Crisis Shelter of Lawrence County
Job Description
Department: Advocacy & Counseling
Job Title: Victim Advocate
Reports to: Advocacy & Counseling Coordinator
Level:
Professional
Supervisory/Managerial
Executive
Type of Position:
Full-time
Part-time
Contractual
Intern/Volunteer
Hours per week: 37.5
Exempt
Non-exempt
General Description:
Using a peer-counseling model, provide support to individuals and families victimized by domestic violence and/or
sexual assault, juvenile crimes or other serious crimes. General duties include crisis intervention, legal advocacy and
accompaniment, safety planning, and referral to/collaboration with other community resource agencies. Victim
Advocates are responsible for the maintenance of all client files including case note documentation and data entry into a
data management system.
Crisis Shelter of Lawrence County utilizes the Sanctuary Model which is a trauma-informed client treatment and
organizational change model. The Sanctuary Model organizes both our treatment and the way we run our organization.
Sanctuary an EVERYBODY Model because it is a way of guiding leaders, staff, clients and families to share the same
values and language. Victim Advocates Advocates are expected to use the Model’s shared values, the seven Sanctuary
commitments, and tools to guide everyday practice.
Job-Specific Duties:
A Commitment to Non-violence
 Offer crisis intervention, legal advocacy, legal and medical accompaniment and safety planning for adults, children
and families
 Provide on-call services on a rotating schedule as assigned by supervisor
 Assist client in understanding that adversity, trauma and chronic stress are universal experiences and that healing is
possible
 Educate client regarding the role of Sanctuary Model in the agency
 Educate families and significant others about trauma and the agency’s use of the Sanctuary Model
 Maintain a strong working knowledge of all Crisis Shelter services to ensure clients receive a well coordinated
continuum of care
 Maintain vigilance to not abuse the formal or informal power associated with one’s position which involves a
commitment to and practice creating being safe outside (physically), inside (emotionally), with others (socially), and
doing the right thing (moral)
A Commitment to Emotional Intelligence
 Assess client trauma history
 Provide follow-up contact and referral to other Crisis Shelter services
 Assist client in understanding the dynamics of victimization, particularly domestic violence and/or sexual
assault, juvenile crimes and other serious crimes
 Notifies, informs, and educates clients of their rights throughout the legal process
 Advocate for the rights of the client to be upheld throughout the legal process
 Assist client in processing conflicts and losses
 Maintain good working relationships with other social service providers to assist in referral process
 Respond to crisis and confrontation in a professional, positive and effective manner
 Maintain strong working relationships with people of differing backgrounds, ages, maturity, abilities, races, colors,
creeds, genders, ancestry, national origin, marital status, sexual orientation, religion, socio-economic status and
experiences
 Maintain a flexible schedule to meet agency needs, including but not limited to occasional evenings and weekends
 Demonstrate a willingness to talk out rather than act out feelings, deal with conflict in a way that promotes
growth and change and provide and accept constructive criticism in a positive and productive manner
A Commitment to Social Learning
 Provide training and outreach to various medical facilities to heighten awareness of the impact of domestic violence
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and sexual assault in the medical setting including appropriate screening processes
Participate in the medical advocacy task force
Participate in regular supervisory conferences and case management meetings
Participate in annual performance reviews
Utilize knowledge, skills and areas of expertise to facilitate professional development for other staff members
Focus on making it possible for one another to take reasonable risks by accepting that mistakes are a necessary part
of learning and that team members are able to learn from experiences and help each other learn from experiences
and each other
A Commitment to Democracy
 Participate in staff meetings offering positive suggestions and solutions for agency improvement when
necessary
 Solicit feedback from clients regarding areas of improvement and communicate responses to supervisor
and peers
 Participate in agency work groups and committees
 Hold the belief that all of us together are smarter than one of us alone and as a result engage our clients
and each other in decision making and problem solving, seek and listen to input from each other, and act in
a way that is honest and transparent
A Commitment to Social Responsibility
 Assist client in obtaining restitution and/or crime victims’ compensation
 Prepare and maintain all necessary reports and statistical information, including but not limited to case note
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documentation, monthly reporting forms, and data management system
Answer confidential hotline, if needed
Provide Emergency Shelter coverage, if needed
Represent the agency at any meetings as identified by supervisor
