Provide support, advocacy, and role modeling for adult, teen, and child participants in a residential program using a trauma-informed approach. Responsibilities include facilitating life skills development, ensuring facility safety, and maintaining detailed documentation and logs.
Requirements summary
Requires an Associate's degree or equivalent experience in human services, a valid driver's license, and the ability to lift 40 lbs. Experience in domestic violence settings and an understanding of structural racism are preferred.
The YWCA of Western Massachusetts is a nonprofit organization dedicated to eliminating racism and empowering women. For over 150 years, the YWCA has served our region, guided by its founding principle: to provide shelter, support services, and tools for self-sufficiency for survivors of domestic violence and/or sexual assault. We do this through a variety of programs and services designed to promote safety, build skills for employment and financial stability, and strengthen relationships between parents and children.
Expectations of all employees
In the performance of essential and general job responsibilities, all YWCA employees are expected to:
Demonstrate commitment to the YWCA’s mission and principles of trauma-informed work.
Represent the YWCA in a professional and competent manner to participants, community members, organizational partners, and other stakeholders.
Support policies, practices, and decisions that demonstrate our shared accountability for racial equity.
Foster a positive working environment.
Coordinate efforts across teams, programs, and partner organizations.
Maintain professional behavior and strict confidentiality.
Position Purpose
The Direct Service Advocate (DSA) is responsible for providing support, advocacy and role modeling to adult, teen and child program participants living in the YWCA’s residential programs. DSA’s are part of a team model working with peers, supervisors, clinicians and outside connections to best serve program participants. DSA’s support the agency mission and trauma informed service model in order to provide safe, consistent and quality services to vulnerable populations.
Essential Responsibilities
Nurture and support a milieu approach that is participant-guided, family-driven, strengths-based, trauma-informed and embraces a framework of empowerment and encouragement, engaging with 100% of individuals and families that are on-site each shift.
Encourage and support the development of life skills, positive parenting and improved parent-child interaction- 1:1 or group format to include recreational, educational, cultural or those that promote family engagement
Follow and encourage the programs daily schedule and facilitate resident participation and community responsibilities, taking into account individualized plans for each participant.
Ongoing individual resident support with 85% of time on shift in direct service role providing face to face contact and interaction with participant’s and their children in order to support.
Ensure program procedures, rules, regulations and policies are followed to ensure a safe and supportive living environment including completion of 100% of all required safety sweeps (minimum of four times) each shift to ensure premises including alarms, doors, windows, appliances and bedrooms are all safe.
To facilitate integration into the program, provide orientation and emotional support to participants upon arrival.
To ensure participants are properly welcomed to the program, prepares rooms for new families within 1-2 shifts from previous exit.
Provide daily information as it relates to data collection and outcome measurements through the completion of 100% of AWARDS logs prior to end of shift.
Required documentation and daily program communication including case notes, resident files and communication logs, completing 100% of all documentation prior to the end of shift.
Perform regular job duties to be observed by new staff during the job shadowing portion of program orientation.
Engage with residents at 100% of all meal times and ensure that participants clean up the dining area prior to leaving as well as kitchen prior to cooking.
Ensure thorough communication of staff from shift to shift.
Assist with child care as needed to support service planning goal activities completion.
To support children’s safety and well-being, ensure mothers supervise children at all times and offer support to moms during a crisis or periods where they may be overwhelmed.
Conducts safety checks on residents and children as needed and completes 100% of all required safety checks.
Answer phones and provide information and referral.
Attend scheduled staff meetings, supervision and trainings as required.
Responsible for upkeep of the facility and property (including, but not limited to: vacuuming, laundry, assist with loading/unloading groceries, mopping, preparation of bedrooms) including ensuring 100% of chores were completed properly before signing off on the chore list during your shift.
Provide transportation to residents and adhere to all safety laws/policies regarding seat belts, car seat requirements and speed limits at all times to include ratio of 1:6.
It is a 24/7 program, staff are responsible to work Holiday shift depending on their schedule.
Conduct oneself at all times in a respectable professional manner
Perform other related duties as needed.
Qualifications
A.A. or equivalent education or experience in a human service field (Required)
One year of counseling and direct service experience (Preferred)
Experience in a domestic violence setting (Preferred)
Experience with survivors of gender-based violence and exploitation (Preferred)
Experience addressing the impacts of decisions and actions on multiple communities (Preferred)
Understanding of both interpersonal and structural racism and bias (Preferred)
Access to reliable transportation and valid driver’s license (Required)
Must be able to lift 40 lbs.
Eeo statement
It is the policy of YWCA of Western Massachusetts to provide equal employment opportunity (EEO) to all persons regardless of age, color, national origin, citizenship status, physical or mental disability, race, religion, creed, gender, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, genetic information, marital status, pregnancy or maternity, status with regard to public assistance, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local law. In addition, the YWCA will provide reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities.
Disclaimer
The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by employees assigned to this classification. They are not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties and skills required of employees assigned to this position.
At-Will employment
The YWCA is an “at-will” equal opportunity employer. While the YWCA will continue to operate with care regarding employment decisions, the YWCA and its employees may terminate the employment relationship at any time and for any reason, with or without cause, and without advance notice. Exceptions include select, non-exempt positions covered under the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA). This position is covered under the CBA (union) and is subject to union dues.
Criminal background checks
The YWCA, in our effort to provide safety to those we serve, and to protect our agency, performs criminal offender record information (CORI) checks on all prospective employees. Final offers of employment are contingent upon receipt of an acceptable CORI report as solely determined by the YWCA.
Introductory period
All employment at the YWCA begins with a 150-day Introductory Period.
