Job Description
Job Title: Outreach Advocate
Program: Phoenix House
Reports To: Outreach Coordinator
FLSA Status: Exempt
Job Status: Full-time
Date: June 2013
Summary
Works with Outreach Coordinator to plan and provide outreach and services to domestic violence and sexual assault survivors in Pottawattamie, Harrison, Mills, Fremont, Shelby, Audubon, Cass, Montgomery and Page counties. Participates in staff meetings as scheduled; cooperates with other colleagues; contributes to the professional development of the agency or related programs and performs any other job-related tasks deemed necessary and/or assigned by the Program Manager or Outreach Coordinator.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities
· To support community awareness and education of domestic violence and sexual assault in outreach counties. Facilitate presentations that create awareness and prevention of domestic violence and sexual assault
· To liaison with local coalitions, task forces, and community members in outreach counties
· Build and maintain a collaborative relationship with community professionals and human service agencies, religious and civic organizations and educational organizations in outreach counties
· Participate in community events in outreach counties- fairs, parades, etc. that are regularly scheduled on nights and weekends
· Distribute agency materials throughout assigned areas
· Provides program services to outreach counties to include 24 hour law enforcement and hospital response, legal advocacy, individual and group counseling and community education
· Assists survivors in arranging appropriate shelter and assists in securing transportation services when necessary
· Maintain the ability to work flexible hours and provide own transportation
· In conjunction with the Outreach Coordinator and Volunteer/PR Specialist works with and oversees volunteers in outreach counties
· Able to evaluate program services and make recommendations
· Attends regularly scheduled staff meetings and trainings
· Prepares statistical summaries and other reports as required. Enters statistical data into agency database
· Works with Program Manager and staff to develop annual budget plan.
· Performs other duties as assigned
Supervisory Responsibilities
This position has no supervisory responsibilities
Qualifications
To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
Excellent verbal and written communication skills. Excellent interpersonal and organizational skills. Ability to schedule concurrent activities. Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with a wide variety of people having diverse social concerns and problems. Good knowledge and familiarity with needs and resources in the community. Requires knowledge of appropriate intervention techniques for working effectively with a variety of problems related to sexual abuse and domestic violence.
Travel to our service area sites required on a regular basis. Overnight travel for continuing education required on a limited basis.
Position requires some evening and weekend hours.
Education and/or Experience
Bachelor's degree (B.A.) from four-year college or university and one to two years related experience and/or training; or equivalent combination of education and experience.
Solid knowledge of social work and practices as would normally be acquired through a Bachelor in Social Work, Sociology, Psychology or related field and 1-2 years of related job experience. Excellent verbal and written communication skills. Excellent interpersonal and organizational skills. Ability to schedule concurrent activities. Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with a wide variety of people having diverse social concerns and problems. Good knowledge and familiarity with needs and resources in the community. Requires knowledge of appropriate intervention techniques for working effectively with a variety of problems related to family violence.
Computer Skills
Demonstrates proficient computer skills and familiarity of Microsoft Office software applications including Outlook, Word, Excel and PowerPoint. May also require the ability to use Access, and desktop publishing software as required. Ability to learn and effectively use various data collection and database management systems to record data as required. Demonstrates familiarity and proficiency with Internet tools and techniques for searching, extracting, and processing information.
Workplace Ethics
Treats people with dignity and respect. Inspires the trust of others. Works ethically and with integrity. Maintains and safeguards confidential information. Possesses a strong commitment to the mission of Catholic Charities including the understanding of Catholic Social Teaching and ability to demonstrate the philosophy and values of the agency. The identity of the agency is clearly Catholic. As such, Catholic Charities’ staff adheres to the social and moral teachings of the Catholic Church.
Communication Skills
Exhibits good interpersonal communications skills including the ability to establish and set strong personal boundaries. Keeps others adequately informed and exhibits good team building abilities. Expresses ideas and thoughts clearly in both written and verbal form. Exhibits good listening and comprehension skills; seeks clarification when needed and selects and uses appropriate communication methods. Ability to communicate and interact with a wide variety of people having diverse social concerns and problems. Ability to communicate the mission and services of Catholic Charities both within the agency and community.
Language Skills
Ability to read and interpret documents such as safety rules, operating and maintenance instructions, and procedure manuals. Ability to write routine reports, business correspondence and procedure manuals utilizing proper English, grammar, punctuation and spelling; proofreads with accuracy and completeness to produce documents requiring minimal revisions by others. Ability to effectively present information and respond to questions from employees, managers, clients, and the general public. Ability to respond professionally to common inquiries or complaints from customers, regulatory agencies, or members of the business community. May require ability to write speeches and articles for publication that conform to prescribed style and format.
Mathematical Skills
Ability to add, subtract, multiply, and divide in all units of measure, using whole numbers, common fractions, and decimals. Ability to compute rate, ratio, and percent and to draw and interpret bar graphs. Ability to apply concepts such as fractions, percentages, ratios, and proportions to practical situations.
Reasoning Ability
Ability to solve practical problems and deal with a variety of concrete variables in situations where only limited standardization exists. Ability to interpret a variety of instructions furnished in written, oral, diagram, or schedule form.
Certificates, Licenses, Registrations
IowaCASA Certified Sexual Abuse Counselor
ICADV Certified Domestic Abuse Advocate
Blood Born Pathogen training (annually)
CPR certification (annually)
First Aid certification (every three years)
Mandatory Child Abuse and Dependent Adult training (every 5 years)
Licensed to operate a motor vehicle and ability to meet agency auto insurance coverage requirements.
Other Skills and Abilities
Knowledge of standard office procedures including alphabetic and numeric filing, mail processing, and record keeping. Proficient human relations, planning, organizing and communication skills. Ability to meet deadlines by effectively organizing and prioritizing work assignments while managing frequent interruptions. Knowledge and ability to operate various office machines including: computer, printer, copier, scanner, fax machine, telephone, and calculator.
Other Qualifications
Ability to successfully pass a child abuse registry check and criminal background check, and requires completion of the Protecting God’s Children VIRTUS training session.
Physical Demands
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.
Amount of Time
None Under 1/3 to Over
1/3 2/3 2/3
Stand |______|______|___X _|__ ___|
Walk |______|______|______|__X___|
Sit |______|______|______|__X___|
Use hands to finger, handle, or feel |______|______|______|__X_ _|
Reach with hands and arms |______|______|___X__|______|
Climb or balance |______|___X_ |______|______|
Stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl |______|_____ _|__ _X_|____ _ |
Talk or hear |______|_____ _|______|___X_ |
Taste or smell |______|___X__|____ _|_____ |
Amount of time
None Under 1/3 to Over
1/3 2/3 2/3
Up to 10 pounds |______|______|______|___X _|
Up to 25 pounds |______|______|___X _|______|
Up to 50 Pounds |______|___X _|______|______|
Up to 75 Pounds |__ X__|______|______|______|
More than 100 pounds |_ X__ |______|______|___ _ _|
Does this job have any special vision requirements? Check all that apply.
_X__ Close vision (clear vision at 20 inches or less)
_X_ Distance vision (clear vision at 20 feet or more)
____ Color vision (ability to identify and distinguish colors)
_X_ Peripheral vision (ability to observe an area that can be seen up and down or to the left and right while eyes are fixed on a given point)
_X__ Depth perception (three-dimensional vision, ability to judge distances and spatial relationships)
_X__ Ability to adjust focus (ability to adjust the eye to bring an object into sharp focus)
____ No special vision requirements
Work Environment
The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.