Meet statistical and other agency goals as set forth in annual plan
Perform all tasks in a manner that are organized and demonstrate strong time management skills, prioritize and work
both independently and as a team member
Adhere to all agency policies and procedures
Strive to model positive behavior at all times, sharing responsibility for doing good work, following rules and being
accountable for behaviors and decisions which includes adhering to policies and procedures, taking initiative when
gaps exists and assisting others to do the same
A Commitment to Growth & Change
 Refer client to other support services as needed, including but not limited to legal or medical assistance, social
services, and employment services
 Participate in domestic violence, sexual assault, and other crime victim outreach and awareness events
 Attend agency sponsored professional development events, including 10 hours of education
regarding crime victims, 6 hours of sexual assault training and 8 hours of domestic violence training
on a yearly basis
 Upgrade skills and maintain personal currency of information about domestic violence, sexual assault and other
crime victims through self-directed activities such as through readings, other publications and peer supervision
 Seek out ways to improve one’s performance and one’s program/department, embrace change and appreciate losses
associated with change and assist one another with managing these losses as to not get stuck in the past
A Commitment to Open Communication
 Provide education to client regarding the legal system including court orientation
 Provide juvenile case status updates and notification of releases, home passes, transfers, etc. by developing close
working relationships with the District Attorney’s Office, Juvenile Probation Office and the County Police
Departments to keep well informed of all case scheduling
 Communicate with client regarding helpfulness of legal advocacy services, evaluate successes and challenges, and
adapt support as needed
 Disperse all pertinent information regarding client care, changes in department processes and other current events to
all clients
 Disperse all pertinent information regarding client care, changes in department processes and other current events to
all agency staff
 Communicate with proficient written and verbal ability
 Articulate program goals and philosophy
 Strong public speaking skills
 Address problems and raise unspoken conflicts by saying what one means without being mean while saying it
Other:
LANGUAGE SKILLS
Ability to read, analyze, and interpret general business periodicals, professional journals, technical procedures, or
governmental regulations. Ability to write reports, business correspondence, and procedure manuals. Ability to
effectively present information and respond to questions from groups of managers, clients, and the general public.
MATHEMATICAL SKILLS
Ability to add, subtract, multiply, and divide in all units of measure, using whole numbers, common fractions, and
decimals. Ability to compute rate, ratio, and percent and to draw and interpret bar graphs.
REASONING ABILITY
Ability to define problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions. Ability to interpret an extensive
variety of technical instructions in mathematical or diagram form and deal with several abstract and concrete variables.
PHYSICAL DEMANDS
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully
perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with
disabilities to perform the essential functions.
While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit and talk or hear. The employee is
occasionally required to stand; walk; use hands to finger, handle, or feel; reach with hands and arms; climb or balance;
and stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl. The employee must frequently lift and/or move up to 10 pounds and occasionally lift
and/or move up to 25 pounds.
WORK ENVIRONMENT
The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while
performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with
disabilities to perform the essential functions.
The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate
EQUIPMENT/TOOLS/SUPPLIES USED
Standard office equipment and clerical supplies. Telephone, photocopier, calculator. TTY/TTD machine, fax machine,
shredder. Filing system. Computer and printer. Detailed and complex reports. Word processing software, data
collection, spreadsheet software. Paging system. Audiovisual equipment: VCR, overhead projector.
CERTIFICATES, LICENSES, REGISTRATIONS
Ability to obtain Act 33/34 clearances. Valid driver's license or access to reliable transportation. Must complete 80 hour
counselor/advocate training within 1 month of employment.
Qualifications:
To perform this job successfully, the Counselor Advocate must be able to perform each job-specific duty satisfactorily.
Work Experience/Educational Requirements:
Bachelor's degree (B.A.) or equivalent from four-year college and one year related experience. Or, Associate's degree
(A. A.) or equivalent from two-year college or technical school; or four years related experience and/or training; or
equivalent combination of education and experience.
Reviewed by:
Approved by:
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Employee Signature
Title:
Title:
____________________________________________
Supervisor Signature