• Rural Outreach Advocate

    Safe Place of Eastern South Dakota
    Job Description
    Rural Outreach Advocate
    Hours: 40 hours per week- Monday through Friday; occasional evenings and weekends
    Reports to: Shelter Supervisor
    Salary/Hourly Rate: $17.50

    Mission: To provide a safe and empowering environment for victims of domestic violence and sexual assault through advocacy, education, shelter, and family support services.
    Qualifications:
    • Associate or bachelor’s degree in human services or a related field is preferred, but equivalent experience will also be considered.
    • Basic knowledge, understanding and experience working with victims of domestic violence and/or sexual assault.
    • Self-motivated, self-directed, organized, responsible.
    • Ability to respond effectively to crises.
    • Excellent oral, written, and electronic (social media) communication skills
    • Skilled at building interpersonal relationships in the community
     
    Perks:
    • This is a position that works very independently. After the orientation period, the Rural Outreach Advocate typically spends half of his/her time working out in the community, building, and maintaining relationships in our nine counties.
    • Managing social media accounts for Safe Place is a creative facet of the position.
    • Safe Place offers a competitive benefits package, including paying 85% of the single employee’s premium for health, vision, and dental insurance.
     
    Responsibilities:
    Outreach Responsibilities:
    • Maintain complete confidentiality of client and staff information.
    • Provide information and education about Safe Place’s programs to agencies and citizens in the communities we serve through displays, fliers, presentations, speaking engagements.
    • Maintain established outreach relationships within the nine counties we serve (Aurora, Davison, Douglas, Hanson, Hutchinson, McCook, Miner, Jerauld, and Sanborn).
    • Promote and participate with local Domestic Violence Sexual Assault Response Team (DVSART).
    • Develop professional relationships with key individuals and agencies within our outreach area. 
    • Manage social media accounts for Safe Place, collaborating with other team members.
    • Attend county and community functions relevant to domestic violence/sexual assault issues.
    • Assist in the development of rural county/community services. 
    • Work in cooperation with the South Dakota Network Against Family Violence & Sexual Assault Program.
     
    Advocacy Responsibilities:
    • Direct client services to include trauma informed care, advocacy, in-take, protection orders, and sexual assault.
    • Work closely with the shelter staff to communicate needs and to ensure seamless continuity of services.
    • Assist victims with support and advocacy services (transportation, safety planning).
    • Assist victims with legal advocacy, including obtaining protection orders. 
    • Provide referrals and information about other programs to victims. 
    • Provide on-call crisis advocacy alternating one night a week, weekend and holiday rotation with other on-call crisis advocates. 
    • Accurately complete reports and paperwork in a timely manner.
    • Perform other duties as assigned.  
    • Rotate on-call duties as assigned. 
    • Other duties as assigned.
      On- Call Responsibilities:
    • Direct client services to include trauma informed care, advocacy, in-take, protection orders, and sexual assault.
    ·     Work closely with the shelter staff to communicate needs and to ensure seamless continuity of services.
    ·     Document all interactions as required.
    ·     Maintain safety and security precautions.
    ·     Crisis intervention and safety planning with clients/potential clients.
    ·     Respond to emergency requests and/or needs by clients.
    ·     Rotate on call duties as assigned.


    Hours of work:
    • Monday through Friday; occasional evenings and weekends
    • Travel within the nine-county area, valid driver’s license/clean driving record required.
      • Aurora, Davison, Douglas, Hanson, Hutchinson, McCook, Miner, Jerauld, and Sanborn counties
    • Ability to adjust hours as needed to cover events and needs of the position.

     
    Contact Information
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