Victim Advocate

Victim Advocate- Community Care Job Description

Job Title: Victim Advocate- Community Care 

Rate: Hourly Employee, Paid $26.00/hour,

Hours:             40 hours per week/Full-Time; Exempt

Benefits: Paid time off (holiday, vacation, sick, mental health) and $150 monthly wellness stipend, plus health insurance plans offered through Anthem, Dental, and Vision offered at employer contribution 100%, Annual $500 for your choice of professional development or wellness initiatives

Reports to:        Assistant Director 

Job Type: Hybrid (In-person and Online, located in Durango, CO) 

This job description does not constitute a contract and is subject to change as the needs of RYC and requirements of the position change.

RYC is intentionally seeking applicants who align with our values and organizational goals of creating diverse representation in the organization. The Community Care Coordinator must be committed to working with the 2SLGBTQIA+ and BIPoC communities. CCC must be committed to anti-oppression in all forms to dismantle transphobia and homophobia, heteronormativity and cisnormativity, white supremacy, ableism, sexism, ageism, and classism. Must be willing to work through a health equity lens by understanding that there are better health and wellness outcomes for our 2SLGBTQIA+ population across all intersections by representing and bolstering our growing programming. Hiring equitably is an organizational goal as exhibited by hiring staff that reflects local demographics including: Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Two-Spirit, Non-Binary, Intersex, and Asexual People of Color.

ORGANIZATION MISSION AND VISION:

Mission: To build a brave, anti-racist, anti-oppressive, non-judgmental, and visible space and community for Two Spirit, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Questioning, Intersex, Asexual (2SLGTBQIA+) youth, families and allies in Southwest Colorado.

Vision: To demystify stereotypes and empower through education. We envision that 2SLGBTQIA+ youth and allies will direct and develop youth-led educational, social, and emotionally supportive activities that will benefit overall well-being.

Our Values

The Rainbow Youth Center values community and connection centered in vulnerability, compassion, and justice. We value authentic and safe relationships. We value the whole person as they are. We value wellness and creating opportunities to live one’s best life possible

Our Norms

• Respect; We respect names, pronouns, orientation, gender and philosophies.

• Confidentiality; What is said at RYC stays at RYC, but what is learned here leaves.

• Boundaries; We will respect all boundaries (visual, auditory, physical, etc.).

• Brave Space; We will create space for growth while being mindful of what might be uncomfortable for others.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

The essential functions include, but are not limited to the following:

A.     Organization Direction 

• Be a leader and model for social justice, anti-racism, and anti-oppression.

• Actively foster the mission, vision, values, and norms of RYC throughout all programming.

• Actively engage in and oversee the research and use of best practices for working with 2SLGBTQIA+ youth and families.

• Ensures trauma competencies as core to daily practice at RYC

• Be willing to continuously engage in your own anti-racism and anti-oppression work. Engage in monthly organizational meetings and/or affinity groups addressing anti-racism and anti-oppression work for the organization

• Engage in monthly organizational meetings to address Governance and Organizational Structure to ensure Equity.

• Engage in Fundraising activities

B. Crime Victim Services and Support 

• Provides oversight of peer-to-peer 2SLGBTQIA+ crime victim connection and groups that grow skill development, and access to resources addressing health inequities and oppression while cultivating resilience for survivors of crime. 

• Compliance with confidentiality and mandatory reporting.

• Lead a multidisciplinary team in crisis oriented situations and demonstrate excellent advocacy response with crisis support to victims of bullying, child abuse, sexual assault and other crimes and to their friends and their family members.  

• Assist in Program Development and Facilitation of Crime Victim Services Programs

• Facilitates and supervises community outreach to promote efforts to aid 2SLGBTQIA+ and BIPoC youth and family crime victims 

• Provide public awareness and education presentations to promote coordinated public and private efforts to aid 2SLGBTQIA+ and BIPoC youth and to inform the community of crime victim resources offered through the organization.

• Specific Crime Victim Services for this Position: 

  • Provide leadership within 4CRYC to meet the emotional, psychological or physical needs of 2SLGTBQIA+ crime victims and refer out to necessary crime victim resources.

  • Provide personal advocacy and emotional support to 2SLGBTQIA+ warm line crime victim callers.

C. Core Duties 

Resource Navigator: 

• RYC is also planning on working with the Trans Continental Pipeline, a Colorado nonprofit aimed at offering housing support to Queer and Trans people and families who are relocating from unsafe states, to Colorado as a safer state for the 2SLGBTQIA+ community. This position would help track and coordinate connection to this vital resource, as we are anticipating more individuals and families with 2SLGBTQIA+ and BIPoC youth moving into our areas who will need vital services and support.

