Advocate

At Unbound Now, it has always been our aim to fight for the protection of the vulnerable, identify the exploited, and advocate for survivors of human trafficking on their path to restoration. We are motivated by our faith in Jesus and work each day as people who are hope driven, service oriented, and excellence focused. To learn more about our values, please read our Statement of Faith. 

Job Status: Full-time, Exempt, Grant-supported (1 year, but plan to apply for continuance)

Job Summary: The primary function of the Advocate is to provide individualized crisis response and ongoing case management and support for adult survivors of sex trafficking, using sound professional judgment and best practices to ensure high-quality services and maintaining compliance with established program, state, and federal standards.

Compensation: Annual salary

Benefits: Option of health insurance for employee and family, life insurance for employee, option to participate in the retirement plan (3% salary match after 90 days with 1-year vesting period), Dental and Vision available at the employee expense.

Schedule/Availability: 40-50 hrs/wk. Evening, weekend, and holiday call required. Scheduling flexibility needed.

Travel: This position requires frequent travel within the immediate area and occasional travel in or out of state for client transportation or training.

Working conditions: Some work performed in normal office environment, other service-provider conditions environment, or other professional environment. Some work within the community, in high-vulnerability locations

Job Requirements:

• Mature Christian faith
• Three references, (supervisor, professional, personal)
• Agree to and pass all required criminal background checks, including DFPS criminal history check and abuse and neglect registry check
• Pass employment eligibility verification
• Meet the legal age requirement to rent a vehicle
• Being willing and able to rent a vehicle with personal car insurance
• Excellent relational, communication, and interpersonal skills
• Good organizational and administrative abilities
• Ability and willingness to maintain confidentiality of sensitive information
• Ability to build trust and good working relationships with others
• Appreciation of need for cultural competency and humility
• Trained and experienced in trauma-informed care
• Trained in stages of change model and use of motivational interviewing, preferred
• Pass all required criminal background checks
• Pass employment eligibility verification
• Complete Unbound Now’s pre-service training 
• Fulfill Unbound Now’s annual and ongoing training requirements 
• Abide by all Unbound Now policies and procedures and care coordination protocols at all times, including Unbound Now’s Abuse Prevention and Response Policy
• Willingness to serve in rotation for 24-hour on-call response, including evenings, weekends, and holidays
• Willingness to use personal vehicle for work travel; valid driver’s license, reliable vehicle, current car insurance
• Ability to stay hope-filled in the fight against human trafficking
• High level of emotional maturity and responsibility
• Ability to exercise discretion in caring for people in crisis
• Strong work ethic with self initiative
• Innovative problem solver
• Ability to adapt rapidly to changes in the field
• Commitment to excellence and professionalism in services provided
• Demonstrated ability to work in a fast-paced, high-pressure environment and maintain emotional control and professional composure at all times
• Ability to work effectively and without intensive supervision both independently and as a member of a multidisciplinary team
• Commitment to self-care and wellness
  

Education and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in social work or related field
• Experience working with victims of human trafficking, victims of abuse and neglect, or people experiencing homelessness and/or addiction
• Lived experience preferred
• Preferred 2-3 years case management and/or crisis intervention experience
• Trained in trauma-informed care
• Trained in stages of change model and use of motivational interviewing

Critical Qualities

• High level of emotional maturity and responsibility
• Ability to exercise discretion in caring for people in crisis and providing long term support
• Strong work ethic
• Innovative problem solver
• Ability to adapt immediately to changes in the field
• Commitment to excellence and professionalism in services provided
• Work in a fast-paced, high-pressure environment and maintain emotional control and professional composure at all times
• Work effectively and without intensive supervision both independently and as a member of a multidisciplinary team
• Commitment to self-care and wellness

Job Responsibilities:

• Respond to calls from law enforcement, CST care coordinators, and other referral sources when on call; arrive at survivor’s location within required time frame
• Meet immediate physical needs of youth - clothes, food, toiletries, etc.
• Provide ongoing field-based advocacy, case management, and emotional support
• Independently coordinate referrals, service planning, and documentation of services for assigned caseload
• Conduct comprehensive assessments, develop service plans, and make independent decisions in the field regarding the safety and well-being of assigned survivors
• Provide transportation with parent or guardian permission to appointments and services as needed and as feasible
• Meet with each assigned survivor weekly if in town; meet with survivors placed out-of-town monthly; maintain communication through other means in between weekly meetings
• In coordination with the MDT, help create and update safety plans for survivors
• Attend CPS case staffings and MDT emergency response meetings and scheduled staffings
• Document all interactions with survivors, their families, and partner agencies within 72 hours
• Build and maintain good relationships with organizations that provide services relevant to trafficking victims
• Alert supervisor when difficult situations arise
• Recognize red flag behavior and report to supervisor or Executive Director
• When not otherwise available, provide appropriate level of support to non-offending family members of victims in order to help create a good home environment to which the victim can return while maintaining needed boundaries.
• Convey a service-oriented approach:
  • Communicate an eagerness to be helpful, starting with every referral, initial contact, and/or initial engagement and continuing through service delivery, with all stakeholders.
  • Provide those seeking assistance with help, even when they are ineligible for advocate services or are seeking something outside Unbound Now's scope.
  • When referring someone, offer a warm handoff to others whenever possible.
  • Balance the limitations of the advocate role with being resourceful, including seeking help from others as needed.
  • Be consistent, reliable, and flexible. Collaborate actively in support of partners’ objectives.
• Ensure case management in collaboration with on-going system and service- or investigation-based case management, continuing case management beyond others’ eligibility parameters. Ensure that case management is carried out in a manner that is relationship-based, trauma-responsive, and survivor-centered.
• Commit to weekly in-person meetings with supervisor. Telephonic supervision may occur once in any 30-day period.
• Participate in Unbound Now’s advocate resilience group
• Apply specialized training and use professional judgment in determining the best way to serve survivors during crisis and on an ongoing basis
• Complete DFPS monthly and quarterly reports accurately and in a timely manner
• Participate in weekly advocacy team meetings/case staffings
• Participate in all required trainings
• Submit expense documentation properly and within required timeframes
  

Working Relationships:

Supervisor: Task Force Program Coordinator

Works with: Other Advocates, law enforcement, facility staff

Supervises: Volunteer mentors

Physical Requirements

• Demands sometimes require ability to lift loads up to 50 pounds
• Demands frequently require close visual attention
• Demands frequently require prolonged mental concentration