Bilingual (English/Spanish) Youth Advocacy Specialist

ABOUT US

Resolving to make the world better for children is at the heart of Safe Shores -The DC Children’s Advocacy Center’s mission to provide survivor-centered intervention, hope, and healing for children and families affected by abuse, trauma, and violence in the District of Columbia. Our efforts are focused on working to prevent and end child abuse and neglect through promising practices, policies, and partnerships.

Working side-by-side with a passion-driven multidisciplinary team, we aim to:

• Minimize the trauma experienced by children and adolescents who have been identified as victims of sexual or physical abuse.
• Improve the investigation and prosecution of sexual and physical abuse cases from the point of intervention through to treatment and healing.
• Promote inter-agency collaboration for effective decision-making and management of sexual and physical abuse cases.
• Prevent further or future abuse of child victims.
• Provide training professionals in the field of investigation, prosecution, and provision of services for sexually and physically abused children, adolescents, and their non-offending caretakers.

THE JOB AND YOUR ROLE

We are seeking a Bilingual Youth Advocacy Specialist to provide advocacy, crisis intervention, systems navigation, emotional support, and short-term ongoing advocacy services as needed to English and Spanish-speaking youth (ages 13-17) victims and their non-offending family members as desired. Bilingual Youth Advocacy Specialists may be the first point of contact for (Spanish-speaking) victims of sexual assault. The focus of youth advocacy support is to help reduce trauma for youth while informing them of their rights and options. The Bilingual Youth Advocacy Specialist helps youth identify and access necessary services, liaising with other agencies and service providers and supporting them throughout the investigative process as required. Depending on the program and client needs, the client caseload may consist of both English-speaking and Spanish-speaking clients.

This position requires in-person, direct service work. The incumbent must work at least one evening (2 p.m.- 10 p.m.) shift and the after-hours on-call rotation for 24-hour response, including weekends.

In accordance with the Sexual Assault Victims’ Rights Amendment Act of 2019, this position will respond to youth in community settings such as hospitals or law enforcement agencies, as well as working from an office setting. This position will require the ability to respond in person and virtually, depending on client needs and preferences. This position is a mandated reporter for child abuse and neglect under District of Columbia Statute §4-1321.02 when not acting

within the defined role that provides an exemption to this mandate.

WHAT YOU OFFER

You are passionate about Safe Shores’ mission, vision, and values, committed to doing what’s best and suitable for those we serve, and driven to become an outstanding asset to our community of colleagues. You have strong listening and communication skills, both oral and written, and must be able to adapt to various audiences fluidly. You have the heart of an advocate and are passionate about Safe Shores' mission. Most importantly, you have a high level of cultural competence and believe and thrive in a workplace culture committed to countering all forms of prejudice and discrimination.

Reasonable accommodation may be available to enable persons with disabilities to perform essential job duties. The essential duties and responsibilities are a summary, not an all-inclusive list of all necessary job duties.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities include the following. Other duties may be assigned.

• Ability to explain concepts and provide robust advocacy support in both written and spoken English and Spanish.
• Provide advocacy and crisis intervention support and/or accompaniment to 13 – 17-year-old clients (and family as desired) during the initial medical and/or law enforcement response to sexual assault and ongoing as needed.
• Provide information to teens/families regarding trauma and the impacts of trauma, available support and service resources, victim’s rights, and the multidisciplinary team (MDT) investigative process.
• Coordinate as appropriate with other involved service providers or government agencies, in accordance with the Sexual Assault Victims’ Rights Amendment Act of 2019.
• Troubleshoot barriers to accessing services with youth, family members, and professionals.
• Build relationships within the Youth Advocacy Initiative and with other staff and key stakeholders, including members of the multidisciplinary team (MDT).
• Perform a safety assessment of the youth and/or family and develop and recommend a safety plan for the youth victim and family in cases when appropriate.
• Participate in regular individual supervision, staff meetings, departmental meetings, in-service training, and other meetings as required.
• Provide 24-hour on-call crisis intervention and advocacy services as assigned.
• Ensure a tranquil and safe environment for visiting youth and families by monitoring program space and providing support to staff as needed.
• Maintain and assure quality and confidentiality of electronic and paper files and statistical tracking promptly.
• Assist in the maintenance of material needs such as the clothing closet or youth activity program food and toys, as needed.
• Track follow-up surveys to be sent and implement follow-up surveys as needed and as directed.
• Manage expenses and expense reports in alignment with the program area budget.
• Attend and facilitate relevant training and stay current on emerging issues and trends related to youth advocacy role.
• Participate in community outreach activities to further the Youth Advocacy Initiative's goals.
• Assist in the implementation of Safe Shores’ seasonal drives, as needed.

Supervisory Responsibilities:

There are no supervisory responsibilities for this position.

EDUCATION, EXPERIENCE, and QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor’s degree required in social work, counseling, criminal justice, or a related field.
• A minimum of two (2) years of professional experience working with children and families who have experienced abuse and trauma, and/or general mental health practice.
• Ability to speak and write fluently in both English and Spanish. Cultural humility and experience working with Spanish-speaking populations. (Spanish language fluency for reading, writing, and comprehension will be assessed as a part of the interview process.)
• Experience in working with the criminal justice and/or child welfare systems.
• Knowledge and understanding of the dynamics of child sexual abuse, family violence, and/or sexual violence.
• Must have access to reliable transportation (via personal vehicle or rideshare).
• Ability to successfully pass Child Protection Registry clearance and criminal background check.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Master’s degree preferred in social work, counseling, criminal justice, or a related field.
• Formal training and/or certification as a victim advocate or crisis counselor
• Experience working within a multidisciplinary team

COMPUTER/TECHNOLOGY SKILLS

Must be PC proficient and able to thrive in a fast-paced setting. Must have strong experience with computer technology and equipment and Microsoft Office 365, Outlook, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to use hands to touch or feel a computer, keyboard, monitor, telephone, Smart Phone, and talk or hear when interacting with employees. The employee is frequently required to stand, walk and sit. The employee is occasionally required to reach with hands and arms. The employee may regularly lift and /or move 25 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, depth perception and ability to adjust focus.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate. No or very limited exposure to physical risk.

WHAT WE OFFER

Total Compensation: We prioritize your overall health and well-being

A salary is only part of a larger picture of compensation and rewards. As a Bilingual Youth Advocacy Specialist, the starting salary is $68,654 annually. We take total compensation seriously. We proudly provide one of the most robust benefits packages in the non-profit sector, including employer-paid medical, dental, and vision insurance for our employees, and that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Our work is complex, and in this field, we firmly believe that we must care for ourselves to be present for our circle and those we serve. Please take a moment to read the complete list of employee benefits we offer:

• Birthday Comp Day (Your birthday is a holiday for you!)
• Your Own Annual Professional Development Fund
• 13 days of paid vacation leave
• 13 days of paid sick leave
• 13 days of paid holidays
• Paid personal leave
• Paid parental leave
• 100% employer-paid medical (PPO with lots of provider options), dental, and vision insurance for the current 2024-25 plan year
• Wellness Stipend
• Dedicated Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• Employee appreciation and wellness events
• Short- and long-term disability insurance
• Life insurance
• 403(b) Retirement Plan (Employer contribution after 1 year of service)

Other benefits as applicable are as follows:

• Safe Shores offers paid sabbatical leave for employees with a tenure of five consecutive years.