•  The coordinator will develop partnerships with other community organizations to expand available support services, and will track the needs of youth and  families and connect them to appropriate resources

• Be the point contact for other organizations to foster partnerships and resources 

  • Lead and direct our team on community outreach and connection efforts 

Emergency Assistance Coordination: 

• Connect youth and families with concrete resources and emergency assistance when needed. 

• Administer and track emergency assistance funds and services for Victims of Crime 

  • Emergency assistance could look like: 

    • Childcare (for purposes of obtaining or retaining employment, participating in services related to victimization, or participating in criminal justice proceedings related to the crime)

    • Hygiene and Basic Needs (e.g. food, clothing, basic toiletries, period hygiene products, diapers/wipes)

    • Mental Health needs such as therapy or crisis center costs as well as items that support mental health like art supplies

    • Local Transportation (for purposes of obtaining or retaining employment, participating in services related to victimization, or participating in criminal justice proceedings related to the crime)

    • Moving expenses(e.g. truck rental, movers, short-term storage)

    • Relocation (e.g. bus, airline, train)

    • Rental Assistance (e.g. house, apartment, mobile home, campground)

    • Utilities (e.g. electric, gas, water, sewer, trash pickup)

    • Contracted Civil Legal Representation eligible services include:

      • Temporary & permanent protection orders and related activities associated with safety concerns of the victim and victim’s children

      •  Immigration assistance related to the crime (i.e. U-Visa, VAWA Petition)

      • Title IX services (e.g. civil legal representation of sexual assault victims in educational settings)

Mentorship:

• Onboarding and training for new mentors and mentees

• Ongoing supervision of mentors

• Establishing relationships and setting up meetings with mentee families

• Tracking budget and notes from mentor sessions using Salesforce

• Creating reimbursement documents each month for mentorship hours, miles, and purchases

• Coordinating mentorship program events and activities for pairs to engage in

Volunteer Support: 

• Assist Program Director with volunteer onboarding 

• Assist with volunteer trainings and continuing education

• Assist with Volunteer engagement, management, and recruitment

Program Support: provide regular program facilitation and support 

Salesforce Data Quality Oversight: Oversee and manage our Client Tracking database

• Ensure that youth and family intakes are complete

• Ensure that client files are up-to-date and are within compliance 

• Provide training and support to program staff on salesforce 

D.     Participate as a contributing member of the RYC team.

• Support organizational development by involvement with planning workgroups and special projects. 

• Represent the organization in a respectful way both on and off the job.

• Work in collaboration with team members to develop and implement marketing and outreach plans and materials (including social media accounts)

• Attend at least 20 hours per year of ongoing training to maintain current best practice in providing victim advocacy, cultural awareness, field trends, and anti-oppression.

• Participate in community needs assessments and data collecting, initiate and develop youth programs based on needs of community and needs of RYC.

• Other tasks as assigned 

Qualifications: 

●   Minimum of three (3) years of progressively responsible experience in behavioral health, non-profit, social justice, youth serving, or similar field 

 OR 

• Minimum of two (2) years in an administrative or leadership capacity in a social justice organization advocating, organizing, and engaging in grassroots community work for forcibly oppressed youth.

       OR

•  Bachelor’s Degree, preferably in human services (psychology, sociology, social work, etc) 

Required:

• Must be able to equitably serve BIPoC youth and families and Youth of Color programming

• Excellent organizational, planning, management, communication, one-on-one, group, telephone, written, and leadership skills; ability to convey a vision of RYC’s future and mission. 

●  Knowledge of MS word, Excel, Google documents/forms, ability to navigate web based programs

• Must be located in or near Durango or be able to commute to Durango on a daily basis 

• Must be able to pass a background check and drivers record background check

Preferred

• Spanish proficiency (preferred, not required) 

• Knowledge of the community’s resources and key stakeholders  

• Have some knowledge of child and adolescent development 

• Nonprofit volunteer experience

How to apply: 

Submit a cover letter and resume to xander@rainbowyouthcenter.org. Your cover letter should detail your professional and personal experience, and how it relates to this position’s responsibilities and desired qualifications. If you would like to submit your application in an alternative method, please contact Xander Hughes at 970-403-9140 or by email. Your application and interview will be in partnership with a hiring committee. This job description does not constitute an employment contract and is subject to change as the needs of RYC and requirements of the job changes.