JOB TITLE: Bilingual Advocate
SUPERVISED BY: Director of Client Services
HOURS: Full-Time, Non-Exempt; Monday-Friday 8am-5pm, some flexible scheduling required, shares on-call responsibilities
SALARY & BENEFITS: $21.00-$23.00 per hour; generous PTO; 11 Paid holidays; health, dental benefits and HSA with employee match; Simple IRA with employee contribution
LOCATION: Grand Rapids, MI
Position Overview
Join our team of skilled and ambitious professionals who share a dedication to serving and enhancing the voices of survivors of relationship abuse and human trafficking. Safe Haven Ministries is seeking a candidate who is fluent in Spanish and demonstrates a passion to work with individuals who are experiencing relationship abuse and/or human trafficking. The Bilingual Advocate will play an integral role in providing trauma-informed, client-centered case management and advocacy services, ensuring Spanish-speaking survivors have access to services in their preferred language, while receiving culturally-informed support. Additionally, the Bilingual Advocate will engage in community outreach activities and facilitate support groups.
Organizational Overview
Safe Haven Ministries—a nonprofit organization located in Grand Rapids, Michigan—believes in a multi-faceted approach to serving victims/survivors of domestic violence and preventing domestic violence in our community. Safe Haven offers comprehensive residential and non-residential services; confidential emergency shelter for individuals and families fleeing domestic violence; psycho-educational support groups; individual case management and advocacy; and primary prevention training and outreach for the entire community.
Summary of Duties (Essential Functions)
- Utilize bilingual skills to serve survivors experiencing domestic violence and human trafficking
- Provide outreach and relationship building with agencies and communities to promote bilingual services and awareness of Safe Haven programming
- Provide English and Spanish crisis intervention, support, and referral to victims/survivors seeking support
- Provide trauma-informed and comprehensive assessments, legal advocacy, and resource connection to all clients with a focus on Hispanic and Latinx survivors
- Facilitate psychoeducational support groups
- Be available to clients to discuss problems and concerns by using active listening, problem solving skills, and empathy in a professional manner
- Observe professional confidentiality; protect the rights of clients and their families and observe the Safe Haven Ministries Code of Ethics at all times
- Share on-call responsibilities
- Supervise interns as assigned
- Attend and participate in program meetings, weekly staff meetings, individual supervisions, staff in-services, and other meetings as assigned
- Ensure appropriate and timely data collection, maintain case notes and complete client files
- Strive to create a caring and safe environment marked by empathy, understanding, and acceptance
- Attend conferences and seminars to enhance knowledge and resources in the fields of domestic violence and human trafficking
- Facilitate bilingual Spanish/English domestic violence trainings with Prevention and Outreach Program Director as needed
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities Required or Preferred
- Bachelor’s Degree in social work or related field preferred. Will consider relevant experience in the right candidate in lieu of bachelor’s degree
- Fluency in Spanish required
- Must be able to demonstrate flexibility and adaptability to work in various environments including residential, non-residential and community based sites
- Availability to work evening or weekends when necessary
- Knowledge of the dynamics of domestic violence; previous work with domestic violence preferred
- Active listening, crisis intervention, and problem resolutions skills
- Ability to work independently and as a team
- Excellent written and oral communication skills
- A commitment to continued research, training, and education on issues of domestic violence and social work
- Strong organizational and time management skills
- Ability to communicate with individuals from diverse cultures and backgrounds
- Reliable transportation
The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work performed by employees in this position. They are not intended to be an exhaustive list of all duties, responsibilities, and/or qualifications of employees assigned to this job. Employees are required to perform other duties as requested, directed, or assigned.
Safe Haven is an equal opportunity employer and dedicated to a policy and culture of non-discrimination and equal opportunity for all employees and qualified applicants. Safe Haven does not discriminate on the basis of religion, race, color, national origin, age, sex, height, weight, marital status, disability, gender identification or expression, sexual orientation, partisan considerations, or genetic information.