Full-Time Victim Advocate – Evening
Job Description
VICTIM ASSISTANCE PROGRAM’S EVENING VICTIM ADVOCATE
Victim Assistance Program, the leading expert in crisis intervention for victims of crime and trauma in Northeast Ohio, is seeking a full time, nonexempt, hourly Victim Advocate to work Monday – Friday from 4p – 12a in addition to having on call responsibilities.
Victim Assistance Program does not discriminate in employment opportunities or practices based on race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability, or any other characteristic protected by law. Victim Assistance Program will make reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with known disabilities.
The ideal candidate for this integral role will have a passion for helping those in need, the aptitude for working alone with limited support, a heart who can bear to witness and listen to unthinkable events, and a calming voice to ease people’s pain.
The victim advocate is the sole advocate providing on scene and walk in crisis intervention services throughout Summit County. However, the Advocate participates in ongoing supervision meetings with their immediate supervisor, can obtain immediate support from an on-call supervisor 24/7, and is provided with a back-up advocate who will respond to assist clients when necessary.
As one of the first victim services agencies established in the United States, we are driven to expand the blueprint our founder established in 1972. We are always advancing, always changing, and always thinking of new ways to help victims of crime and trauma.
If you are passionate about using your expertise to help create a world where all victims are healed, please read on!
CHECK OUT THE SPECIFICS TO SEE IF THIS IS THE RIGHT FIT FOR YOU
The Evening Victim Advocate provides trauma-informed services to victims, family members, and communities, impacted by crisis, violence, or tragedy by offering immediate crisis intervention and short/long term advocacy, via phone, text, chat, or in person to address the aftermath of their victimization.
Crisis Intervention
Responding to the needs of victims on our hotline, at the scene of the crime, at the local hospital, or in the Akron Police Department’s Detective Bureau, is where our evening crisis intervention services are most often provided.
- Respond to the scene within 30 minutes to provide crisis intervention in the immediate aftermath of a crisis
- Evaluate the need for additional advocates to response on scene based on the needs of clients
- Engage clients in the NOVA (National Organization for Victim Assistance) model of crisis intervention
- Maintain open communication with the on-call supervisor to debrief after difficult cases
- Determine when crisis intervention services have been exhausted
- Provide support via phone, chat, and text to victims seeking assistance through our 24-hour hotline
Advocacy
Just because our office is in the municipal courthouse, does not mean our knowledge of the court systems ends there. The Victim Advocate must help clients navigate through the entire court system – both on the municipal level and the various branches of the County Court of Common Pleas.
- Conduct an intake assessment, collecting information to allow us to better assist each individual client
- Maintain a knowledge of resources and refer clients to outside entities so they may accomplish goals/tasks
- Educate clients on their rights and the application of applying or waiving their rights as a victim of crime
- Provide case management and follow up support to clients as needed
Administrative
The Victim Advocate will have a significant amount of down time as the needs of victims fluctuate to ‘all the time’, to ‘next to none’. During down time, or even while on the phone, there is always work that can be done…
- Navigate through victim, offender, and case files through various online court systems
- Foster a professional rapport with police officers and detectives
- Foster a professional rapport with medical staff working at our local hospitals
- Create and update client’s electronic case files
- Disseminate paper and electronic victim outcome surveys to measure our program’s success
THINGS TO THINK ABOUT BEFORE APPLYING
All employees of Victim Assistance Program must appreciate the potential physical and psychological impact VAP employment may have on their personal lives.
Employees may witness, observe, smell, and hear disturbing sights and sounds including but not limited to crime scenes, pictures of abuse, and recordings of violent incidents. Secondly, employees may be exposed to situations which could potentially result in physical harm from victims and/or aggressors. Both are concerns primarily of direct service victim advocates, but any employee can be exposed to these situations from time to time. In addition, all employees of Victim Assistance Program are required to respond 24/7/365 to the needs of victims of extreme and catastrophic incidents impacting Summit County.
As our goal is to respond to trauma, we do not engage in prevention, nor do we engage in activism. To ensure every victim is provided with unbiased support, our agency remains neutral on most social justice issues. We work extremely close with local law enforcement; we are a pro police agency and expect all our employees to strengthen our mission by respecting the work of law enforcement in our community.
TAKING CARE OF OUR OWN
We aspire to ensure the needs of our employees are always identified. Employees are provided a competitive compensation compared to similar Summit County nonprofits. We strive to provide employees with a supportive and accessible supervisor, a beautiful trauma informed office settings, new furniture, up to date technology, security, expansive training programs, Verizon wireless cell phone discounts and an employee assistance program including 6 free confidential counseling sessions.
Our newly renovated main office in downtown Akron is within walking distance to the courts, police station, restaurants, shops, and the towpath trails. The space includes an education training facility, trauma free room, and a staff kitchen. A great benefit package is also provided to full time employees. This includes 4 weeks of PTO plus 12 paid holidays, a birthday PTO day, 2 PTO volunteer days, medical coverage, dental & vision coverage, pet insurance, mileage reimbursement, bereavement leave, and a 401k retirement plan with a matching contribution.
It is our belief that if employees are taken care of, and employees have the resources to take care of themselves, then victims will receive superior services…and that is our goal.
How to Apply
To apply for this position, please visit our careers page at https://victimassistanceprogram.org/about-us/careers/321 total views, 0 today