Colorado Nonprofit Association

SHELTER ADVOCATE/COUNSELOR

Safehouse Progressive Alliance for Nonviolence is seeking a dynamic team member to work closely with and among other SPAN teammates in its quest to end interpersonal violence within its community. By asking to join SPAN, means that you are committed to working toward fulfilling this quest.

The Position

The Shelter Advocate/Counselor provides crisis intervention, safety planning, trauma-informed counseling support, case management, and advocacy to shelter residents to increase stability factors in their lives and access needed services and resources.  Additionally assists with crisis line support; maintains community contacts and resources; promotes a Shelter environment based on respect and nonviolence; supports social justice efforts that positively impact survivors and their children. This is a weekend and evening position.

• Provides crisis intervention, case management, trauma-informed support counseling and advocacy to assist shelter residents (adults and children).
• Provides advocacy services to survivors of domestic violence, sexual violence, human trafficking, and other forms abuse. 
• Assists with crisis line coverage to provide telephone crisis counseling, intakes & screenings into shelter, advocacy, and referrals to crisis line callers.
• Facilitates support groups for Shelter residents, including the weekly House Meeting. 
• Supports interns and practicum students assigned to the Shelter program. 
• Assures Shelter Team of coverage including weekend, evening and holiday shifts.
• Builds new and manages existing relationships through collaboration. Specific focus on expanding partnerships with community organizations serving marginalized populations. 
• Maintains case files & records and preparing monthly reports and time sheets.  Inputs all necessary client information (such as intakes, activities, case notes, and hotline/crisis calls) in Salesforce data system for accurate recordkeeping and monthly statistics.

Qualifications

• A 4-year degree in counseling, social work or gender studies, knowledge in a related field, or a combination of education and experience.
• Two years of progressive experience in crisis intervention or survivor advocacy.  It will also help you to have experience working in shelter settings and supporting volunteers/interns. 
• Proven written and oral communication skills. Spanish-bilingual preferred but not required. 
• Knowledge of or experience working with social justice issues, specifically intimate partner, and gender-based violence, and racial, class, gender, and sexual orientation issues strongly preferred. Requires excellent organizational skills.
• A collaborator, with internal departments and community partners, to deliver comprehensive support services for adult and child survivors in shelter settings.
• Active in anti-violence and gender/social justice initiatives and have experience working directly with marginalized communities.
• Excellent organizational and problem-solving skills, can communicate with a variety of audiences and appreciate the details.
• Great computer skills including Microsoft Office and virtual meeting platforms. Able to produce and meet deadlines in our fast-paced and changing environment.   
• Able to work weekends and evenings. 40 hours a week in-person.
• Able to sit or stand for long periods each day. While not frequent, you need to reach for, move and/or 20 pounds and use your hands to finger, handle, or feel objects, tools, or controls, mobility to access a wide variety of meeting and settings, and to perform a variety of tasks that involve standing, walking/traversing, sitting, stooping, kneeling, bending, and twisting, climbing stairs or using an elevator, possibly reaching chest high and overhead for materials, with reasonable accommodation (we put it all in 1 sentence to may our legal team happy!).
• Ability to communicate adequately in person and by phone, in personal and group settings, and function with periodic distractions such as people, telephone calls, and noise.
• Ability to work with, and process information from, a variety of individuals and media (e.g., computers, projected images, printed materials). 

SPAN is committed to the principle of equal employment opportunity for all team members and to providing a work environment free from discrimination and harassment. All employment decisions at SPAN are based on business needs, job requirements, and individual applicant qualifications, without regard to race, color, religion, or belief, ancestry, age, sex (including pregnancy, sexual orientation, and gender identity), family or parental status, or any other status protected by law. SPAN will not tolerate discrimination or harassment based on any of these characteristics.