsible Representation

  • Engage consistently in anti-racism practices and approaches with internal and external work based on a deep understanding of historical and present-day structural racism.
  • Collaborate with multi-agency InReach teams to coordinate services and discuss programming. *May be collaboratively assigned to the JOIN InReach Team and would work more closely with JOIN managers, meetings, and procedures.
  • Develop and maintain positive professional relationships with housing providers in the Greater Portland area, social services agencies, city and government officials, the Survivor Services team, and YWCA as a whole.
  • Attend and meaningfully participate in all scheduled meetings with department, agency, and external partner teams.
  • Commit to ongoing participation in continuing education including DV and Fair Housing legal changes.
  • Uphold the YWCA of Greater Portland’s mission, vision, and values by acting with integrity, accountability, and responsibility toward survivor participants, service partners, fellow employees, volunteers, donors, and everyone the organization engages with.
  • Perform other duties as assigned.

The Ideal Candidate

  • Communicates clearly, consistently, and kindly with agency partners, and colleagues, and responds in a timely, compassionate, and appropriate way to multiple partners.
  • Manages a complicated and frequently deadline-driven work environment with consistent and effective self-care strategies and techniques.
  • Advocates for social justice, including furthering the rights, protections, access to safety, and empowerment of historically oppressed, under-represented, and/or marginalized communities.
  • Regulates personal emotions and practices self-care while enduring high amounts of stress and vicarious trauma.
  • Brings an intersectional lens to the work that focuses on lived experience, resiliency, and opportunities for calling in and deeper learning.

Skills, Knowledge, and Experience

  • Required: 40-hour Domestic Violence Advocate Training, 40-Hour Sexual Assault Advocate Training, Assertive Engagement, and Motivational Interviewing Training (all provided upon hire).
  • Prior experience with social services, DV/SA, or housing advocacy preferred. through any combination of education, employment or lived experience.
  • Able to work with survivors experiencing homelessness without judgement using a strengths-based, trauma informed, person-centered approach.
  • Demonstrated advanced level creative problem-solving skills in rapidly evolving, frequently chaotic and/or high-risk situations.
  • Ability to respond quickly and effectively and to confidently make independent decisions to meet survivors’ needs in the moment and for the long-term.
  • Able to build rapport with survivors from diverse cultural and economic backgrounds, maintain and respect confidentiality, and consistently treat others with dignity and respect.
  • Proven ability to balance urgency and self-care through effective decision making and clear boundaries.
  • Resourceful, persistent, and motivated self-starter capable of balancing work priorities and calendar while also being responsive to survivor needs.
  • Have or develop applicable knowledge of survivor protections as they engage in various service systems including housing, criminal justice, etc.
  • Able to use Microsoft Office, Excel, Google Suite, and Adobe Acrobat
  • Able to maintain files and complete data entry and record keeping.
  • Knowledge of DV/SA and housing laws, best practices and terminology preferred.
  • Bi-lingual/Bi-cultural highly preferred
  • Flexibility, kindness, discretion, and a sense of humor are essential.

Job Conditions

  • This position requires field work throughout Multnomah County in various indoor and outdoor shelter locations, encampments, villages, and homes to meet survivors where and when they feel safest. Because of the responsive and unpredictable nature of field work, safety planning and related communications are prioritized.
  • Must be able to provide own transportation, travel is reimbursed.
  • Laptop, phone, and all other supplies needed for fieldwork including PPE, relevant weather- and theft-resistant gear, work boots, etc. will be provided.

Benefits

  • 100% Employer paid Comprehensive Medical, Vision, and Dental Insurance coverage (with a no deductible option).
  • Generous paid time off (including 13 paid holidays).
  • Employer paid Life, Short- and Long-Term Disability Insurance.
  • Unlimited access to no-cost Social Justice Trainings (see www.ywcapdx.org) and additional position-specific professional development.
  • 100% Employer Paid Pension Plan (generous contribution) after 2 years of service in the YWCA Retirement Fund, one of the oldest pension plans in the country; a 403(b) Retirement Savings plan is available to all new employees.
  • Membership in the YWCA USA sisterhood, a 150-year-old network of 200 associations worldwide.

Our Hiring Philosophy
We believe that a diverse, equitable, and inclusive workplace makes us a stronger, more creative, and more resilient organization. As an organization that works to amplify the voices of those from different ethnic, racial, and cultural communities, religions, gender identities, sexual orientations and/or expressions, we highly encourage people from all backgrounds, ages, abilities, and experiences to apply.

YWCA of Greater Portland is an equal opportunity employer. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, ancestry, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital or family status, disability, gender, gender identity or expression, pregnancy or caregiver status, veteran status, justice-involved background, or any other legally protected status. We work to ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodations to participate in the job application and interview process, to perform essential job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment.

YWCA is on a mission to eliminate racism, empower women and promote peace, justice, freedom and dignity for all. Multicultural, multilingual, BIPOC, and LGBTQ+ voices matter to us. We encourage everyone who is passionate about our mission and who can bring valuable lived experience to this position to apply, even if you don't believe you meet every one of the described qualifications. YWCA will not hire someone currently receiving services or within the first 6 months of ending YWCA services. YWCA cannot provide services to our own employees but can provide referral to other agencies.

Please note that proof of COVID-19 vaccination is a requirement for all employees.

How To Apply

Interviews will be conducted in late May/early June.

Please submit a complete application, which includes:

  • Cover letter that highlights what inspires you about our mission, and how your lived experience will strengthen YWCA and support our growing InReach program.
  • Resume
  • 3 to 5 References

Only complete applications will be considered.

Applications to: Employment@YWCApdx.org / Include job title in the subject line.