Community Support Advocate

Job Description

Job Description

Job Title : Community Support Advocate

Location : San Jose, CA

Schedule : FT, 40 hours / week onsite

Reports to : Associate Directors - Employee Engagement, Impact & Program Design, Professional Development & Training, Community Partnerships

Who We Are

Our mission is to end domestic violence in the moment and for all time.

In 1971, our founder Bea Robinson Mendez, concerned about the lack of services and options for domestic violence survivors, gathered a small group of her friends to figure out a solution.

They set up a shelter in a garage and established a hotline number to provide information and support to survivors. Unbeknownst to them, it would become the second domestic violence agency in California and the first bilingual domestic violence shelter in the nation.

So began the story of Next Door Solutions to Domestic Violence (NDS). Domestic violence is the most prevalent form of gender-based violence, often the most frequently reported crime and arguably the one with the greatest damaging effect on our families, youth, and communities.

We are the only stand-alone, domestic violence agency in Santa Clara County, answering approximately 15,000 crisis calls and serving an average of 3,000 survivors of domestic violence annually.

Our comprehensive, compassionate, bilingual and multicultural services are available free of charge to all individuals across the gender spectrum and of varying abilities.

Culture and Climate

NDS has developed a supportive workplace culture where personal and professional connections are valued and facilitated. Our guiding values are :

• Oneness & Connectedness
• Survivor & Community Centered
• Compassionate Accountability
• Equity & Justice
• Inclusion for Liberation

Overview :

This position is responsible for providing integral gateway services to survivors of domestic violence, at Next Door Solutions’ community office as well as in the community.

This crucial intervention and advocacy position provides survivors with necessary support and survivor-centered planning.

This bi-lingual advocate will provide extensive safety planning, risk assessment counseling, and warm referrals to survivors through face-to-face and telephone services.

All Advocate positions play an important role in ensuring a healthy environment that supports our organization as we work to support survivors and create a safer community.

Key Responsibilities :

Job functions are specific duties that would be included in the essential functions of the job description. These functions are not all-inclusive nor do they cover the full extent of the duties performed.

• Provide direct services to survivors of domestic violence through multiple access points : phone, walk-in, appointments, court, community partner or satellite location according to NDS' philosophy and policies.
• These services include but are not limited to : crisis counseling; intake interviews; performing client assessments; assisting clients in creating and achieving a goal plan for independence (covering areas such as housing, income source, legal and medical needs);
• advocating on behalf of clients with other agencies; providing appropriate referrals; accompanying clients to appointments as needed;

and providing information and referrals as well as support to clients

• Provide extensive, survivor-centered safety planning and risk assessment counseling to participants
• Conduct ongoing peaceful contact workshops
• Advocate for participants and work collaboratively with values-aligned systems, courts, county departments and other related agencies
• Maintain up-to-date knowledge and education related to domestic violence laws, trends, and other related topics
• Attend all supervision, internal and external meetings / trainings decided by the team, including All Hands, 1 : 1 Check-ins, and Direct Service meetings
• Create and navigate warm referrals / resources / connections with community in order foster connection and to meet participant needs
• Support, create, and maintain a working environment that aligns with the organizations’ values
• Create and maintain appropriate participant records, notes, and documentation, including database entry
• Collaborate with other advocates as well as agency Coordinators to ensure quality service
• Perform other duties as assigned

Qualifications :

• BA, BSW or AA degree plus 2 years’ experience in the provision of domestic violence services
• Knowledge of trauma informed services
• Cultural responsiveness, humility, and sensitivity
• Very good written and oral communication skills
• Ability to work individually one-on-one with clients and as part of a team
• Excellent interpersonal skills
• Ability to work under pressure and multitask
• Ability to meet assigned deadlines
• Valid CA driver’s license, car and proof of insurance required
• Must be available for occasional evening assignments
• Bilingual-Spanish / English
• Knowledge of domestic violence with 40 hour Domestic Violence Training certificate preferred

Next Door Solutions is an Equal Opportunity Employer that does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, religious creed (including religious dress and grooming practices), national origin, ancestry, citizenship, physical or mental disability, medical condition (including cancer and genetic characteristics), genetic information, marital status, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding, or related medical conditions), gender, gender identity, gender expression, age, sexual orientation, veteran and / or military status, protected medical leaves (requested or approved for leave under the Family and Medical Leave Act or the California Family Rights Act), domestic violence victim status, political affiliation, and any other status protected by state or federal law.